My problem is that the $100 million in Connect Oregon funding which is generally split between rail, ports and whatever else this year is going exclusively to non-rail projects except for a couple million the UP got to extend a siding somewhere down the valley.

OPR was in line to obtain funding this goaround for rebuilding our Molalla River Bridge which has been a "patch and pray" project for the last ten years. OPR did not qualify for the Connect Oregon program in the past because of unpaid property taxes which were recently appealed and settled to the benefit of the railroad. Because funds were spent patching the bridge some tax money was diverted to keep the bridge in service and now its time to pay the fideler.

Needless to say I'm not a big fan of these intermodal projects that benefit big business.

Dick Samuels
Oregon Pacific Railroad