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Area residents claim stored rail cars causing "de-beautification"
Author: Koby
Date: 03-22-2007 - 12:55
From Moscow-Pullman Daily News 3/19/07 KQQQ radio news 3/20/07
In a front page story in the Daily News, residents near Albion and Parvin, Washington are complaining to local and state officials about "a long string of flat-rail cars, some of which bear urban-style graffiti" sitting on the "PV Hooper" rail line. (Actually the Colfax to Pullman segment of Watco's PCC railroad, out of service since a bridge fire near Colfax.) Among the numerous complaints, the residents claim the cars are causing "de-beautification" (KQQQ radio) of the area, are preventing Watco from doing weed control---something residents claim Watco has never been very good at---are blocking game trails, forcing animals to cross tracks at road crossings and field access roads--possibly causing traffic accidents, and the cars are preventing residents from using the tracks as a walking trail. Residents claim that they were not informed by the railroad of the car storage and local rumors claim that the cars are obsolete and will "rust to the rails where they are" and never be moved. The newspaper contacted Scott Witt of the WSDOT who informed them that Watco had notified the state of the use of the line for car storage and that it was a common practice for railroads to get revenue out of unused lines by storing cars. He stated that Watco's use of the line did not violate Watco's operating agreement with the state.
In a front page story in the Daily News, residents near Albion and Parvin, Washington are complaining to local and state officials about "a long string of flat-rail cars, some of which bear urban-style graffiti" sitting on the "PV Hooper" rail line. (Actually the Colfax to Pullman segment of Watco's PCC railroad, out of service since a bridge fire near Colfax.) Among the numerous complaints, the residents claim the cars are causing "de-beautification" (KQQQ radio) of the area, are preventing Watco from doing weed control---something residents claim Watco has never been very good at---are blocking game trails, forcing animals to cross tracks at road crossings and field access roads--possibly causing traffic accidents, and the cars are preventing residents from using the tracks as a walking trail. Residents claim that they were not informed by the railroad of the car storage and local rumors claim that the cars are obsolete and will "rust to the rails where they are" and never be moved. The newspaper contacted Scott Witt of the WSDOT who informed them that Watco had notified the state of the use of the line for car storage and that it was a common practice for railroads to get revenue out of unused lines by storing cars. He stated that Watco's use of the line did not violate Watco's operating agreement with the state.
Area residents claim stored rail cars causing "de-beautification"