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Railroad Newsline for Thursday, 02/22/07
Author: Larry W. Grant
Date: 02-22-2007 - 02:23
Railroad Newsline for Thursday, February 22,02007
Compiled by Larry W. Grant
In Memory of Rob Carlson, 1952 – 2006
RAIL NEWS
DUNSMUIR ENGINE HOUSE MAY BE DEMOLISHED
DUNSMUIR, CA -- The engine house in Dunsmuir's railroad yard may soon join the roundhouse and machine shop and old wooden rail station as only a memory of the days of the steam locomotive.
Photo here: [www.mtshastanews.com]
Caption reads: The Dunsmuir engine house, built in 1939 to work on steam locomotives, was leased to the city in 1990 by then Southern Pacific. The structure may soon be destroyed if plans to give it to Union Pacific materialize.
That was the news given to the Dunsmuir City Council Friday by Bruce Petty of the Dunsmuir Steam Engine Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to preservation of historic equipment from the steam locomotive era.
"Union Pacific has stated if the building is given back to them, it will be torn down," Petty said.
Petty said the reason for returning the structure to the railroad is a lack of both manpower and funding for needed major repairs. The engine house was originally leased to the city of Dunsmuir in 1990 by then Southern Pacific for $1 a year. The city turned it over to the steam engine institute for possible future use as a museum.
"We started out with the idea of preserving the round house, which was built in 1939 and is one of the last engine houses still standing," he said. "We just don't have the resources available so let's give it to UP and let them tear it down. We gave it a try. That's it."
Petty said railroad artifacts in the building would be properly disposed of including giving them to museums.
Rita Green, president of the Dunsmuir Railroad Depot Historical Society, asked if some of the artifacts could be donated to the society for placement at the Dunsmuir Amtrak Depot.
"I don't see a problem," Petty said.
In response to Petty's comment that the building is one of the last engine houses left in the United States, a question was raised as to why UP wanted to tear the structure down rather than attempt to make repairs.
"I think it has a lot to do with the hazardous condition it poses," Dunsmuir finance director Keith Anderson said.
He said there is also the issue of liability if it was to be opened to the public in the future because of its location in the midst of the rail yard.
Council member Tim Padula said there is also the issue of asbestos in the building.
"I think the reason the railroad gave you the building in the first place is because they didn't want the liability involved in asbestos removal," Padula told Petty.
Petty said because of the presence of asbestos in the building it is going to cost UP a lot more to tear it down than to renovate it.
"They're probably looking at millions of dollars to tear it down and haul the asbestos off," he said. "It would probably cost about $100,000 to fix it up."
Before making any decision on giving the engine house to UP, Anderson requested the issue be placed on the council's next agenda for formal action since the building lease is with the city.
The engine house, a two-track building, was constructed to work on the mallet steam locomotives, which were essentially two steam engines mounted under the same boiler. These engines were too long for the roundhouse.
As the diesel locomotive, which required less maintenance than the steam engine, became prominent, the roundhouse was reduced to about six stalls in the 1950s and used to store city equipment. The stalls were destroyed in a snowstorm in 1964. The engine machine shop was torn down in 1969, along with the old Dunsmuir train station. - Earl Bolender, The Mt. Shasta Herald
LOW-EMISSION LOCOMOTIVES COMING DOWN THE TRACKS
SAN BERNARDINO, CA -- As the region continues to wrestle with the worst air in the nation, Union Pacific Railroad officials Tuesday showed off some of the cleaner-burning locomotives coming into service.
The San Bernardino area is home to two major rail yards, including Union Pacific's Colton yard and BNSF Railway's intermodal yard.
Reducing emissions from rail operations could have a major benefit on the health of those living nearby, air quality officials have said.
Railroad officials said they're working hard to do their share.
"We have spent $5 billion on environmentally friendly locomotives since 2000," said Scott Moore, a Union Pacific assistant vice president.
New clean-burning, long-haul locomotives and lighter "switcher" engines, which work only in yards, are being hauled around on a publicity tour to tout the new technology. The tour kicked off in the Colton yard.
Sixty of the cleaner switching engines will be coming to Southern California, and Union Pacific has ordered 500 of the cleaner long-haul locomotives.
The switchers will have three 700-horsepower engines aboard instead of one large engine.
The smaller engines will be far cleaner, and for maintenance or upgrades can be pulled out by two workers in eight hours, said Lanny Schmid, director of environmental operations for Union Pacific.
The bigger, long-haul locomotives had to be redesigned from the ground up, said Shaunda Parks, a spokeswoman for General Electric, which builds the locomotives.
Previous attempts at cleaning up railroad engines resulted in major losses of power and fuel efficiency.
The new Evolution engine, which took eight years and $300 million to develop, gets 5 percent better mileage while cutting emissions 40 percent, compared with existing technology.
There has been some disagreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about the next leap in regulations.
The Evolution meets the current standard of 5.5 grams of oxides of nitrogen per horsepower per hour. The EPA is considering a 1.3 gram standard. GE has said it can get down to 1.9 grams.
Parks said discussions with the EPA are continuing and the company is committed to aggressive reductions.
"We're talking about a difference of 0.6 grams, and we're coming down from 5.5," she said.
Filters that can be added to older locomotives are also being tested but haven't been as promising because they are extremely bulky and there's not much extra room on a locomotive, Schmid said.
Also on display were simulators used for training both locomotive engineers and operators in switch yards.
Operators are trained to be as fuel efficient as possible in how they handle those massive loads.
Jim Westman, manager at the West Colton Yard, said there can be a 30 percent difference in fuel efficiency depending on how the operators drive the trains. - Andrew Silva, The San Bernardino County Sun
YUMANS AT IMPASSE WITH POSSIBLE UNION PACIFIC LINE
YUMA, AZ -- A meeting Tuesday to discuss possible routes for a proposed new railroad came up with a clear message: Yuma County residents don't like any of them.
Of the more than 50 people who attended the second stakeholders advisory meeting, no one spoke in favor of Union Pacific's proposal to build a new railroad through the Yuma area to carry goods from a planned port in Punta Colonet, Baja California, into and across the United States. It also was announced that the cities of Somerton and San Luis, Arizona, and the Cocopah Tribe have passed resolutions opposing the railroad.
"How many times do we have to say it?" asked Paul Muthart.
More than a dozen routes are being considered, said Chris Peterson, director of government affairs for Union Pacific.
"We're looking at a lot of options," he said. "But we've not made a decision."
One thing under consideration as a result of community response is a potential route on the west side of the Colorado River, said Robert Turner, senior vice president of corporate relations. However, he warned, Yuma County would lose out on any potential economic benefits from the railroad if such a route were selected.
"Yuma County is not the only option," Peterson said in his presentation at the meeting. "But we believe it shows the most promise."
And Yuma County stands to benefit economically with new and expanded commercial operations, he said. Those could include attracting new industry served by the railroad, adding a produce loading facility and developing a logistics center. Union Pacific has hired a consultant to further explore potential benefits the new railroad could bring.
A big unknown in the entire project is what the Mexican government will do, said Turner.
With the installation of Mexican President Felipe Calderon, the Mexican government again seems to be moving forward with the project, Turner said. Calderon has hired a consultant to meet with the various consortiums interested in developing the new megaport and rail line. That includes Union Pacific, which is partnered with Hutchison Whampoa, a Hong Kong-based international corporation that is a leading operator of ports among other businesses.
Turner said he anticipates the Mexican government will issue requests for proposals by this summer. Until then, details of the project and whether it would be feasible for Union Pacific remain unclear.
In the meantime, Turner acknowledged, Union Pacific "should have come forward sooner" to share its plans with the community and address local concern. "I pledge we will be more public."
To that end, the railroad has hired Luis Heredia, who previously worked for Rep. Raul Grijalva, to be the local contact. As a community relations specialist, Heredia will be meeting with various local groups and be available to hear concerns on a day-to-day basis. He can be reached at 373-8842.
According to an article published Feb. 10 by the San Diego Union, the Punta Colonet port project has hit a snag with public rejection by a Baja California legislative panel. The article reported that Carlos Enrique Jimenez Ruiz, head of the Baja California legislature's managing commission, announced opposition to the project during a meeting in Mexicali because of lack of information.
Turner said he was unaware of the article and "knew nothing of this group's opposition."
The Punta Colonet project originated with the Baja California governor as a state project, he said.
The next stakeholders meeting has been scheduled for March 15 at a location to be announced later, said Mack Luckie, executive director of the Yuma Metropolitan Planning Area and lead agency in working with Union Pacific in an effort to find an acceptable route. - Joyce Lobeck, The Yuma Sun
SHORT LINE RAILROAD FILES SUIT IN FEDERAL COURT AGAINST BNSF FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT
FARGO, ND -- A Wahpeton, North Dakota-based regional railroad says the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. violated a contract for the use of rail cars.
A federal lawsuit filed in Fargo by the Red River Valley & Western Railroad claims BNSF owes more than $400,000 for so-called performance payments in the last three years.
The complaint said BNSF changed the way it calculated payments for the prompt return of rail cars, resulting in lower payments to the RRVW. The regional railroad was formed after it purchased more than 600 miles of track from Burlington Northern in 1987.
BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said Tuesday that the railroad would review the matter.
Under terms of the 1987 contract, BNSF agreed to supply rail cars to RRVW that moved over lines of both railroads. It included incentives for RRVW to move the cars quickly so BNSF could increase its workload, the complaint said.
"BNSF has unilaterally, and without justification, breached its contract with Red River by failing to make, since February of 2004, performance payments to Red River in accordance with the car hire agreement," the complaint said.
RRVW handles an average of about 42,000 carloads annually, the company's Web site said. It serves more than 60 customers, including 35 grain elevators. - The Associated Press, The West Central Tribune (Willmar, MN)
DM&E CRITICS FILE SUIT SEEKING RAILROAD'S FINANCIAL INFORMATION
WASHINGTON, DC -- The law firm representing the Rochester Coalition and the Mayo Clinic filed a lawsuit today seeking the release of the financial records of the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad, which is seeking a $2.3 billion federal loan for its planned coal train project.
In a suit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Washington law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, asked a judge to direct the Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration to release the materials it had sought last April in a Freedom of Information Act request.
According to the suit, Manatt, Phelps and Phillips still has not received those materials, which include financial information such as balance sheets, income statements, market capitalization, debt, feasibility and market studies related to DM&E.
The Rochester Coalition and Mayo oppose the train project because it would mean more trains running through the city and close to the clinic.
FRA spokesman Steve Kulm said that the agency has not received the suit so could not comment on it. But he did say that under federal law, federal agencies are prohibited from releasing trade secrets or privileged or confidential commercial or financial information obtained from a non-governmental entity.
"However, the law also directs that upon receipt of a FOIA request of this type, the entity submitting the materials to a federal agency must identify and justify information that it believes should not be publicly released," Kulm said in an e-mail response. "FRA is currently reviewing the justifications made by DM&E. FRA will make the final decision on what information will be released."
Stephen Ryan, legal counsel for the Rochester Coalition and Mayo Clinic, said in a statement that the FRA has permitted DM&E's "secretive behavior" for 10 months.
"It is time for our government to require some public disclosure if DM&E wants the public's money," he said.
Kevin Schieffer, DM&E's president, said he took exception to the "secretive" characterization.
"Obviously, we are not going to disclose information that competitors or opponents would use to undermine our business," he said. "Nobody would." But he insisted that the process has been open.
Last month, the FRA determined the DM&E's project had met the requirements of the federal environmental review process, triggering a 90-day period during which the FRA must approve or reject the loan.
The DM&E wants to add track to the Powder River Basin coal fields in Wyoming and upgrade its existing line in South Dakota and Minnesota. The $6 billion project would involve building about 280 miles of new track and upgrading 600 miles of existing track so trains could haul coal for power plants. - The Associated Press, The Sioux Falls Argus Leader
FOUR RAILROAD CROSSINGS GET LIGHTS, GATES
AMITE, LA -- Warning lights and automated gates were installed last week at four railroad grade crossings outside Independence and Kentwood, Louisiana.
The new safety equipment was put in place two years after six people died in two train-vehicle collisions days apart in northern Tangipahoa Parish.
Canadian National Railroad installed the equipment at the request of the state Department of Transportation and Development at Brickyard Road, Velma Road and Maggio Road just outside Independence and Cabbage Farm Road south of Kentwood, DOTD spokesman Brenden Rush said.
Rush said the state requested in March that the work be done, but it is up to the railroad company to work the installation into its schedule. The gates cost about $150,000 each and are typically paid for by a federal grant administered by DOTD.
So far, Tangipahoa Parish government has not been asked to close any crossings in exchange for the automated devices, Parish President Gordon Burgess said.
Municipalities in the parish have had to agree to close some crossings in the past in order to clear the way for the automated warning devices.
For example, Amite closed two crossings to receive the devices at five crossings in May.
In fact, the parish has rejected suggestions by DOTD on which crossings to close, including the site of train-vehicle crash that killed two men on Rev. J. White Road near Independence.
A utility truck attempted to cross the tracks at Rev. J. White Road on Feb. 17, 2005, and collided with a train, killing two men. Just four days before that crash, a man and three children died as a pickup truck crossed train tracks in Roseland and collided with an oncoming train.
Those deaths led to sometimes tense exchanges among parish and state officials over how the train-vehicle collisions could have been prevented.
Responding to the Tangipahoa Parish deaths, the Legislature gave DOTD the power to override local government and close grade crossings it deemed dangerous.
DOTD had suggested the closure of some crossings in 2005, but the parish rejected the proposal.
Rush said that DOTD has made suggestions on potential crossings to close, but did not know where the state and parish negotiations stand.
Burgess said that the parish has no plans to close any rail-grade crossings.
"We just did not feel like they could feasibly close because of the distance between crossings in some areas," Burgess said, adding that in some areas grade crossing closures would make it too difficult for emergency vehicles to respond in a timely manner. - Debra Lemoine, The Baton Rouge Advocate
REPAIRS PLANNED FOR RAILROAD BETWEEN BONHAM AND PARIS, TEXAS
BONHAM, TX -- Six years of intensive study and work by the Fannin County Rural Rail District has begun to show progress. Board members are hopeful that support of the Texas Department of Transportation will make a difference, but the cost of the project is estimated at $9 million. That amount of money would repair the railroad from Bonham to Paris, Texas. Gilbert Wilson of TxDOT presented his report after TxDOT had an engineering company check the entire railroad line. Based on that inspection, engineers came up with the $9 million figure to do all the repairs that would be necessary. Now, finding the money is the job at hand.
The railroad project will be broken into two sections. The first section from Honey Grove to Paris would cost about $4 million and that's the most critical section for Fannin County shippers, who want to start moving their agricultural products as soon as they possibly can.
The section from Honey Grove to Paris is the only way rail service can get in and out of the county. Trains can't come through Bonham because the track at Old Ector Road has been torn up and covered with street paving. The railroad companies on that end, Texas Northeastern Railroad and Union Pacific, are not interested in doing an interchange agreement with Fannin County.
The Rail District itself will have to come up with the $9 million, either through grants, loans or some other means. Board members plan to meet with Hopkins County Judge Cletis Millsap sometime within the next 30 days. Hopkins County has a rail district and has been successful getting money through various means. The Fannin County group will ask Millsap for some direction. Members want him to tell them what Hopkins County has done and possibly benefit from Millsap's hands-on experience. Fannin County will take pointers from Millsap and possibly also hire a consultant to help look for money and write grants.
TxDOT is trying to get the Texas Legislature to put about $200 million into the rail improvement infrastructure program, but so far that hasn't happened and it's probably too early in the Legislative session to know if it will.
TxDOT looks at the rail program as an opportunity to help reduce the amount of truck traffic on the Fannin County highways. Its engineers say that one loaded 18-wheeler does as much damage to the highways as about 10,000 passenger cars, and those engineers say if TxDOT can get at least some of the big trucks off the highways, it will save money by not having to do so much repair.
The rail service could take from 1,500 to 2,000 trucks a year off the roads in Fannin County, the numbers suggest. If Fannin County uses 1,000 or 1,500 railroad cars a year, close to 2,000 trucks wouldn't be running up and down the roads, Millsap's report said. The air, also, would be cleaner. The board agreed that there are many advantages. The Rail District expects the rail line to be more and more important as years go by.
However, since it's a state agency, TxDOT can't lobby the Legislature and explain the benefits, so it's hindered in what it's able to do and is forced to rely on other groups such as the Fannin County Rural Rail District.
This project, for six years, has seen little progress. Six years ago, there was little hope and many thought the railroad was gone forever. Now, at least, there's an idea that the Rail District can succeed.
TxDOT's engineers, during their inspection, drove the line from Bonham all the way to Paris and looked at all the bridges and cross ties, which have been neglected for 15 years. Some places need a lot of work and others need less. Board members said they see a lot of benefits from having rail service, short-term and long-term. Everything depends on how successful Fannin County will be in finding funds.
Cargo to be shipped out of the county would be wheat, corn, milo and soybeans. Incoming freight would most likely be fertilizer related products.
Businesses that might like to locate in Fannin County also will need rail service. The Board discussed, but didn't name, several different groups interested in bio-diesel or other alternative fuels. However, until they can get some guarantee of rail service, they're not likely to consider Fannin County.
Board members currently serving on the Fannin County Rural Rail District include Fred Ford, Doug Stroud, Bob Milford, Derrell Hall and Jimmy Doyle. Their biggest challenge right now, board members say, is to not get discouraged. - Vicki Graves, The Sherman-Denison Herald Democrat
RAIL HUB MAY FACE DELAYS
GARDNER, KS -- Slated to be operating by late next year, the opening of BNSF Railway's 1,300-acre rail-truck center in Gardner could be delayed into 2009.
Skip Kalb, strategic development director for BNSF Railway Co., said the development of the 1,300-acre intermodal hub is proceeding with the hopes that it will be operational by the end of 2008. However, the railroad will be making regulatory filings with federal, state and local authorities in the next few weeks and must await approvals before breaking ground on the facility.
"Some elements of the time schedule are beyond our control, and there's a 12- to 18-month construction schedule once we get the permits in hand," he said. "So it would not be unusual if we were not operating in Gardner until early or mid-2009."
BNSF will operate the 300-acre intermodal facility through a contractor, employing about 350 employees. The rest of the space will be occupied by up to 12 million square feet of warehouses and distribution centers.
BNSF anticipates that the Gardner hub will be a key cog in the movement of goods from the Pacific Rim to the Midwest. Containers unloaded off ships off the West Coast would travel by train to Gardner, where they are transferred to trucking operations for distribution to their final destinations.
BNSF, which has similar logistics parks in the Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth areas, projects that the Gardner facility will create up to 13,000 jobs in the area in the next 20 years. - The Kansas City Star, The Wichita Eagle
NARROW RAILROAD BRIDGE CAUSES SAFETY AND ACCESS WORRIES IN NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY
VALENCIA COUNTY, NM -- It could be argued that everyone in Highland Meadows lives on the wrong side of the tracks.
With two BNSF Railway Company tracks dividing the community and only one narrow bridge across those tracks, residents on both sides are voicing concerns.
Dist. 1 County Commissioner Pedro Rael said that, after a recent town hall meeting with residents of this far-flung community west of Los Lunas, it became apparent that the bridge might not be capable of supporting the heavy loads of modern vehicles.
"It is only a six-ton capacity," he said. "They are worried about large vehicles like school buses, fire trucks and propane trucks. A lot of people heat with propane out there. And even trucks hauling firewood get pretty heavy."
Rael went on to say that the bridge, which is on part of old Rt. 66 and therefore the responsibility of the State Highway Department, is currently the only way across the railroad tracks between the north and south sides of the community.
"The railroad (BNSF) has cut off all other crossings, except for the bridge," he said.
At a Feb. 7 meeting, Rael informed the county commission of the situation. County Manager Francisco Apodaca said the State Highway Department is committed to funding a project to shore up and reinforce the bridge and to increase the weight limit it can bear.
"They have told us they will have these changes done within 30 days," he said. "In the meantime, we've suggested the school district (Los Lunas Schools) switch to small buses until the project is done." Last Wednesday, Apodaca said the district had switched to the smaller buses for the duration of the project.
Apodaca said if BNSF has cut off all other crossings except for the bridge, it is an issue for the state and the railway to work out.
"It is a state highway, and we (the county) can't fix it," Rael said. "We're not passing the buck. It's a matter of jurisdiction."
Rael said it is his understanding that the bridge is a historical site. That could be a major hindrance to the project. "How much can the state alter the character of the bridge?" he asked. "If that really is a barrier, they may have to look at another crossing."
The county will work with the railroad and the highway department to the fullest extent of its authority on this matter, Rael said. "Ultimately, there needs to be a crossing there that is permanent and stable," he said.
On Wednesday, Apodaca said the county has been in conversation with the State Department of Transportation. "We are kind of riding herd on them," he laughed. "We are getting to use our mediation skills."
Apodaca went on to say that there is a restricted access railroad crossing on Laguna Pueblo land. "There is a locked gate on that road," he said. "During the floods, they let us through for emergency purposes." The area experienced flooding last summer.
The manager said he knew of one uncontrolled crossing that was closed. If the bridge is not a viable option for crossing the tracks, Apodaca said the state would need to negotiate with BNSF for a crossing.
Eric Zamora, the county's public works director, said that, according to the department of transportation (DOT), the bridge is indeed a historic site. "The DOT has said they are very limited in what they can do," he said. "They are looking at improvements that will take the bridge to around 14-ton capacity."
But even that might not be enough, Zamora said. A 14-ton capacity bridge could easily handle the Los Lunas school buses that regularly use the crossing, but the county's fire trucks are nearly 20 tons, and most propane trucks weigh in at 15 to 20 tons.
Those improvements might not be easily done, Zamora added. While heavy timbers and concrete support the bridge, the driving surface or deck of the bridge consists of two-by-fours on edge covered in tar and gravel. "DOT has expressed some concern about the bridge being able to support their equipment while they are removing the existing surface," Zamora said.
Zamora said the State Highway Department is estimating the work to shore up the existing overpass will close the bridge for 30 to 40 days. The county has initiated contact with Laguna Pueblo to use its crossing while the work is being done.
"It would not be a signalized crossing, so that presents problems for future use," he said. "And right now, it's more of a dirt path than a road." The only other option at this time is a 28-mile drive to the Mesita crossing.
DOT officials mentioned a new crossing, Zamora said, but that won't address the immediate needs of Highland Meadows residents. "That is a long-term solution," he said. "There are estimates that a new crossing could cost $5 million."
The highway department is talking to BNSF about possibly re-opening an old crossing a tenth of a mile from the Highland Meadows fire station, but so far the railroad has not sat down with the state to talk details, Zamora said. "And again, it would not be a signalized crossing," he said. "The DOT estimates that 120 trains go through there every day."
Bob Gomez, the local terminal supervisor of the railroad, said that if rail crossings have been closed, the action was taken for safety reasons. "The railroad can't just arbitrarily close a crossing," he said. "We have to apply to close it, and the state approves it. It is a long process with us working in concert with the state."
Gomez went on to say that, once a crossing is closed, it is highly unlikely that it will be re-opened. "The only way it would re-open is if the state would pay for a crossing with signals and gates," he said. "And that is very expensive."
With all the development going on in the county, Gomez said some of the smaller crossings were becoming inadequate for the higher volume of traffic. "This is something we are seeing more and more of," he said.
Christine Albeis, field safety manager for BNSF, said she knew some crossings had been closed while others were not. "Some of them may have been private crossings," she said. "Whenever a crossing is closed, it's a safety issue."
Albeis went on to say that, in some cases, the crossings that were closed could have been there for use by railroad personnel. "If there was a crossing for our use and people began using it, we may have closed it," she said.
Lena Kent, regional public relations director for BNSF, said between 80 and 100 trains pass through the area in a day. Kent said the railroad did close a private crossing in Highland Meadows last year. "It was a restricted crossing for railroad use," she said. "People had started using it, so we had to close it." - Julia M. Dendinger, The Valencia County News-Bulletin
TRUCKEE NARROWS MOUSEHOLE OPTIONS
Photo here:
[www.sierrasun.com]
Caption reads: Mousehole Alternative One: Creating a second, separate tunnel for pedestrians and cyclists is the least expensive option for making safer the Highway 89 tunnel known as the Mousehole.
TRUCKEE, CA -- The Town of Truckee has taken a significant step in planning a solution for the Mousehole.
The Mousehole is the narrow Highway 89 tunnel in Truckee over which the Union Pacific railroad line runs. For years, widening the tunnel has been a town priority, but the project is swathed with difficulty, especially related to high costs and the need to maintain continuous railroad operations.
Truckee's Town Council last week decided to eliminate two alternatives being explored for the Mousehole improvement, focusing town and Caltrans' efforts on either one of the bridge-based solutions, or the less expensive secondary hole for pedestrians and cyclists. Council members and local residents debated safety and traffic issues, costs, and the need for four lanes.
Truckee Public Works Director Dan Wilkins said pedestrian and bicycle safety, traffic capacity, emergency services access, and truck clearance were all issues to be considered in the project.
"The safety of pedestrians and cyclists is of paramount importance," Wilkins said. "But traffic capacity and safety are related."
Urging the council to look at the long-term ramifications of this project, Wilkins said the Mousehole should meet future needs as well as present.
"We may have one shot at this in our lifetime, and potentially our children's lifetime," Wilkins told the council. "A typical project like this has a 20-year lifespan, so should this be a 50-, or 100-year project?"
Many in attendance questioned the need for four lanes through the Mousehole, when it would still end-up two lanes going toward Tahoe City.
"The primary concern needs to be bicycle and pedestrian safety, not more traffic," said Truckee resident John Eaton. "When those four lanes go down to two, it's going to be very ugly."
Council Member Carolyn Wallace Dee said not wanting four lanes shouldn't preclude the two bridge options.
"If we build wide enough for four lanes it doesn't mean we need four lanes now," Wallace Dee said. "We need a long-term solution."
Others were concerned about the growing cost of the project, with construction figures ranging from $6 million to $30 million.
"This is not going to get any cheaper. Putting it off will only make it worse and worse," said Truckee resident Juanita Schneider.
Considering both the long-term impacts of the project and the escalating cost, council directed staff to eliminate options two and three, leaving the bridge options (four and five) to be further explored as potential long-term solutions, and option one (the addition of a pedestrian/ cyclist tunnel) as an affordable alternative, Wilkins said.
In moving forward with these alternatives, Caltrans and town staff will further explore aesthetic treatments for the bridge options, another complaint raised in the meeting, he said.
Within the next few months, a schedule will be created for the next phase of planning, as well as a budget commitment from Caltrans, Wilkins said.
Specific information exploring the bridge options with both two and four lanes will also be better fleshed-out as the narrowed list goes through the next level of review, he said. - Greyson Howard, The Truckee Sierra Sun
CN AWARDS GRANT FOR RESTORATION OF HISTORIC MILWAUKEE ROAD SHOPS
SIOUX CITY, IA -- The Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District has been awarded a $2,000 grant from the Canadian National Railway Corp. The grant will assist with the rehabilitation of the historic site's roundhouse building.
Joe Ihede, Illinois Central Railroad trainmaster, presented the grant award check to Jon Wagoner, president and chief executive officer of the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association, during a recent Saturday volunteer work session at the historic district.
"The grant funds," Wagoner stated, "will be used to renovate bay one of the roundhouse. This two-story section will be gutted with a new floor and drywall structure installed. Once the renovation work is completed, bay one will house an exhibit gallery, volunteer work shop and a library and archive area."
Wagoner anticipated the construction work will begin in late summer 2007.
"This grant award boosts our efforts to raise local matching funds for a $263,782 transportation enhancement grant," Wagoner said. "We need to raise $113,000 to receive the federal funds and this grant puts us over the $60,000 mark." - The Sioux City Journal
TRANSIT NEWS
EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TRAIN FOR DISASTER ON NEW MEXICO’S RAIL RUNNER EXPRESS
BELEN, NM -- The New Mexico Rail Runner Express pulled into the Belen station Saturday morning but it wasn't to pick up commuters. It was to give local law enforcement and emergency responders a hands-on look of what they would be dealing with in the event of a train disaster.
Agencies from all over Valencia County were invited to attend the workshop Saturday that allowed them to see how the New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter train works and what vital information they need to know in case of an emergency.
Rail Runner Operation Manager Robert Gonzales said while this was more an informal training session, a mock emergency drill that will depict a real accident is planned for late October.
"The more information you give the responders, the better they're going to serve you," Gonzales said.
The Rail Runner was parked at the Belen station for approximately two hours, and Equipment Maintenance Manager Anthony Ruiz went over the commuter train inside and out.
Belen Fire Chief Wayne Gallegos said now that the train is here, it's a possibility that something could happen and the more training they have, the better off they will be.
"The highest danger to us is going to be the voltage that it carries from car to car," Gallegos said. "That's very important to know that it's not a regular line and as long as (the train) it's running, that voltage could zap somebody pretty quick."
Those who attended learned about everything from shutting down the train's engine to how to open the train doors when there's no power to how much fuel it carries and what to expect when removing windows to evacuate passengers.
"There were a lot of good tips," Gallegos said. "There's no reason for forcible entry. It's (the doors) designed with pull handles, and if you have power it will open, and if you don't have power you can still open the doors."
One thing that surprised many of them was the weight of the train windows -- 80 pounds.
"That's good to know," Isleta Assistant Fire Chief Mike Jiron said. "I was surprised they weighed that much. They don't look like it."
Isleta Fire Chief Robert Jojola said he thought the training was helpful and while they weren't familiar with the train workings before, they are now.
"They gave a basic overview of the emergency exits that are pertinent to our needs," Jojola said. "I think it's helpful."
Commuter Rail Planner Stephanie Paiz said all of their conductors and engineers go through rigorous training before they can step on a train as a conductor.
"If they score less than a 90 on any of their tests, they won't let them in," Paiz said. "They're very strict. They know what to do in an emergency and who to contact first. They have procedures, and they study them regularly."
Protective Security Advisor Rudy Holm of Homeland Security said the Rail Runner is extremely important to New Mexico, and it's good that they came down to work with emergency responders.
"It's important to make sure everyone knows what's dangerous on a train, prior to an emergency, so they don't compound the emergency," Holm said.
Besides the 450 volts of electrical power, Holm said there's 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel and air pressure lines to worry about.
"It's important to get emergency responders familiar with the equipment," Holm's added.
While the workshop went over the basics, Gallegos and other emergency responders said what they want to do now is more training that addresses working on live track areas because if anything happens, chances are it won't be at a station but somewhere farther down the tracks.
"We won't have the safety protection we have here," Gallegos said. "It may be hard to get to, and we'll be working on a live track area. We have to take it serious. The more hazards you are aware of, the safer it is to approach."
While the workshop training was mostly informational, Gonzales said when they do a full mock emergency drill, they will remove windows and responders will have the chance to use the knowledge they gained Saturday. - Jackie Schlotfeldt, The Valencia County News-Bulletin
LIGHT-RAIL FARE CHECKERS START MONDAY
DENVER, CO -- RTD will begin more rigorous checking for light-rail fare scofflaws next week.
Guards for Wackenhut Security, already providing light-rail security patrols under contract to RTD, are in training this week to learn the types of tickets, passes and other fares. The first crews will be on trains starting Monday.
It will give RTD 43 fare checkers, compared with six today (Wednesday).
Light-rail riders are supposed to carry proof they paid the proper fare, and RTD has traditionally budgeted for 10 employees to check.
RTD has found that about 4.8 percent of riders it checks haven't paid the fare. First-time offenders get warnings, later offenses get the violators a summons to county court. - Rocky Mountain News
BARRETT ADVOCATES STREETCARS MAKING DOWNTOWN LOOP
MILWAUKEE, WI -- Modern streetcars would link downtown attractions and express buses would connect workers to jobs in a new Milwaukee, Wisconsin transportation plan advanced by Mayor Tom Barrett.
Barrett envisions a city where trains, buses, streetcars, parking facilities and pedestrian corridors would work together in a "comprehensive and affordable" way to provide improved transit for workers and city visitors.
But the plan sparked conflict with Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, who called it "really just a Trojan horse for light rail" and "a drain on the limited resources we have available to support the bus system."
Barrett shot back by pointing to Walker's six years of cutting Milwaukee County Transit System service and raising fares, saying, "It sounds to me like his mission is to kill Milwaukee County transit," not protect it.
Even without Walker's support, Barrett's plan could advance to the study stage with three votes on the Milwaukee Connector study committee, which has representatives from the city, county, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Wisconsin Center District. MMAC President Tim Sheehy said he would back studying the idea, while Wisconsin Center District Chairman Frank Gimbel said he didn't know enough details yet.
The $107.6 million Barrett plan would be funded mainly by $91.5 million in long-idle federal transit aid reserved for the results of the connector study of linking downtown and nearby neighborhoods with public transit. No property tax dollars or new sales taxes would be used for the capital costs or for the streetcars' operating costs of $3 million to $5.4 million a year, said Barrett and City Engineer Jeff Polenske.
Using the $91.5 million would require agreement among the city, county, Gov. Jim Doyle and the federal government. A plan to use the money for guided electric buses failed to win enough support. Doyle said last week that he wanted to hear more details of the latest plan.
Here are key elements of the new plan, according to Barrett, Polenske and City Planner Bob Greenstreet:
Streetcars: A 3-mile streetcar loop would run along St. Paul Ave., N. 4th St., Juneau Ave. and the combination of N. Jackson St. and N. Van Buren St., linking the Amtrak station, Summerfest, the Shops of Grand Avenue, the Midwest Airlines Center, the Bradley Center and other downtown destinations with service every eight to 10 minutes.
Modern streetcars are a hybrid between the vintage streetcars that run in Kenosha - and once ran in Milwaukee - and the full-scale light rail systems found in Minneapolis, St. Louis and other cities. Like light rail, streetcars run on tracks in streets and are powered by overhead electric wires. But compared with light rail, streetcars cost far less, don't require tearing up streets as much and can run in traffic without a reserved lane, according to streetcar studies in Albuquerque, NM, and Tucson, AZ.
Express buses: Two routes would run through downtown, one from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the County Grounds in Wauwatosa and one from the Midtown neighborhood to Mitchell International Airport. Barrett called it "an employment-based proposal" with routes that connect to jobs.
Labeled the Comet, the express service would run articulated buses, sometimes in reserved lanes, with traffic lights set to turn green as they approach. Bus stops would have ticket kiosks and, using GPS technology, electronic signs would show the waiting time to the next bus.
Connections: By serving the Amtrak station, the streetcars would provide a downtown shuttle for passengers using the proposed KRM Commuter Link trains that would tie Milwaukee to its southern suburbs and to Racine and Kenosha.
Financing: Barrett wants to claim the investment in renovating the Amtrak station into a combined bus-train depot as the required local match for the federal funds. He also hopes to use funds from a station-related tax-incremental financing district and money the KRM line has budgeted for a downtown shuttle, plus cash from parking garages and hotels in exchange for streetcar passes for their users.
But some state aid could be needed, and Walker says that would put streetcars in competition with the financially ailing bus system. Barrett disagrees, saying upgraded transit would attract riders.
RTA Chairman Karl Ostby, Common Council President Willie Hines Jr. and east side Ald. Mike D'Amato all said they were open to Barrett's plan but wanted more details. - Larry Sandler, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
LIRR PRESIDENT: LIPA PUTTING RAILROAD 'AT RISK'
NEW YORK, NY -- Downed Long Island Power Authority wires are short-circuiting Long Island Rail Road operations, said acting rail road president Ray Kenny, who added that it is now his job to make officials at the power authority understand it is putting rail road operations "at risk."
After a downed non-electrified line Tuesday night in Valley Stream disrupted rail road service for the third time in just 18 days, Kenny discussed the seriousness of the situation Wednesday morning with LIPA president and chief executive Richard Kessel, and the two agreed more needs to be done.
"My role is to make them understand the affect these failures have on our customers and how it puts our operations and our customers at risk," Kenny said at the monthly meeting of the LIRR/Long Island Bus Committee this morning at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority headquarters in Manhattan.
Earlier this week, Kessel said power company crews would inspect all transmission lines along LIRR tracks to ensure downed lines would no longer cause disruptions to service. But he said he did not consider the problems to be "endemic."
After the latest incident, which involved a downed "static" -- or neutral -- wire just east of the LIRR Valley Stream station, disrupting service on the Far Rockaway branch for the second time in 18 days, Kessel considers the situation to be much more serious.
A LIPA spokesman, Bert Cunningham, said Kessel is "extremely concerned about what's going on" and vowed that LIPA will do "everything we can do to escalate our inspection process."
Operations staff members from LIPA and the LIRR will meet this week to review the first two incidents -- and to discuss immediate maintenance and prevention strategies.
Wednesday morning, chairman of the LIRR/Long Island Bus Committee, David Mack, said LIPA's 24-hour emergency response teams need to make the rail road a top priority.
"We're out in the open," Mack said, adding: "I think the health and welfare of those on the train should be of utmost importance."
The latest incident of a non-electrical LIPA static line falling onto the rail road tracks occurred Tuesday at 23:32 in Valley Stream, knocking out signals and forcing the LIRR to cancel six trains on the Far Rockaway branch before operations were fully restored at 05:32, LIRR officials said.
The static lines have snapped in different places in each incident, Cunningham said, making it difficult to determine if there are any common causes for the failures.
The inspection process is currently underway, Cunningham said, but is expected to take months to complete.
Cunningham said Wednesday morning that the process started at a substation in Valley Stream, but added it was unclear at the present time if LIPA crews had inspected the stretch of track where the line fell Tuesday night.
The first in the latest string of fallen-wire incidents occurred Feb. 2, when a non-electrified wire dangling across seven tracks east of Valley Stream station forced the LIRR to suspend service for 3-1/2 hours on the Babylon, Far Rockaway, Long Beach and West Hempstead branches. Fifty-six trains were delayed or canceled, affecting 30,000 customers, the LIRR said.
On Valentine's Day, another non-electrified wire fell across two tracks east of the Seaford station on the Babylon line, suspending service on one track for an hour and for about 3-1/2 hours on the other. That incident affected 34 trains and about 20,000 customers.
The incident last night affected just 200 riders, because of the time it occurred, LIRR spokesman James Castle said.
But, Castle said, it still emphasized the need to find a solution as soon as possible.
"We have to look into it," Castle said. - John Valenti and Jennifer Maloney, Newsday
THE END
Railroad Newsline for Thursday, 02/22/07