 |
Article from the Plumas County News
Author: OPRRMS
Date: 11-05-2009 - 17:12
[www.plumasnews.com]
Union Pacific stacktrains to disappear from the canyon
Diana Jorgenson
Portola Editor
10/28/2009
Union Pacific spokesman Wes Lujan reiterated last week that no other changes are planned for the Portola depot and no impact to local UP employees is expected, allaying concerns the transfer of stacktrains to the Donner route would adversely affect Plumas County.
Several months ago, Union Pacific announced it was re-routing intermodal traffic to the Donner Summit line, a transition expected to occur over this year.
Anyone who lives near the Portola and Feather Canyon line knows from personal experience that double-stack trains are the bulk of the trains that pass this way, not the exception.
Lujan agreed that it was “obviously, a lot” but did not know what the actual numbers were, nor could he say by what percentage traffic was being reduced.
Another UP source reported complete re-routing to Donner was expected by Thanksgiving and that plans for the Feather River line only slated three westbound trains.
Lujan thought that estimate might be low, saying he couldn’t speculate on how many trains would continue to use the Portola line because other railroad companies used the line as well. Even for Union Pacific, it changed daily. It’s based on customer need he said, that and the economy.
“Right now, it’s unpredictable. We just have to get through this economy,” Lujan said. “Then we can get a true representation of the traffic though here and make our plans based on that.”
Lujan also thought a Thanksgiving deadline was optimistic, “It’s more likely to be by the end of this year.”
Lujan said there are no plans to move management around or any other local railroad personnel.
Lujan had met earlier this month with Portola’s City Manager Jim Murphy to give him this same update.
Murphy felt reassured the impact to Portola would be minimal, although he pointed out the reduction in train traffic would certainly hurt the Sierra Motel, which houses UP engineers and conductors on a contractual basis.
In other ways, Murphy said, communication with Union Pacific has improved in the past year and he noted UP has taken a greater interest in the local community.
He cited a $1,000 donation to Railroad Days and $5,000 donated to the Feather Community Arts Center this year, both from Union Pacific.
Currently, the city is discussing the creation of a small park on Union Pacific land, at the end of the Gulling Street Bridge and behind the Clock Park. The small bluff would have a spot to sit down or to picnic overlooking the rail yard and would sit along the newly constructed portion of Riverwalk.
“A place where people could watch the trains go under the bridge,” said Murphy.
Union Pacific stacktrains to disappear from the canyon
Diana Jorgenson
Portola Editor
10/28/2009
Union Pacific spokesman Wes Lujan reiterated last week that no other changes are planned for the Portola depot and no impact to local UP employees is expected, allaying concerns the transfer of stacktrains to the Donner route would adversely affect Plumas County.
Several months ago, Union Pacific announced it was re-routing intermodal traffic to the Donner Summit line, a transition expected to occur over this year.
Anyone who lives near the Portola and Feather Canyon line knows from personal experience that double-stack trains are the bulk of the trains that pass this way, not the exception.
Lujan agreed that it was “obviously, a lot” but did not know what the actual numbers were, nor could he say by what percentage traffic was being reduced.
Another UP source reported complete re-routing to Donner was expected by Thanksgiving and that plans for the Feather River line only slated three westbound trains.
Lujan thought that estimate might be low, saying he couldn’t speculate on how many trains would continue to use the Portola line because other railroad companies used the line as well. Even for Union Pacific, it changed daily. It’s based on customer need he said, that and the economy.
“Right now, it’s unpredictable. We just have to get through this economy,” Lujan said. “Then we can get a true representation of the traffic though here and make our plans based on that.”
Lujan also thought a Thanksgiving deadline was optimistic, “It’s more likely to be by the end of this year.”
Lujan said there are no plans to move management around or any other local railroad personnel.
Lujan had met earlier this month with Portola’s City Manager Jim Murphy to give him this same update.
Murphy felt reassured the impact to Portola would be minimal, although he pointed out the reduction in train traffic would certainly hurt the Sierra Motel, which houses UP engineers and conductors on a contractual basis.
In other ways, Murphy said, communication with Union Pacific has improved in the past year and he noted UP has taken a greater interest in the local community.
He cited a $1,000 donation to Railroad Days and $5,000 donated to the Feather Community Arts Center this year, both from Union Pacific.
Currently, the city is discussing the creation of a small park on Union Pacific land, at the end of the Gulling Street Bridge and behind the Clock Park. The small bluff would have a spot to sit down or to picnic overlooking the rail yard and would sit along the newly constructed portion of Riverwalk.
“A place where people could watch the trains go under the bridge,” said Murphy.
