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Railroad Newsline for Thursday, April 19, 2007

Compiled by Larry W. Grant

In Memory of Rob Carlson, 1952 – 2006

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RAIL NEWS

ARREST IN BEATING OF AMTRAK ENGINEER

WEST SACRAMENTO CA -- Amtrak police have arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of assaulting a Capitol Corridor engineer who was dragged from his train and attacked with rocks and bottles.

Vernae Graham, an Amtrak spokeswoman, said the boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was taken into custody shortly after the attack and arrested Tuesday. Another juvenile who was also held for questioning was released, she said.

The engineer was attacked after a group of youths stood on the tracks and halted the train Monday night around 22:15 hours. The engineer opened a door when a conductor was threatened by the group, authorities said.

Amtrak police are continuing to investigate the attack, and are searching for four to six additional suspects. The motive for the assault remains under investigation, Graham said.

The attack occurred as Capitol Corridor train 546, which started in San Jose, passed through West Sacramento and was nearing the end of its run in Sacramento. The train was running at a slow speed because of reports of trespassers on or near the tracks as it approached the I Street Bridge across the Sacramento River.

The engineer stopped when he spotted a group of five to seven juveniles standing on the tracks, and the conductor stepped off the train to clear the tracks, Graham said. When the engineer saw the crowd threatening the conductor, the engineer went to help and opened the train door. He was dragged from the train and attacked, she said.

"It is the most horrific incident I have seen in my nearly 40 years in the railroad business," said Eugene Skoropowski, managing director of the Capitol Corridor.

The engineer was taken by ambulance to the UC-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, where he was treated for head injuries and possible internal injuries. He is expected to be released Thursday, Graham said.

Skoropowski has called for several changes: He wants more police patrols in the area; for all vegetation around the rails to be removed; for federal agencies to consider filing federal charges in the case; for Union Pacific Railroad to take steps to speed trains through the area; and for additional security measures, including night-vision cameras.

Christopher Cabaldon, mayor of West Sacramento, said his city will cooperate with railroad officials and law enforcement to address those issues and ensure the safe passage of trains.

"Vandalism and folks putting things on the tracks or throwing things at the train are nothing novel here or in any other urban area,'' he said. "What's different here is the escalation to physical violence. We want to make sure that it is clear that is not going to be tolerated.''

The engineer of another Capitol Corridor train suffered minor injuries Tuesday when someone broke the locomotive's window with a rock and the shattered glass cut the engineer. The train's trip was canceled and passengers were taken off it. - Michael Cabanatuan, The San Francisco Chronicle, courtesy Coleman Randall, Jr

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CN RAIL UNION SAYS GOVERNMENT SIDES WITH RAILROAD

TORONTO, ON -- Canadian National Railway Co.'s striking employees said Parliament's approval of a bill to end the walkout supports an illegal union-breaking strategy by the country's largest railroad.

The Canadian chapter of the United Transportation Union, representing 2,800 conductors and yard workers, also vowed to resist Canadian National's plan to sign separate labor accords on a regional basis, the group said in a statement.

The bill that passed Parliament Tuesday would force the union and Montreal-based Canadian National to submit best-offer proposals to a government-appointed arbitrator, which would settle on one plan. The measure still needs senate approval.

Parliament's action is "intended to pave the way for CN Rail to attack our rights,'' the union said today in a statement. Still, the union will comply, UTU spokesman Frank Wilner said in an interview, and Canadian National spokesman Mark Hallman said the railroad would do so, too.

The back-to-work bill, passed under an expedited process after Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn said the stoppage is hurting the economy, aims to end a labor dispute that has disrupted operations at North America's fifth-largest railway since Feb. 10. The union's last contract expired Dec. 31.

"We are suggesting a regional process, but the fact of the matter is that we have pending legislation, which is what we'll have to be governed by,'' Hallman said in a telephone interview. The railroad wants separate accords with union members in eastern Canada, western Canada, British Columbia and Quebec, Hallman said.

Locked Out

The railroad last week locked out all UTU members in the eight locations where the employees began picketing, including Vancouver and Oakville, Ontario.

Once the legislation is approved, "the UTU will instruct its members to return to work and we would expect CN to comply by ending the lockout,'' Wilner said. "We will then prepare our position for the arbitrator,'' the spokesman said, declining to give details of the union's proposal.

Shares of Canadian National rose C$1.20 cents, or 2.2 percent, to C$56.40 at 15:50 hours in trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. They have gained 13 percent this year. - Rob Delaney, Bloomberg News

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AMTRAK NAMED 'BEST OF AMERICA' BY READER'S DIGEST FOR ITS CAMPUS VISIT PROGRAM

WASHINGTON, DC -- Amtrak has been named “Best of America” by the editors of Reader’s Digest magazine for the railroad’s highly popular Campus Visit Program. The program which allows prospective college students to bring along a parent and or guardian for free on Amtrak, when visiting colleges and universities, is available to students nationwide.

After speaking to hundreds of experts for this special issue, Reader’s Digest editors rated the Campus Visit Program as the “best transportation” and “travel twofer” under its “America’s 100 Best” category. The program is featured in the publication’s May, 2007 issue.

“It is certainly gratifying for Reader’s Digest to acknowledge the popularity and the value provided by the Campus Visit Discount program,” said Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak’s Vice President of Marketing and Product Management. “We hope that prospective college students and their parents will continue to consider the train as the most affordable and hassle-free way to see colleges.”

The Campus Visit Program enables high school juniors and seniors to purchase a ticket on Amtrak at the best available fare and bring a parent or guardian along for campus visits for free.
Younger siblings, ages 2-15, can travel for half-price using Amtrak’s everyday children’s discount. To take advantage of the Campus Visit discount, students need to simply log on to campusvisit.com/amtrak, complete the form and receive the discount code to be used when making travel reservations online at amtrak.com or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Reservations are required at least seven days prior to travel, and the student and parent or guardian must travel on the same itinerary. Tickets may be upgraded to business class or sleeping accommodations for an additional charge. These special fares are not available on Acela Express, Auto Train or the Canadian portion of joint Amtrak/VIA rail trains. Routes and offers subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. Seats are limited and subject to availability. - Amtrak News Release

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PHANTOM RAILROAD SUCKS UP BIG BUCKS

SACRAMENTO, CA -- One could devote a book -- a thick one -- to detailing how state and local governments defy reality and common sense and waste money on narrow, venal, petty and politically motivated projects and programs.

The North Coast Railroad Authority isn't, by any means, the biggest example of such foolishness, but it neatly encapsulates the pervasive syndrome. The multicounty agency was created by the Legislature in 1989 to assume operation of the 316-mile-long railroad line linking Humboldt Bay with the San Francisco Bay Area. The Northwestern Pacific Railroad, a subsidiary of Southern Pacific, had operated the line for 70 years before closing it down as uneconomical.

The NCRA actually ran a few trains for a few years until federal rail safety officials shut down service in the 1990s because of track deterioration. Ever since, it's been a paper railroad whose officials, local politicians for the most part, keep promising to resume service of some kind, but have never done so. It has evolved, by all appearances, into an entity that exists primarily to extract handouts from state and federal governments to finance its administrative and political superstructure so it can seek more handouts.

A landmark in NCRA's money-grubbing history occurred in 2000, when the state enjoyed a momentary, multibillion-dollar surge in its revenues and Capitol politicians were salivating to spend it. The NCRA's political enablers cranked up a fundraising drive that generated about $60,000 for then-Gov. Gray Davis' campaign treasury and petitioned for a chunk of the windfall. Davis responded by designating $60 million in so-called "congestion relief" funds for the railroad.

The corporate consortium that the NCRA later designated to rebuild and operate the line is controlled by politicians and local businessmen adept at extracting money from the public treasury.

One NCRA boondoggle was a $12 million federal loan that the local congressman, Mike Thompson, arranged to buy part of the rail line. One portion of the $60 million Davis granted to the NCRA was designated to repay about half the loan. Later, when Thompson arranged to have the federal loan forgiven, the $5.5 million set aside for repayment should logically have reverted to the state to finance real transportation projects. But, true to form, NCRA's political network cranked up again and began demanding that the paper railroad be allowed to keep the money anyway.

NCRA's boosters tout the railroad as a link for the isolated region with the Bay Area. But the money being squandered would be better spent to upgrade the North Coast's inadequate, antiquated highway network, such as the long-delayed bypass around Willits on Highway 101 and bottlenecks on Highway 299. - Dan Walters, The Fresno Bee, The Sacramento Bee

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BANNER YEAR FOR INDUSTIRAL DEVELOPMENT ON UNION PACIFIC RAIL LINES

OMAHA, NE -- The railroad industry has long served as a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity. Last year, Union Pacific supported more than 200 industrial development projects designed to help rail-served customers start or expand their business. These facilities involved investments of $2.6 billion by Union Pacific customers and are expected to create more than 8,500 jobs.

"Industrial Development activities along Union Pacific Railroad were very robust last year," said Steven J. McLaws, general director – Industrial Development. "We worked very closely with state and local economic development authorities on projects involving new site location and development of infrastructure to provide customers access to our rail system."

For example, last year Union Pacific assisted Railex, a produce distribution company, with the location of a new refrigerated produce distribution facility in Wallula, Washington. From this new state-of-the-art distribution facility apples, pears, onions, potatoes and other perishable items originating in eastern Washington are being transported efficiently to the East Coast region.

The location of the new perishable product distribution facility provides shippers from several communities within Washington the advantage of the economies of rail with service equal to that of trucking, saving an estimated $4.5 million annually in transportation diesel fuel costs alone.

The 210 facilities supported by Union Pacific in 2006 included new ethanol facilities in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas and Colorado; lumber distribution centers in Colorado, Idaho, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington; food and produce distribution centers in Washington, Arkansas, Idaho, Utah and Oklahoma; glass manufacturing facilities in Washington and Colorado; and a rail car manufacturing facility in Louisiana. Other industries that located along Union Pacific rail lines include facilities for chemicals, building products, fertilizers, plastics, food products and aggregates.

"Union Pacific welcomes business opportunities that can be accommodated at locations on our railroad where we can provide efficient service for a new customer without unreasonably affecting service to existing shippers and receivers," said McLaws.

The Union Pacific industrial development team offers specialized services related to site and location analysis for business development. For more information about guidance, support and project specific assistance for customers desiring rail service on Union Pacific, please visit www.up.com and click on "Ind. Dev./Real Estate" at the bottom of the homepage. To assist customers in making their decisions to locate on the Union Pacific, our guidelines for new service locations can be found on our Web site. - James Barnes, UP News Release

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PORT SEEKS HIGHER VISIBILITY WITH BNSF

QUINCY, WA -- Citing concerns over a slow response, the state's House of Representatives is pushing the railroad for an agreement with an area port district.

Rep. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, and 13 other House members, sent a letter Friday to the BNSF Railway Company urging the railroad to enter into a service agreement with the Port of Quincy to provide intermodal service.

According to the House, in 2002, the port district sought and received written support from the company for the development of an intermodal rail terminal and track, which would connect to BNSF's lines. Since then, more than $10 million in local, state and federal funding were spent to develop and construct the terminal.

In a press release, Warnick said the port worked in good faith with BNSF, who gave assurances it supported intra-state intermodal service and provided written approval for the port's rail connection to its lines.

"Now that the terminal is ready and millions have been spent for development, BNSF is dragging its feet," Warnick said in the release. "We're very worried the railway could pull out altogether, leaving Columbia Colstor, the Port of Quincy and its clients and our local shippers without rail shipping access and with no other recourse. If that happens, it could potentially affect hundreds of local jobs."

Columbia Colstor saw the opening of its international refrigerated warehouse in Quincy in 2006.

Regional Manager Russ Lytle hopes the representatives' request leads the company to "see the light" and allow the port district an operational contract economically viable for both parties.

"We've got a $25 million investment, and it's hard for us to draw new business from other regions to here without having the availability of the rail service and the container yard," he said.

The company also needs lining supply companies, Lytle said, which would probably happen with a service contract with the railroad.

"Then we would be able to bring export products in from other regions of the country, transload and put them into containers for the continuation via rail over to the ports of Seattle and Tacoma," he said.

The warehouse is pretty busy, Lytle said, with ConAgra Lamb Weston repositioning their export business to exclusively go through the facility.

"When we finally get the contract with the railroad, we will have container availability and all the other pluses that go along with being here," he said.

Port of Quincy Commissioner Curt Morris said the port is asking the railroad to provide a service the port can schedule which would leave the intermodal yard, he explained, while the port would be in charge of intermodal operations.

The port district has had "very beneficial" meetings with BNSF, Morris said, and aims to generate quicker communications and an ongoing dialogue with the railroad.

The port last met with the company in early March, with BNSF looking for another meeting in the summer, but Morris said the port hoped to meet sooner.

"Just because of all the activity we've got going on here, we feel it's imperative we move down that road quicker rather than later," he said.

The letter from Warnick and the other representatives shows how the interest in having service from Quincy is on everyone's mind, Morris said.

"We're not demanding anything, we're pretty much asking, 'Let's sit down and have a dialogue of how do we effectively use this intermodal facility,'" he said.

The intermodal is eligible to bring anything in, and first began receiving shipments in October 2006.

Morris said the port needs to work with the railroad to form a business plan.

"We're not fighting with the railroad, we're just trying to get a higher visibility of what fits best for this facility in their system," he said.

"We will review this further," said Gus Melonas, spokesperson for BNSF. - Matthew Weaver, The Columbia Basin Herald (Moses Lake, WA)

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DEPOT NEARLY READY TO OPEN

COLFAX, CA -- As of Monday, the Colfax Passenger Depot is 99 percent complete.

That's according to Depot Renovation Project Manager Tony Hesch.

"We're closer to the finish. This means we can turn the keys over to the city and be happy again," he said with a laugh.

The last major repairs were the blacktop walkway and the attic insulation.

"It wasn't supposed to take this damn long," said Hesch, explaining that there were only seven hands-on volunteers throughout the project's duration.

Hesch and Depot Project Administrator Roger Staab have worked for 3 ½ years on the renovation, which last November received a Governor's Historic Preservation Award.

Placer-Sierra Railroad Heritage Society members will complete the finishing touches before May 5.

That's the day a ribbon-cutting event is planned for the Depot, said City Clerk Karen Pierce.

Also on May 5, the Colfax Area Historical Society will show off the Colfax Area Heritage Museum and will have living history exhibits, said Helen Wayland, the museum's curator.

"We've been a work-in-progress," Wayland said of the new museum, which occupies one-third of the passenger depot building and has been informally welcoming guests since November 2005.

The Depot will also include a visitor waiting area and a visitor center run by the Colfax Area Chamber of Commerce.

About $170,000 of the $175,000 in grants from the city, the National Parks Service's Save America's Treasures program and the United Auburn Indian Council have been spent, according to Staab.

Colfax Passenger Depot timeline

1905 - Southern Pacific Railroad constructs the Colfax Passenger Depot to replace an earlier one that burned down.

April 20, 1971 - Last day of service as a passenger depot, when Amtrak took over passenger operations from Southern Pacific Railroad.

Dec. 7, 1990 - the Depot is registered on the National Register of Historic Places.

March 31, 1998 - The City of Colfax agrees to be the property manager for the Colfax Depot ("hereafter known as the Colfax Rail/Multimodal Facility") and two acres of land that the Union Pacific Railroad agreed to donate.

March 30, 2000 - Colfax City Council approves a contract for Phase One of the Colfax Multimodal Station Project, using federal funds for depot renovation. The Depot had been transferred to the city in the mid-1990s.

May 12, 2000 - The Colfax Passenger Depot literally gets off the ground, when the building was lifted from its original foundation so a new foundation could be added.

July 10, 2001 - The City's Depot Project Management Committee holds its first meeting.

July 2003 - The Depot's exterior painting, in colonial yellow and Samoa brown colors, is completed.

Jan. 2004 - The projected cost of interior renovation is $159,300.

Oct. 12, 2004 - City authorizes $75,000 toward the renovation of the building.

Nov. 5, 2005 - Colfax Area Heritage Museum welcomes visitors to the Depot Building during a Founders' Day celebration.

Jan. 25, 2007 - The City of Colfax hosts a dinner meeting of Placer County city and county officials inside the Passenger Depot.

April 2007 - The interior renovation is 99 percent complete, at a cost of $170,000.

- Kelly Arbor, The Colfax Record

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BNSF GIVES $100.000 TO BELEN TO BUY FIRE TRUCK

BELEN, NM -- The City of Belen, New Mexico was presented a $100,000 check from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Foundation Monday night at the regular city council meeting.

Regional Director of Public Affairs for BNSF Railway Joseph Faust said this is the largest contribution made from the BNSF Foundation to an organization in the State of New Mexico, as part of a matching gift program.

The contribution was matched to a $100,000 grant that former Fire Chief Wayne Gallegos initiated with Councilor Terese Ulivarri last year, which gives the city a total of $200,000 to purchase a new Class A pumper fire truck.

General Manager of BNSF Southwest Division Nate Murray presented the check to Fire Chief Manny Garcia and Ulivarri.

"I'm very pleased to help out the City of Belen," Murray said. "BNSF has a long relationship with the City of Belen, and this is a great opportunity to present it to the city."

Garcia thanked former Fire Chief Wayne Gallegos and Ulivarri for the time and effort they spent to get this truck, as well as the railroad for the matching contributions.

"We're happy to have obtained this money to purchase a new fire truck," Garcia said. "It's something that was needed, and it will greatly help out the community.

Currently, the city has two Class A fire trucks as well as a ladder truck, but with the addition of another Class A fire truck, Garcia said their ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating will be lower.

Typically, ISO ratings are done every 10 years, Garcia said, and currently the ISO rating is a 5, which was determined a few years ago.

"They identified a shortfall," Garcia said. "With at least one more pumper (fire truck) it will help our ISO rating and will help reduce us another level." ISO ratings help determine home insurance rates.

Director of Government Affairs for BNSF Railway Bob Munguia said they became aware of the city's need of another fire truck about a year and a half ago when informational meetings were being held on the Aragon Road grade separation and railroad crossings.

"We needed to step up and do some different things," Munguia said. "We want to become more involved in the community, and we want to continue to be involved. This is not just a one shot thing."

Mayor Ronnie Torres said the city desperately needed another fire truck, and "without the help of the railroad it wouldn't have happened."

Ulivarri said that Munguia has also secured funds from his department's budget and plans are in the works to re-do the small park across from Buckland Pharmacy and install new benches at the tennis courts, as well as putting in new swings at Anna Becker Park.

"We appreciate all that BNSF has done for us," Ulivarri said.

Garcia said they hope to go out to bid for the new fire truck by May 1, and once the specifications are reviewed and everything is finalized through the procurement process, they hope to award the bid and have the new fire truck in by the end of the year.

While additional funding will be needed to equip the new fire truck with equipment such as a generator, lighting, hoses and air apparatus tanks, Garcia said they are looking towards capital outlay funds to help them with this.

"I'm staying optimistic," Garcia said. "I'm hoping the mayor and council can continue providing us with what we need." - Jackie Schlotfeldt, The Valencia County News-Bulletin

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FEDERAL INSPECTORS FIND 79 PROBLEMS ON CSX RAILROAD TRACKS IN NY

ROCHESTER, NY -- Federal railroad officials said today they found 79 problems with CSX Corp. tracks across New York during an investigation prompted by a recent series of derailments involving the company's freight trains.

The Federal Railroad Administration's inspection, conducted over 10 days in March, recommended fining Jacksonville, Florida-based CSX for a single, unspecified "violation" on a segment of track in the Hudson Valley between the New Jersey state line and Selkirk south of Albany.

"CSX tracks generally are in compliance with federal track safety standards," Joseph Boardman, the agency's administrator, told reporters at Rochester's Amtrak Station. "However, CSX must do a better job of inspecting their own tracks in areas where identified problems were concentrated."

The agency checked 1,085 miles of track, including heavily used CSX routes between Albany and Buffalo. Of 78 "defects," such as rails being uneven or too wide or narrow, 58 were found on track segments in the Hudson Valley and in western New York between Rochester and Buffalo and Buffalo and the Pennsylvania line.

Defects are less severe problems with railroad equipment or operating practices, such as not using switches properly. A violation is a more serious infraction that usually means a penalty. Details of the violation on the New Jersey-Selkirk track were not immediately available.

CSX said it was working with federal railroad officials to solve the issues.

"I'm satisfied with the talk," Boardman said. "I want to see them walk the talk."

On March 12, 28 cars on an 80-car train carrying liquefied propane and other chemicals jumped the tracks near Oneida in central New York. Eight tanker cars caught fire, forcing the temporary evacuation of thousands of residents. It marked the fifth derailment involving CSX in New York since December.

A four-day inspection conducted soon after a Jan. 16 derailment in the nearby suburb of East Rochester recommended fining CSX for 199 violations in 23 states, including failure to replace defective rails and improper handling of hazardous materials.

CSX officials who accompanied federal inspectors during last month's track safety review were immediately notified of any problems and "in every case" lowered train speeds on those track sections until repairs could be made, Boardman said.

"CSX has to be ready to take the steps needed to improve operations and better protect nearby communities," added Boardman, who has met with CSX executives to discuss safety. "That's why we're going to make sure it strengthens its track standards, deploys additional safety technology and develops a stronger employee safety culture."

Further CSX inspections in New York began today "to identity weaknesses in the track's structure such as bad cross ties," Boardman said. The review will be extended to other railroads in May and June using a new automated track-geometry inspection vehicle that examines rail alignments and surface flaws, he said. - Ben Dobbin, The Associated Press, The White Plains Journal News

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SEABISCUIT IS COMING TO TOWN

WILLITS, CA -- The newly forged life-sized bronze Seabiscuit sculpture arrives in Willits today, April 18 at around 14:00. The statue is riding in a vintage fully restored historic truck and horse trailer and should arrive at the Ridgewood Ranch about 13:30. It will then pick up a sheriff's escort before winding its way into Willits.

The plan in Willits is for brief stops at the Frank Howard Memorial Hospital and in front of St. Anthony's Catholic Church before winding up at the Mendocino County Museum for the tour finale.

The statue's tour began at the foundry in Salt Lake City and stopped at many locations of particular significance in the legendary horse's career as well as to the individuals close to the legend. Stops at California racecourses were accompanied by the plaintive sounds of "A Call to Post."

The Seabiscuit tour's two stops in Willits acknowledge the close ties the Howard family had to the hospital and jockey Red Pollard's ties to St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church where he was married.

The final stop of the tour is in front of the Mendocino County Museum. Roots of Motive Power will roll out the vintage Northwest Pacific Railroad Caboose No. 13 for the occasion. The Seabiscuit truck and trailer will stop beside it and "A Call to Post" will sound. The post-to-post recount of the November 1, 1938, great "match" race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral will be played for the audience. Tracy Livingston, President of the Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation and Jacqueline Cooper, Owner/Breeder from the American Legend Horse Farm will close the tour from the back of Caboose No. 13.

More Seabiscuit information is available in the Seabiscuit exhibit in the Mendocino County Museum. The museum gift shop also has memorabilia available for purchase.

The fully restored 1909-era caboose will be available for tours and the Roots engine house will be open for visitors. - The Willits News

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MAYOR BLOOMBERG OFFICIALLY REACTIVATES THE STATEN ISLAND RAILROAD

NEW YORK, NY -- Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Wednesday reactivated the Staten Island Railroad, an eight-mile railway that will connect Staten Island to the national rail freight network. The $75 million project, a joint venture between New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), is a key component of the City's historic Solid Waste Management Plan. The reactivation created more than 780 construction jobs and will result in 330 new permanent jobs. It will be a tremendous boost to the Staten Island economy by providing much needed direct rail access to the New York Container Terminal at Howland Hook, several of Staten Island's largest businesses, including Pratt Industries (Visy Paper) and VanBro Corporation, and other industrial businesses on the Travis Branch Line, which runs along Staten Island's western shore. By connecting to the Staten Island Transfer Station, the Railroad will allow Staten Island's solid waste to be transported by train rather than truck, a defining feature of the Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). In total, the project will reduce truck traffic on Staten Island by more than 100,000 trips per year. The total economic impact of the reactivation on New York City's economy will be more than $200 million per year by 2010. Joining the Mayor at the announcement at the Staten Island Transfer Station were PANYNJ Port Director Richard Larrabee, Deputy Mayor for Administration, Edward Skyler, NYCEDC President Robert C. Lieber, New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner John J. Doherty, Staten Island Borough President James P. Molinaro, Council Member Michael E. McMahon, Council Member James S. Oddo and CSX Transportation General Counsel Peter Shudtz.

"The reactivation of the Staten Island Railroad creates tremendous economic development opportunities while providing a means to transport Staten Island's waste by rail instead of truck, a hallmark of our Solid Waste Management Plan," said Mayor Bloomberg. "In addition to providing a connection from the Staten Island Transfer Station to the national rail grid, the railroad will also serve our largest container terminal as well as several key Staten Island businesses, resulting in 100,000 fewer truck trips on Staten Island each year. By investing in this important infrastructure we have set the stage for tremendous economic growth and have done so in a way that will help the environment and improve the long-term sustainability of New York City."

In addition to the railroad reactivation, today's event marked the completion of DSNY's state-of-the-art, $40-million truck-to-rail solid waste transfer facility -- the Staten Island Transfer Station -- located on the site of the former Fresh Kills landfill. The transfer station -- an integral part of the landmark Solid Waste Management Plan that was overwhelmingly approved last year by the City Council -- will process an average of 900 tons per day of Staten Island generated residential and municipal waste. The waste is compacted inside the 79,000 square foot facility into sealed 12-foot-high by 20-foot-long inter-modal shipping containers, which are then loaded onto waiting flatbed rail cars -- four containers per car -- to be hauled by rail to an Allied Waste landfill in South Carolina.

"With the activation of this rail link, Staten Island is the first borough to achieve the environmentally-sound self sufficiency outlined in our Solid Waste Management Plan," said Deputy Mayor Edward Skyler. "With the construction of Marine Transfer Stations and commencement of additional contracts to transport residential waste over rail, in the coming years, the entire City will dispose of its waste in just an environmentally-friendly way as Staten Island is today."

"The reactivation of the railroad will provide a tremendous boost to the Staten Island economy," said NYCEDC President Lieber. "The New York Container Terminal has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, and now, with the ability to move freight by rail, it is even better positioned to expand further and serve as an economic driver for Staten Island and the entire City."

"This project to resurrect a dormant railroad after 17 years has been a perfect partnership between the Port Authority and the City. It provides Staten Island's Howland Hook port terminal with an environmentally friendly way to transport cargo by taking up to 100,000 trucks a year off the region's highways, while giving the City a way to move its containerized municipal solid waste to out-of-state landfills without shipping it by truck," said U.S. Coast Guard Real Admiral Richard M. Larrabee (ret.), director of Port Commerce for the Port Authority. "The Port Authority has been a strong proponent of rail, and this project is just one component of our overall $530 million portwide investment in on-dock rail infrastructure that will allow us to be good environmental stewards for years to come."

"Moving Staten Island's waste by rail, instead of by road, makes this project not only good for Staten Island, but good for our overall environment," said DSNY Commissioner Doherty. "By sending the borough's waste to remote disposal sites by rail we will be doing our important job in a much more efficient and environmentally acceptable manner. Less truck traffic on the region's roads and bridges, less fuel consumption and less wear and tear on our highways are just a few of the many benefits from this new rail connection. As Sanitation Commissioner, I'm very pleased. But as a Staten Islander, I am thrilled."

Construction on the Staten Island Railroad's reactivation began in late 2004 after it had been closed since 1991. In March 2007, NYCEDC entered into an agreement with CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and the Consolidated Rail Corporation to provide rail services to Staten Island. Trains began running on April 2nd, hauling waste from the Staten Island Transfer Station, and it will be used for shipping freight from the New York Container Terminal and other industrial businesses starting in the coming months. Since it reopened in 1996, the New York Container Terminal - formally known as the Howland Hook Container Terminal - has been the fastest growing marine terminal in New York Harbor

"The opening of this rail line is an important step in the successful realization of New York City's Solid Waste Management Plan and its goal to make each Borough self sufficient," said Borough President Molinaro. "In addition to being cost effective, this rail line offers the added benefit of decreasing truck traffic while improving our environment. I am especially proud to have been involved in the creation of this rail line since New York Container Terminal was reopened in 1996. At that time, it quickly became apparent that the old lines to Cranford Junction were simply no longer feasible. Rather than letting this significant obstacle stop us, the City began the long planning process to create a new Chemical Cost Line service. What you see before you today took years of work and planning. This line will now not only service Fresh Kills, it will also improve local economic engines such as VISY Paper and Vanbro Corp. and hopefully other businesses will follow."

"Today's golden spike announcement is of monumental importance to Staten Islanders on two levels," said Council Member McMahon. "Firstly, we will move Staten Island's trash by sealed containers over rail and secondly, we are reconnecting our borough to the rest of the continent by railroad for further movement of cargo and eliminating polluting and traffic-causing trucks. This is the first step in implementing the city's Solid Waste Management Plan and a great harbinger of future environmental success."

"This important project will give Staten Island's economy a boost and it will help improve our air quality and lessen traffic congestion by reducing the number of trucks on our roads," said Council Member Oddo. "Howland Hook is a key component in Staten Island's economic engine and it is important for it to continue to grow and create new jobs and opportunities."

The Staten Island Railroad reactivation was a joint effort by NYCEDC and the Port Authority, each contributing about half of the $75 million needed for the renovation of the eight mile rail line and modernization of the Arthur Kill Lift Bridge. The lift bridge, the longest moveable lift bridge in the world, connects the railroad to the Chemical Coastline Connector in New Jersey. Separate from the $75 million City-Port Authority investment, the Port Authority provided $56 million for the construction of the bridge viaduct connecting the railroad to the national freight network in New Jersey, and it has invested $26 million in the Express Rail ship-to-rail facility at the New York Container Terminal enabling the terminal to ship cargo to western markets by rail.

"It is an honor to be here celebrating the return of railroad service to Staten Island where we will help improve the quality of daily life, drive growth at the port and create a cleaner environment," said CSX Transportation Vice President of Federal Regulation and General Counsel of CSX Transportation Peter Shudtz. - Media Newswire.com

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TRANSIT NEWS

ALL ABOARD THE LIGHT-RAIL EXPRESS

VANCOUVER, WA -- Some 20 progressive cities around the nation, including Portland, either enjoy light rail or are lining up to approve it.

Why is Clark County -- badgered by a minority with the mind-set of an ostrich -- afraid to do either?

With links to Portland's MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) lines literally welcoming us at two points on the south shore of the Columbia River, the opportune, less-costly moment is here.\

True, light rail is an option for the new Columbia River bridge, along with the idea of retaining the existing Interstate 5 bridge and building a new bridge. According to one proposal, the existing bridge would handle northbound traffic. The new bridge would accommodate southbound vehicles and high-capacity transit, either light rail or bus rapid transit.

The light rail versus bus decision could come at the end of 2007. Bridge construction might start in 2009. Light rail could cross the Interstate 5 bridge to Vancouver, and extend across the I-205 Bridge from Portland International Airport.

Critics fuss over the high cost of light rail, and quickly point out it was defeated by Clark County voters in 1995, TWELVE years ago in a different era.

It is expensive, no question, and fares pay only about 25 percent of operating costs. But it does move people -- safely and efficiently on relatively pollution-free trains.

Portland was connected by light-rail service to Gresham in 1986, and MAX now operates on 44 miles of track with 64 stations. Businesses opening near those stations add another plus factor.
Last year, more than 1 million people rode the Airport MAX, according to Tri-Met (Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon), operators of the system. The Eastside MAX system has carried 199 million passengers in 19 years, and Westside MAX has hauled 62 million since completion in 1998.

Progress elsewhere

While Clark County frets over light rail, other areas move ahead in the 21st century.

The Green Line MAX, expected to open in 2009, will connect Portland south to Clackamas County, and begin with 46,000 riders per day. In a separate project, Washington County Commuter Rail, using existing, upgraded railroad freight train tracks, will serve Washington Square, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville beginning next year. The 14.7-mile line will connect to MAX in Beaverton. It is described as one of the first suburban-to-suburban rail commuter lines in the country.

Meanwhile, Tacoma is welcoming news that "Sound Transit has agreed to extend light rail to the Tacoma Dome if voters approve a nearly $18 billion road and construction plan" in November, according to an Associated Press story. Agreement to extend the line to the city from Fife, 3.5 miles north, came when Sound Transit revised its 20-year estimate of federal grants. Some light-rail sections south of Seattle should be open by 2009.

Editorially, the Tacoma News Tribune newspaper said, "This golden spike would vastly increase the value of light rail to Pierce County," in connecting to points north, including Sea-Tac Airport, Seattle and the University of Washington.

Not everyone gives light rail the bum's rush in Clark County. At least two leaders are supportive of this form of mass transit.

Other than driving, light rail is one of the best ways for people to get across the river, declared Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard on Jan. 23 in his state of the city speech.

"I've said it before. Vancouver and Clark County residents have the cheapest buy-in to one of the most successful light-rail systems in the world, the MAX system. There is over $5 billion invested in light rail across the river. We can tap into that system at a very minimal cost. We'd be foolish not to," he said.

State Sen. Craig Pridemore is another supporter. Pridemore said he's heard people talk of bringing light rail here in 20 years. "We should at least start planning for it and setting aside right of way now. If we wait 20 years, we'll never be able to afford it."

Both leaders are on the right track. More people with vision need to get aboard.

Today. - Commentary, Tom Koenninger, Editor Emeritus, The Columbian

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RTD VOTES ON LAND BEHIND UNION STATION IN LIGHT-RAIL MOVE

DENVER, CO -- RTD moved ahead Tuesday on plans to purchase land more than two blocks behind Union Station to move the light-rail boarding platforms and make room for commercial development.

The transit agency board Tuesday voted to negotiate for a two-acre parcel next to the freight tracks north of the station.

Some FasTracks backers have criticized the move because it would create a long walk to transfer between light-rail trains and future FasTracks commuter lines, including the one to Denver International Airport.

The existing light-rail platform at Union Station is right next to the site for the commuter rail boarding platforms.

"I'm simply concerned locking in the location of the light rail out by the (freight railroad) mainline," said Wally Pulliam, who with Barbara Yamrick were the only two board members to vote against the move.

RTD officials say the purchase, the price of which hadn't yet been negotiated, doesn't lock in the location because the agency could always sell off the real estate if it changed the current course and kept the light-rail station where it is.

The land is under option by the partnership of East West and Continuum, which last fall was selected by RTD as master developer of the Union Station portion of FasTracks.

Their partnership, known as Union Station Neighborhood Co., will rearrange the train, bus, shuttle and other transit connections on the 18-acre site and redevelop the old rail yards into a mixed-use commercial and residential area.

An essential piece of their plan is to sink the commuter tracks, including FasTracks and Amtrak, below ground level and move light rail out to the north edge in order to consolidate the site for redevelopment. - Kevin Flynn, The Rocky Mountain News

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REPORT: CROWDS, NOT GAP WIDTHS, CAUSE LIRR INJURIES

ALBANY, NY -- A state report released Wednesday found no link between the number of gap falls and the width of the gaps -- finding instead that big crowds and high passenger volumes led to gap accidents at Long Island and Metro-North railroad stations.

But a Newsday analysis of records obtained during a five-month investigation of the LIRR's gap problem found the width of the gap is an important factor, influencing the proportion of gap accidents out of the total accidents at a given station.

Map here:

[www.newsdayinteractive.com]

The review found that while the busiest stations do have more rider accidents of every kind -- including gap falls -- many of the worst gap-related injuries did not occur at the busiest stations; and some of them occurred at stations with significantly wide gaps.

State Department of Transportation officials said they could not find a clear link between gap width and accident frequency, and said they did not have enough data to analyze the severity of gap injuries.

In the 47-page report, the state DOT's Public Transportation Safety Board also criticized the railroads' information-gathering techniques, finding that key pieces of information often are missing from accident records and that LIRR passengers often fill out their own accident report forms.

Metro-North said it already has changed the way it gathers information about gap accidents, and the LIRR said it is planning to change its accident report forms, requiring a railroad employee to fill out one part and the passenger to fill out another.

Though the report questioned the completeness of the railroads' accident records, the safety board used those records to perform its analysis.

"The report expresses an interest in having the data going forward being more complete but the data that the railroad provided obviously gives us some insight into the gap incidents that are occurring," said state DOT spokeswoman Jennifer Post.

The report, which commends both railroads on their current efforts and some of their past ones, does not mention a key point, highlighted at a state senate transportation committee hearing in February: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the railroads' parent agency, knew in 1987 that rider education was not enough to prevent gap falls. And while Metro-North took steps to narrow gaps throughout its system, the LIRR did not do so until the death of a Minnesota teenager last August, Newsday's investigation found.

The state report, released at a transportation safety board meeting in Albany, recommended a number of gap safety measures, most of which the railroads already have implemented or are working on.

Among the board's new suggestions is a directive to review and enforce crowd control at high volume stations.

According to the report, the LIRR had about twice as many gap accidents as Metro-North over the past five years. Explaining this disparity, the report noted that the LIRR has more passengers, wider gaps and more complex hubs and stations.

"The logistics of passengers rushing to make connections between trains adds an operating complexity on the LIRR generally not experienced on Metro North," the report said.

State legislators who have been following the gap issue said Wednesday they needed more time to review the report before commenting on it.

Meanwhile Wednesday, state Sen. Dean Skelos criticized the MTA for not requesting funds for gap projects in its most recent proposed amendment to the 2005-2009 capital plan.

"We've been telling them to prioritize things," he said. "The priority should be the safety of the commuter."

LIRR spokeswoman Susan McGowan said the railroad is studying several long-term gap solutions.

"As soon as we can identify which solutions can be implemented safely, we will identify the capital costs and add them to the capital plan," she said. - Jennifer Maloney and Eden Laikin, Newsday

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THE END