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Railroad Newsline for Monday, 05/07/07
Author: Larry W. Grant
Date: 05-07-2007 - 02:43
Railroad Newsline for Monday, May 07, 2007
Compiled by Larry W. Grant
In Memory of Rob Carlson, 1952 – 2006
RAIL NEWS
THREATENED TOURIST RAILROAD ATTRACTS GENERATIONS TO RIDE RAILS
Editor’s Note (The Tyler Morning Telegraph): This is the first in a multi-part series examining the Texas State Railroad and its uncertain future.
Come Sept. 1, the Texas State Railroad is set to become a static display — unless ongoing efforts to save the train by residents of Anderson and Cherokee counties and East Texas legislators prevail.
Local staff and volunteers have been working hard to save the train. For some it is a reminder of trips and adventures in the past. For others it offers a chance to experience something that will become a wonderful memory for them.
ED. NOTE: (This series and related articles will be featured in the Railroad Newsline as they are published by the Tyler Morning Telegraph. – lwg)
Photo gallery:
[spotted.tylerpaper.com]
The Texas State Railroad steam train slowly tunnels its way through the lush green foliage of East Texas on a crisp, cool spring morning.
White steam wafts into the open-air train car that gently rocks back and forth as passengers head for their destination. The rhythmic clickety-clack of the train on the tracks is muffled only by the loud, sharp blow of the whistle that causes children to cover their ears and squeal.
Parents snap photos of their babies and of each other aboard the historic steam engine. Children snack on popcorn and candy, while others stare almost mesmerized at the greenery passing by outside. Grandparents hold on snuggly to grandbabies.
Generations of families sit near each other, talking and laughing -- brought together that day for a ride on the Texas State Railroad.
“It’s awesome!” 8-year-old Ashlyn Martin said.
Ashlyn was riding the train with her parents, grandparents and cousins on a Saturday in March.
Her mother, Amanda, last rode the train with her mother and family members in 1980.
Twenty-seven years later, the family was back to enjoy the ride with the next generation.
“We feel bad that it took the threat of losing it to really make us come out here,” said Amanda Martin, of Grand Prairie. “We took for granted that it was always going to be here. … We always meant to.”
It is the possibility that the Texas State Railroad may no longer carry passengers for a day’s excursion between the cities of Rusk and Palestine that recently has brought an influx of people to ride the train.
Last year it became clear the train that has carried tens of thousands of locals and tourists through the pine forests of East Texas could come to a screeching halt because of budget constraints imposed on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which runs the Texas State Railroad State Park.
A threatened end to train rides was narrowly avoided in December when funds were found to keep the railroad moving through Aug. 31.
Come Sept. 1, however, the train is set to become a static display -- unless ongoing efforts to save the train by residents of Anderson and Cherokee counties and East Texas legislators prevail.
‘ALL ABOARD’
Vicki Buller’s 4-year-old grandson was anxiously awaiting his chance to ride the Texas State Railroad the day in March they ventured from Livingston to Rusk for the excursion.
“He was afraid we were going to get rained out,” Ms. Buller said. “We had to get up at 6 o’clock this morning to get ready. And, of course, about every 30 minutes, it was, ‘are we at the train yet?’
“This is something completely new for him.”
Those who ride the Texas State Railroad range from young children to 80-year-old ‘kids,’ said Robert Crossman, railroad superintendent. Those who come include school groups, church groups and reunion groups. And they come from everywhere — all over the state and even foreign countries.
It’s the throw back to “yester-year” that attracts visitors.
“Stand out here on a foggy, rainy day with your iPOD turned off -- it could be 2007 or it could be 1937,” Crossman said. “It’s a slower pace, less hurried -- and people seem to enjoy that.”
The clicking of the wheels, the sound of the steam and the whistle “takes you back to your grandparents’ day,” said Julie Heineke, a passenger from the Austin area who rode the train in March.
The desire to find some “nostalgia” and the fear the train would soon no longer be running brought the Heinekes to Rusk.
“It’s going to be a loss if they do close it,” Mrs. Heineke said. Her husband, Stephen, said it would be “devastating.”
The day they rode the train marked the first train ride for their 3-year-old grandson Ethan, who played with a toy train while aboard the real thing.His mother hopes he always has that love of trains.
“Maybe one day he’ll save one,” she said.
Vicki Buller said it would be a “terrible loss” if the Texas State Railroad were to stop running.
“I think it’s real important for the children to be able to experience this,” she said. “This is just beautiful country. It’s a good way to keep the past alive, for children to know that it wasn’t always as simple as jumping on an airplane or getting in a car and taking off. This was the way people traveled.”
Angela Smith, a third-grade teacher at Brooklyn Elementary School in Brooklyn who brought students out for a ride on the train as a field trip, wanted the kids to see the train is still there.
Ms. Smith said they talked about the chance the train could close.
“If we don’t show them what’s here, then there’s no chance of saving anything because they have to grow up and it be important to them,” she said. “I think it would be so sad for this to end.
“I think it would be one of the saddest things that could ever happen, really.”
She said it is important for students to see history is still alive and realize that “we need to preserve this.”
A ride aboard the Texas State Railroad offers a great adventure for children, said Joyce McMilland of Dallas, who rode the train in March with a church group.
“I hope they will keep it open for that reason,” she said. “They ought to make every effort to keep it going.”
SAVING THE RAILROAD
Efforts have been under way for more than a year by residents from the cities of Palestine and Rusk to keep the wheels of the Texas State Railroad turning — including contracting with a private operator to possibly run the train.
That effort has evolved into legislation to create an “operating authority” that could lease the train to a private operator, in this case, American Heritage Railways, which runs the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in North Carolina.
The legislation that would make that possible has passed out of the Senate and is currently pending before the House and could be voted on Monday or Tuesday. Even if the House approves the legislation, funding for a transfer to a private operator would still need to be hammered out in a budget conference process, which is ongoing for the rest of the legislative session that ends at the close of the month.
Proponents of this legislation say that after exhaustive looks at multiple options, they feel this is the best one for the long-term success of the railroad. But opponents to the bill want to put the brakes on the creation of this public-private partnership and find a way to keep the Texas State Railroad in the hands of Parks and Wildlife, which they believe would be better for the railroad.
Whatever the method of saving and funding the railroad winds up being, Amanda Martin wants to have the chance to someday repeat the new tradition of riding the Texas State Railroad with the next generation of her family.
Just like she rode with the train with her mom 20 years ago, “I would like to be able to bring my daughter with her daughter one day,” she said. - Megan Middleton, The Tyler Morning Telegraph
'INLAND PORT' PLAN TO EASE TRUCK CONGESTION SPUTTERS
RIVERSIDE, CA -- Efforts to develop a large "inland port" to receive containers of imported goods by train directly from Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors -- without using trucks that add congestion to local freeways -- have run aground, local transportation officials said Friday.
But the idea still could work using a group of smaller facilities sprinkled around the two Inland counties, experts said at a forum hosted by the Leonard Transportation Center at Cal State San Bernardino.
"We are coming back within the realm of reality," said Dan Smith, a principal with The Tioga Group, which is studying the issue for the Southern California Association of Governments, a regional planning group. "This is the only light at the end of the tunnel that we have been able to see."
Smith's presentation was one of several made at the forum, which was the first event for the Leonard Transportation Center, founded last year and named for longtime transportation advocates William and Barbara Leonard.
Namesake William Leonard Sr. told attendees that he hoped the center could serve as "an honest broker" of information between government and the trucking, rail and air-cargo businesses.
Moving the unpacking centers inland could mean removing tens of thousands of truck trips off the freeways between the coastal ports and the warehouse-heavy Mira Loma area, Smith said.
Of the railroads, Smith said: "They haven't kicked us out of their offices yet."
Railroads are interested in the idea, but must ensure it does not harm their primary business, which is to move freight across the country, said Bob Brendza, director of the facility development at BNSF Railway Co.
"It's all about capacity, and it's got to work for everybody," Brendza said. "But we are not closing the door on these things."
Under the existing system, foreign-made products are brought into the country by ship and split into smaller shipments for transport by truck to Inland warehouses. There, they are repackaged for distribution around Southern California and for shipping to the rest of the country.
Shifting the location for that initial unpacking to the Inland area, and changing the method of transportation from trucks to trains, could create jobs in Riverside and San Bernardino counties while getting trucks off congested Southern California freeways, proponents say.
But growth that already has occurred in the Inland area precludes that initial unloading work from being done at one site of about 300 acres, as originally hoped, Smith said. Instead, the research suggests that such work should be done at more than a dozen smaller facilities of about 50 acres each, Smith said.
Much work remains, however, including locating sites for potential inland ports, working with the railroads to see if they have room for such activity on their rail lines, and determining how much of a contribution local and regional governments would be willing to make to such an idea, Smith said. - Phil Pitchford, The Riverside Press-Enterprise
BNSF DEBUTS NATURAL GAS HOSTLER TRUCKS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS AT NATION’S BUSIEST RAIL INTERMODAL FACILITY
LOS ANGELES, CA -- BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) announced a continuation of its efforts to reduce emissions in Southern California by implementing the use of low-emissions natural gas hostler trucks to move containers at its Los Angeles Hobart Intermodal Facility, the nation's busiest rail intermodal terminal. This is part of a pilot program to test the vehicles for future use at select intermodal facilities, including the proposed Southern California International Gateway (SCIG) facility.
These hostlers are the latest green technology to be incorporated into BNSF's equipment portfolio. The natural gas hostlers will reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions by 90 percent compared to standard off-road diesel tractors and represent another important milestone in BNSF's efforts to further enhance the environmental advantages of rail transportation.
"Rail transportation continues to be one of the greenest ways to move freight and BNSF is committed to lowering emissions and improving air quality in the Los Angles basin by testing environmentally friendly technology as it becomes available," said Mark Stehly, assistant vice president, environment and research development for BNSF. "This pilot is an extension of our commitment to improving air quality in Southern California."
Parsec Inc., BNSF's intermodal contract operator that oversees the day-to-day operations of Hobart, selected Clean Energy Inc. to provide the LNG for the hostlers.
"We have chosen Clean Energy to supply us with liquefied natural gas to operate the vehicles," said David Budig, vice president for Parsec. "This is the first step toward phasing out the diesel hostlers and switching to all natural gas yard tractors."
Parsec acquired the 10 natural gas hostlers to operate at BNSF's Hobart Yard in Commerce as part of a pilot program funded through a grant from the California Air Resources Board. The Carl Moyer Program provides grants to companies dedicated to using clean energy vehicles. On average, a natural gas-powered hostler costs approximately $49,000 more than one that runs on diesel fuel.
Natural gas vehicles typically use either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). Heavy-duty natural gas vehicles, such as the hostler, have weight and range requirements and typically use LNG because it allows them to store more fuel on board with less tank weight.
In Los Angeles, BNSF operates the only four LNG-powered switch engines in existence in the United States and a battery-powered switch engine known as the "Green Goat." BNSF will continue to test and use new clean energy technology as it becomes available as part of the company's commitment to clean air and protecting the quality of life for local communities and neighborhoods. - Lena Kent, BNSF News Release
LOCOMOTIVE STEAMS INTO TOWN
POCATELLO, ID -- Mark Balzar and his model railroading companion, 4-year-old granddaughter JayCee, eagerly anticipated the arrival of Engine No. 844.
Photo here:
[www.journalnet.com]
The famous steam engine, nicknamed Living Legend, arrived in Pocatello, Idaho on Friday to spend the night before departing Saturday at 08:00 hours for its tour of the Northwest.
Balzar wanted to bring his granddaughter to see what he called “a rolling piece of history,” and it didn’t take much coaxing to get her to join him.
“She’s been excited all day about seeing it,” Balzar said. “She’s been getting into working on model trains with me lately. She helps me set up the track.”
Anytime a train would approach from Jaycee’s vantage point, she was certain it was the famous No. 844.
“There it is, that must be the train,” she yelled at every approaching engine.”
Jaycee, like many eager Pocatellans, however, had her patience tried by the arrival of the old steam engine. Originally scheduled to arrive in the Gate City at 14:30, the train was still a no-show at the railyard at North Harrison and Omaha streets by 19:30 hours.
Instead, it stopped at the railyard located at North First and East Day streets at 20:00 hours, where it was greeted by a large crowd of rail enthusiasts.
“They changed the location on us at the last minute,” No. 844 Engineer Reed Jackson said. “I didn’t even know where we were going for sure when we pulled into town.”
Patiently waiting in their minivan at the originally announced location were Carl and Virginia Cowdery, who were excited about seeing the type of train they remember from when they grew up.
Virgina recalled riding a train similar to Living Legend to college in Ohio.
“I remember how tired of sitting I would get,” she said. “I also remember how fun it was to eat in the dining car.”
Carl said his reason for showing up to see the train didn’t have anything to do with a background in the railroad. He just wanted to see the piece of nostalgia.
“This is how all the trains used to be,” he said. “I was just interested in coming out to see it.”
During its overnight stay, Living Legend needed to be close to a fire hydrant, which would supply it with the 30,000 gallons of water it would need to continue on to the next stop.
Engine No. 844 will make a return trip to Pocatello on May 27-28, but May 28 will be the only day the old steam engine will be on display. At that time, the public will be allowed inside and will have access to the train’s gift shop. - Adam Chambers, The Idaho State Journal
WASHINGTON STATE PICKS COMPANIES TO OPERATE FREIGHT RAILROAD
SPOKANE, WA -- The state has selected two companies to operate portions of a 300-mile freight railroad it is purchasing in Eastern Washington, the state Department of Transportation said Friday.
US Rail Partners Ltd. and the Washington and Idaho Railway Inc. will operate two branches of the Palouse River Coulee City railroad.
The PCC provides local service to more than 70 companies and hundreds of Eastern Washington farmers.
The three branches of the railroad are: the PV Hooper line from Hooper to Thornton and Pullman; the CW line from Coulee City to Cheney and Spokane; and the P&L line from Marshall to Pullman.
The state plans to complete its purchase of the railroad from Watco later this month. As part of the deal, Watco will continue to operate the PV Hooper line, but will not operate the other two branches after May 31.
The state will oversee operations of the PCC freight railroad starting June 1. The Transportation Department evaluated proposals from seven companies competing for one or both of the branch lines.
US Rail Partners was selected to operate the CW Line under the name of Eastern Washington Gateway Railroad.
"A team of business development and operating staff will soon arrive in Washington to begin working with customers and to develop the needed operations base," said John Howell, company president. "June 18 is a target date for beginning operations."
Washington and Idaho Railway, based in Lewiston, Idaho, currently operates the P&L Line under a sublease from Watco and will continue operations. The company is affiliated with the BG&CM Railroad operating in Idaho. - The Associated Press, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
UNION PACIFIC EXPANSION PLANS DRAW FIRE
PHOENIX, AZ -- Expansion plans by one of the nation's largest railroads is drawing a fight from farmers, landowners and some environmental interests.
Union Pacific wants to lay a second set of tracks along its existing line from Yuma through San Simon, in hopes of increasing the amount of freight it can move through the state. That is causing some heartburn in rural communities like Willcox over whether road crossings will be at-grade or elevated.
However, the most controversial provisions are plans for a new 6-mile-long switching yard in the shadow of one of the state's scenic landmarks and a new rail line from Yuma south to the border to bring up goods from Mexico.
Foes are unable to block those plans completely thanks to laws giving the federal government regulatory power over railroads, but some state lawmakers are trying to throw roadblocks in the transportation company's path.
Central to the battle is the question of what, if anything, the Legislature can do.
A Union Pacific spokesman said Arizona legislators have no legal right to interfere and should just butt out.
Chris Peterson said the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, the federal body in charge of regulating railroads, has exclusive jurisdiction on the question of where railroads locate.
But their right of eminent domain -- the ability to take property needed -- is granted under state law. That is where some lawmakers are looking to enter the fight.
Laying tracks in Yuma?
The version of House Bill 2020 approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee would require railroads that want to legally take land from owners who won't sell to first get the approval of the Arizona Corporation Commission.
That five-member body would assess whether the railroad has examined all impacts, from environmental to landmarks, in deciding which land to take. The railroad also would have to show that its plan minimizes negative impacts.
However, lawyers raised questions and senators agreed to a watered-down version. The measure now says railroads must hire independent experts to study the impacts of their expansion and that the Corporation Commission would be allowed to suggest -- but not require -- that the company pick alternate sites.
But defining the impacts will be the trick.
Paul Muthart, owner of Pasquinelli Produce Co. in Yuma, said produce buyers worry about even potential hazards. If the new line from Mexico goes through or near the 7,000 acres his company farms, he told lawmakers, customers may not want produce that might have been exposed to railroad engines' diesel exhaust.
Muthart said requiring Corporation Commission input gives landowners "an equal-sized gorilla ... so the communities will get a fair shake in the deal."
Peterson said it's too early to tell where the line will go -- or even whether it will be in Arizona or California -- until Mexican officials firm up their plans. But the Yuma County Board of Supervisors has already voted to oppose any line through the community.
Battle over Picacho Peak
The rail yard near Picacho Peak presents different issues.
Jean McGrath, a member of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, noted that the site the railroad wants for its huge new switching yard sits above a water recharge site. She fears that leaking pollutants would make the underground water unusable.
But Peterson argues that the site near Picacho Peak is the only realistic option because it has the necessary flat ground and sufficient acreage. The Pinal County Board of Supervisors also agreed to rezone the land in hopes of generating jobs.
Lobbyist Nick Simonetta, who represents nearby landowners, countered that Union Pacific could move the yard a couple of miles away with the only difference being, he said, that the company might have to spend some money leveling the land.
Moving the yard away from the mountain's shadow would certainly please the owner of a nearby recreational-vehicle park who says acres of trains and attendant industrial activity would ruin the scenic beauty of the area.
But questions remain whether the bill, in its current form, will be able to change the railroad's plans at all.
Rep. Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, conceded the state would lack the power to actually force the railroad to do anything, but he still thinks it would make a difference.
"I think you're really discounting the idea of angry citizens sitting there with pitchforks and torches," he said, citing the opposition to having that kind of facility near a scenic state park.
Simonetta also said hearings will "shine a light" on the impact of the proposals. And that, he said, should at least get the attention of the federal Surface Transportation Board.
Another issue is whether even this version of the bill is legal. Peterson insisted it is not, saying the Surface Transportation Board has "exclusive jurisdiction" over location of railroads.
"The federal courts ruled a similar South Dakota law to be pre-emptive, and this legislation could face a similar challenge," he said. "So what the state may be buying is an expensive federal lawsuit."
Legalities aside, Peterson said the legislation is a bad idea.
"This costly, time-consuming regulatory review of real estate purchases will discourage the rail industry from adding capacity in Arizona," he said. - Howard Fischer, The Arizona Business Gazette
GROUND IS BROKEN ON TWO TRACK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
Photo here:
[159.54.226.83]
SALEM, OR -- Portland & Western Railroad and its sister company, Willamette & Pacific Railroad, broke ground on two major track improvement projects Friday.
Improvements on the Willamina and Seghers branches consist of replacing 100-year-old, 75-lb. jointed rail with stronger 113-lb. seamless welded track.
The Willamina Branch project, which runs from Whiteson to Willamina, is the last 8 miles of an 18-mile improvement project. The other 10 miles were done in 2004. The current stretch received $2.2 million from the state and $700,000 in a federal grant.
The Seghers Branch, which runs from Hillsboro to the Hagg Lake area, received $2.5 million in state funds.
The Portland & Western Railroad, headquartered in Salem, operates 470 route miles and 563 total miles, including rail yards and sidings, between Astoria, Portland, Salem and Eugene. - Don Currie, The Salem Statesman Journal
RAILROAD TRACK, SIGNAL LIGHTS SET THE SCENE FOR NO. 457
Photo here:
[www.globegazette.com]
MASON CITY, IA -- No, they’re not adding railroad track from East Park to downtown.
They are adding about 20 feet of track in front of the Rotary Cannonball, the 1912 steam locomotive being refurbished in East Park.
Union Pacific Railroad employees are laying the track and Larry Elwood Construction of Mason City is doing site paving.
The track should be completed next week, said Dennis Wilson, chairman of the Friends of the 457, the group helping to preserve the locomotive.
There also is a crossing signal, and planks will provide a “road-crossing,” giving visitors the effect of tracks stretching into the distance.
“We felt that by extending the track, it would look more realistic rather than ending right at the engine,” Wilson said Thursday. “It’s supposed to look like the Cannonball has just arrived at a train station. The UP has been real good about helping us out.”
It’s hoped a brick railroad station “platform” can be completed in time for the second annual Cannonball Day celebration on Saturday, June 23, or shortly afterward.
Everything will be eventually covered and protected by a steel shelter. Wilson hopes the shelter project can be done by Cannonball Day or before the Fourth of July.
Restoration began in 2003 on the Cannonball, which ran on the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad and later moved cars at American Crystal Sugar Co. in Mason City.
“I think it shows what a community can do when they believe in something and back it,” Wilson said. “I think it’s something that not only Mason City but the North Iowa community can be proud of. I don’t think Gene Green (the Chapin native who began the restoration project) ever thought it was going to get this far.”
Cannonball Day 07
MASON CITY. IA -- It’s a full slate of events for Cannonball Day ’07.
The event, set for Saturday, June 23, will again feature music, food and fun at the Rotary Cannonball, the 1912 locomotive being restored in East Park.
There will be a hobo parade, storytelling, three inflatable playgrounds and rides on “Smoky the Train” for youngsters.
A Union Pacific Railroad simulator will be on hand from 10:00 to 16:00 hours, so visitors can see and feel what it’s like to be at the throttle running a diesel engine.
Musicians will include Bill Dewey and the Dynammics, Kit Ryan, the Branstad Family, Connie and Mark Suby, and Cliff and Wanda Hagman.
“Three Friends,” an improvisational jazz trio featuring Aaron Anderson, Dr. Rene Recinos and Dr. Dan Pennington, will perform from 17:00 to 19:00 hours, during a barbecued chicken feed.
“We’re going to have a pretty full afternoon,” said Dennis Wilson of Mason City, chairman of the Friends of the 457. “It’s going to be a fun time for the kids.”
Funds raised during Cannonball Day will help showcase and maintain the refurbished Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway No. 457.
Wilson said the Friends are raising money for an interpretive center outside the 457 enclosure. Visitors will be able to push a button to hear the locomotive’s history -- and hear the bell ring and the whistle blow -- when volunteers are not on hand. - Dick Johnson, The Mason City Globe Gazette
PORT WORKING ON THE RAILROAD
ORANGE, TX -- History was in the making when the first two rail cars recently arrived at United Res following a railroad rehabilitation project at the Port of Orange.
Phase 1 of the project enabled the heavier rail cars to move down the one-mile track. The obsolete 60- to 90-pound sections of track were removed and upgraded to 119-pound sections. In addition, all of the cross ties were replaced.
“The old tracks were rickety and substandard for the weight of the cars,” said Gene Bouillion, port director.
The tracks are now much straighter and able to hold more weight, Bouillion said.
The cars travel to United Res from area chemical plants, loaded with plastic products to be unloaded and bagged. The product is then loaded on to trucks for distribution.
Phase 2 will consist of finishing the rails at the Union Pacific switch yard.
The finishing touch will be Phase 3. Port Officials have applied for federal funding through U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady’s (R-The Woodlands) office in Washington for a crane to lift and load truck containers on to river and ocean barges. Officials are also planning on developing a site for loading the barges.
The port is within a mile of the Intracoastal Canal and hundreds of barges travel on the canal daily. Containers loaded on barges can hold 20 percent more weight than containers loaded on trucks traveling the interstate, Boullion said.
“We are hoping the grant will lead the way to more containers,” Bouillion said. “I am convinced this is the future direction the Port of Orange is heading.”
As part of a show of support for congressional funding for the project, Orange County commissioners adopted a resolution April 20 recognizing the Port of Orange as the most valuable economic development engine in the county.
The resolution states the project “will facilitate local direct waterway access to the area Petro-Chemical industry that will provide a competitive transportation system.”
The project began when local plants on “Chemical Row” approached port officials and the Orange County Economic Development Corp. about the possibilities of such a thing becoming a reality.
“This project will have a huge impact on Orange,” said Bobby Fillyaw EDC director. “The port is a tremendous asset to the community.”
The project will help large plants, but will also give smaller businesses alternatives to shipping their products.
“The businesses in general will be strengthened,” Fillyaw said.
Fillyaw said by utilizing barge service fewer trucks will be on the highways and will result in lower emissions in the environment. In addition, by having a barge system in place Orange will become more attractive to businesses wanting to locate in the area.
“This is the way cargo will be moving,” Bouillion said. - Debby Schamber, The Orange Leader
RAILROAD UNDERWENT TURMOIL DURING EARLY 1920'S
CLOVIS, NM -- On Oct. 30, 1921, some of the workers in the railroad yard of the Santa Fe Railroad went on strike. Back in May of 1921 the railroad had ordered a 20 percent wage cut.
Dr. I. D. Johnson, a retired Clovis dentist, in 1982 said he went to work for the Hammond Supply Co., a dispenser of food and drinks at the railroad, about then.
“The railroad hired some cowboys from down in the sand hills to ride around a high wooden fence topped with barbed-wire, to protect railroad property,” said Johnson.
The Santa Fe Railroad had had several families of Japanese immigrants since 1911. But in 1921-22 more Japanese machinists and machinists helpers were brought in, and it was these workers who broke the strike as they didn’t have to cross picket lines.
Why? Because the railroad had built a private compound for all the Japanese workers and their families in the middle of the railroad yard here in Clovis. A few lived in town and their kids went to school here. The railroad valued the Japanese as dependable and loyal workers.
One old railroader said they, the railroaders, were told not to go into or around the Japanese compound. He said they had gardens, yards and a little town there.
To many it was called the 1922 Shopmen’s Strike, as most of the workers were machinists and machinist’s helpers in the shops. They finally ended the strike as they took over the jobs held by union machinists and their helpers who went on strike.
One has to look back a couple of years to know the source that caused the discontent among railroad union workers.
We have to go back to 1918-19 and World War I. There was what was called a 26-month seizure by the federal government during that war. It meant the federal government took over running the railroads.
The unions had nothing to say about it.
“The railroads operated on a cost plus 10 percent while under government control,” said an old railroader in Clovis.
“When the war was over the United States fell into a severe recession that lasted approximately two years and a little over,” said another railroader. Yes, in 1921-22 the union railroad workers were angry and up in arms, because the railroad reduced their wages 20 percent.
“There were a lot of hard feelings about this strike,” another railroader told me. “I don’t think the unions were very strong back in the 1920s. Many, on strike, never came back to the railroad.”
Louisa Foster of Clovis told me a while back her father, John Graves, came to Clovis from Hereford, Texas, in 1921 as he heard the railroad in Clovis needed workers. My father got on, and worked four days a week for about $4 a day. - Don McAlavy, The Clovis News Journal
OFFICERS CITE VIOLATORS IN RAILROAD CROSSING ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY
NORMAN, OK -- The Norman, Oklahoma Police Department, in conjunction with the BNSF Railway Company, conducted a railroad crossing safety project Wednesday morning. Officers issued 44 citations to motorists in about three hours' time, police said.
According to Capt. Leonard Judy, the project was conducted in conjunction with Operation Lifesaver, which was begun in 1972 and is dedicated to ending collisions and fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings.
The operation involved two BNSF engines coupled together and continuously traveling the length of the railway in Norman while patrol officers monitored Norman's eight grade crossings. A Norman officer also rode on the engines to radio officers on the street with violator information, Judy said.
Besides the 44 citations issued, Judy said officers "witnessed many other violations, but either had vehicles stopped already or were not in a position to safely pursue the other offenders."
Oklahoma has participated in the Operation Lifesaver effort since 1979. Additional information is available at www.oli.org. Statistics show collisions nationwide are down by 50 percent since the program began.
In 2006, there were 2,897 rail grade crossing collisions nationwide with 65 percent of these occurring in 15 states. Oklahoma -- which is one of those states -- had 70 railroad grade accidents, resulting in 16 crossing fatalities, 36 crossing injuries, five trespass (pedestrian) fatalities and six trespass injuries. - The Norman Transcript
COASTER TRAIN HITS CAR; NO MAJOR INJURIES REPORTED
Photo here:
[www.10news.com]
SAN DIEGO, CA -- A Coaster train hit a vehicle stuck on the tracks in the Middletown neighborhood, but there were no serious injuries, a county sheriff's official said Saturday.
It happened at 21:25 hours Friday. The car was unoccupied, but was heavily damaged, Deputy Mark MacGregor said.
The train sustained minor damage, and one passenger complained of neck pain, MacGregor said.
The driver, a 55-year-old Orange County woman, was on Palm Street when she became confused while at the railroad crossing.
She turned onto the tracks about a mile north of the San Diego train station, and the car got stuck. Several passersby tried to help her move the car off the tracks, but were unsuccessful, MacGregor said.
They saw the Coaster coming southbound, and moved away from the car. The train's driver attempted to stop, but a crash could not be avoided, MacGregor said.
Further details about the crash were not immediately known.
Although the crash happened in San Diego city limits, the county Sheriff's Department is contracted with the Coaster line to investigate crashes or any unusual incidents, authorities said. - KGTV-TV10, San Diego, CA
FOWLER TO LEAD SCENIC RAILROAD OPERATIONS
CUMBERLAND, MD -- Never one to have a driver's license or an automobile, Frank Fowler's father was a railroad man.
Employed by a Pennsylvania railroad, that's also how he traveled.
Going to school, Fowler himself had a pass for the railroad and often got about by those means himself.
Fowler continued the lineage of train lovers and joined the U.S. Army Military Rail Service where he served in Fort Eustis, Virginia, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and Nancy, France. When he was discharged in 1962, he joined the Soo Line Railroad in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, then the CB&Q in Alliance, Nebraska.
He's never strayed far from the rails with his stint from 1963 to 1970 with the Scott Paper Co. in Chester, Pennsylvania, his longest time away from train work. In 1970, he became a member of the CSX team, serving in Baltimore, Holloway, Ohio, Clarksburg, West Virginia, Brunswick, Hagerstown, and of course, Cumberland.
He retired in 2003 as the supervisor of train operations, Allegheny Division, but continued with remote control training and certification.
Now, he'll get the chance to do something he's always wished to do -- operate his own railroad.
Cole Brown announced Fowler's appointment as the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad's general superintendent Thursday at the monthly meeting of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. The decision was made in an executive committee meeting held prior to the regular one.
Brown said it was Fowler's "railroad and management expertise" as well as his "love for passenger operations" that stood out to the board. He also believes that he wants to make the scenic railroad the premier such operation in the country.
With a horseshoe curve, known as Helmstetter's curve, two old-fashioned stations, the scenic view, tunnels and a bridge over Braddock Run, Brown said it's already on its way as such but Fowler will bring it along further.
Brown said the applicants were narrowed to two with one dropping out.
"Frank actually stood out among everyone anyway," he said.
At 65, Fowler of Ridgeley, West Virginia, said this will give him something to do and said he believes he'll bring much value to the scenic railroad. He also believes his background will be a good match with the scenic railroad.
"It's something I've always wanted to do, run my own operation," he said.
Fowler said he sees the scenic railroad as a true asset to the community and that's another reason he wanted to give something back to the community. Becoming the general superintendent is one way to do so.
Married for 43 years, he has three children and four grandchildren. His oldest son is continuing the railroad tradition and serves as a CSX engineer who works the line from Cumberland to Baltimore.
Doug Beverage retired from the general superintendent's position Jan. 1 but signed a one-year contract last month to ensure a smooth transition.
The scenic railroad opens its season Saturday. - Maria Smith, The Cumberland Times-News
K-4 CREW UNCOVERS ANOTHER PROBLEM
SCRANTON, PA -- The restoration of the K-4 steam locomotive in Scranton, Pennsylvania has encountered another problem — again because of a decision made early in the project, which so far has taken more than 10 years.
It’s not clear whether it will delay the return of the K-4, which Railroaders Memorial Museum director Scott Cessna hoped would occur by July.
Workers preparing the frame for installation of the drive wheels recently found that a previous crew had made replacement driving box shoes and wedges from cast steel, rather than the usual brass, Cessna said.
Steel is much harder, and when it is used for shoes and wedges to hold the driving box in place in the frame, that can cause damage from movement during operation, Cessna said. The driving box holds the bearings for the axles.
Crew chief Mike Tillger ordered the shoes and wedges to be recast in brass after he discovered the steel pieces when beginning work on the drive box installation, Cessna said. He guessed the recasting would cost $10,000 to $15,000.
The museum is especially sensitive to the kind of damage that such steel parts can cause because it happened on the K-4 after a partial renovation in the 1980s, Cessna said.
Substandard work by a previous crew also caused delays years ago when the current crew started. That crew had to tear apart and redo some of the prior work.
Meanwhile, the museum has provided the Federal Railroad Administration with what it hopes is final documentation for repairs made previously to the steam dome, which has been a subject of controversy with the agency. - William Kibler, The Altoona Mirror
TRANSIT NEWS
ATTACKER SHOT DEAD BY DART OFFICER
Photo here:
[www.dallasnews.com]
Caption reads: The Ledbetter station was closed following the shooting. (Robert Flagg / WFAA-TV)
Video here:
[www.wfaa.com]
DALLAS, TX -- A Dallas Area Rapid Transit police officer shot and killed a man who attacked her and another officer early Sunday morning.
DART officials said the man was hiding in the bushes at the light rail station at Ledbetter Drive and Lancaster Road in Oak Cliff when he attacked an officer around 03:00 hours.
She managed to get loose, but the man then charged a second officer who fired one shot.
The attacker was taken to Methodist Medical Center, where he later died.
"We've had DART police since 1989, and this is the first time that an officer-involved shooting has resulted in a fatality," said DART spokesman Morgan Lyons. "There probably aren't seven or eight situations where DART police officers have had to discharge their weapons in the line of duty."
DART officials said the officers, who were not identified, were placed on administrative during the investigation—standard policy for any officer-involved shooting.
The Ledbetter station was temporarily closed as DART and Dallas detectives collected evidence. - WFAA-TV8, Dallas, TX and The Dallas Morning News
NEW ORLEANS TRANSIT STANDOFF SETTLED
NEW ORLEANS, LA -- After staging a one-day sickout that paralyzed New Orleans' already crippled transit system, bus and streetcar drivers agreed late Friday to return to work Saturday in exchange for a promise from the Regional Transit Authority to boost their salaries.
The deal was struck after more than 12 hours of closed-door negotiations between representatives of the drivers union and RTA administrators at the agency's headquarters on Canal Street.
The highest-paid union drivers, whose salary tops out at $17.05 per hour after about four years, will receive $18.99 per hour under the new agreement. The drivers had been operating under a series of contract extensions since their latest agreement expired in July 2004.
The raises will go into effect Sunday. The agreement extends until Dec. 1.
"RTA is happy to resolve this issue for the citizens of New Orleans and for the tourists who visit our city," Mark A. Major, general manager of RTA, said in a prepared statement. "Public transportation is an integral part of New Orleans."
RTA officials were blindsided Friday when 61 of 65 drivers scheduled to hit the streets that morning called in sick, stranding thousands of daily customers who use the public transit system to get to work and others who were expecting to ride a bus or streetcar to the Fair Grounds for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Further complicating the situation for New Orleanians who rely on the RTA for transportation were the torrential rains that hit the city Friday, leaving streets flooded all over town.
The RTA, which has drastically scaled back service since Hurricane Katrina displaced much of its customer base, operates 60 buses on a typical weekday. On Friday, the agency was able to run only four: two on St. Charles Avenue, one on South Claiborne Avenue and one on Gen. de Gaulle Drive in Algiers.
For much of the day, just one streetcar was rolling on Canal Street, though a few more were added later. Normally, the agency operates eight streetcars a day, but as many as a dozen would have been used Friday to accommodate Jazzfest attendees, who can walk to the event from the streetcar terminus at the entrance to City Park.
Last week, RTA buses and streetcars carried about 14,000 riders over the course of the festival's opening weekend. The sickout by RTA drivers did not affect the private shuttle bus service that moves many visitors to and from the festival.
The RTA also was able to staff the lone bus it operates in Kenner.
The agency recently has been averaging about 22,500 riders a day, a precipitous drop from the 125,000 daily riders on average before the storm.
With its sharply reduced staff, the RTA operates 28 bus routes, the Canal Street and Riverfront streetcar lines and para-transit service for disabled riders. Before Katrina, the agency offered 46 bus routes and a third streetcar route: the historic St. Charles Avenue line, which may remain out of commission for another year except for a short section in the Central Business District.
Negotiators for the RTA and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1560 have been attempting to reach agreement on a new contract since before the storm. The two sides have been operating under a series of contract extensions since their latest agreement expired July 1, 2004.
The RTA has shed more than half of its pre-storm payroll of 1,357 people, with most of those losses coming from the ranks of bus and streetcar operators. While the agency has laid off more than 100 employees, the bulk of the departed workers have either relocated because their homes were flooded or have left the agency voluntarily through resignations or retirements.
On Friday morning, Jazzfest visitor Janine Harty of San Diego waited for a streetcar at Broad and Canal streets for about 20 minutes before learning that only a handful of RTA drivers were working. About 10:50 she set off on foot for the festival.
"I won't get there by 11, when it opens, but most of the music doesn't start until 11:15 or 11:20," she said. "It's cool. I respect their right to get whatever accommodations they need. If you want to call attention to it, do it while the tourists are in town."
But it wasn't just Jazzfest fans who were inconvenienced.
"I'm supposed to be at work at Dillard (University) for 11," said Quintel Edwards, who also was standing at Canal and Broad. "I'm going to be late for work. If it doesn't show up soon, I'm going to have to walk."
"Bad timing," Edwards said of the drivers' walkout. - Frank Donze and Leslie Williams, The New Orleans Times-Picayune
BOARD RECOMMENDS DENYING PROJECT NEAR LIGHT RAIL IN MESA
MESA. AZ -- Mesa's first attempt at redevelopment to take advantage of light rail took a turn off track when the Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend that the City Council reject zoning for the project.
Board members expressed reservations about the parking planned for West Main Station Village, which combines 57 townhouses and 13 shops at 1350 W. Main St., the site of a boat dealership moving in June to the Bass Pro Shops.
"I'm not sold on the adequacy of parking," Chairman Rich Adams said.
Adams and board member Frank Mizner, a former Mesa planning director, also said they doubt residents would walk the half-mile to the Metro light-rail line, scheduled to end at Main Street and Sycamore, during the summer.
Mizner also said he believes there needs to be more of a buffer zone between the townhouses and the Pepper Place neighborhood to the south.
The board's 3-2 vote to recommend denial disappointed Dan Randall, the property's owner.
Randall and architect Fred Woods said they plan to still seek approval from the City Council, despite the board's recommendation.
In an associated case, the board voted unanimously to support an amendment to Mesa's General Plan to allow a higher density of residential development on the site. Randall said the city's planning department guided him to seek approval for the project, making the board's vote especially surprising.
Planners supported the general plan amendment but sought a continuance on the zoning request, a move the developers believe would doom the project.
"We feel we are ready to go," Woods said. "This is exactly what West Main Street needs."
Woods said Randall has $12 million in financing arranged to build the project, which features a re-creation of the ramada that passengers at the city's original rail station, which opened in the 1930s and burned to the ground in the 1980s, used for shade as they waited for trains.
For the project to succeed, it's vital that the townhouses are available for sale when the 20-mile Metro line opens in December 2008, Woods said.
"We're looking at it as definitely taking advantage of the light rail," he said. "If the light rail wasn't there, we probably wouldn't be doing the project."
Randall said the townhouses would cost $250,000 to $300,000. They are aimed at commuters who would use light rail.
Board members said they like the concept but are worried the project was being rushed through the zoning process without enough attention to some details.
They include the parking, the impact on the nearby neighborhood and the abandonment of part of Standage. The project features two-car garages for each townhouse and up to three parking spaces for each storefront business, located on the ground floor.
"I'm excited and supportive of this type of design," said board member Pat Esparza, who voted against the development. "I have some concern about the parking and the two-car design."
Residents said they want redevelopment but worried about the lack of parking and the abandonment of Standage.
"It's just going to inundate us with traffic on Pepper," resident Carson Coffelt said. "I can't see how there's enough parking."
Tanya Collins, co-chairwoman of the Mesa Grande Community Alliance, said she hopes West Main Station Village will be successful, revitalizing west Mesa through light-rail service and its relatively close proximity to Tempe and Phoenix.
"I see it as a possible catalyst for projects similar to this," Collins said. "I think this is the first of many projects to employ a new design attitude. This is a great opportunity for developers to tag onto that."
Woods said Randall's family has roots in Mesa dating to the 1940s and he wants to do something good for the community, in addition to making a good business decision.
"The easy thing would be just to get something else in there. He's definitely taking a risk, but he feels it should be a positive," Woods said of Randall. "We may be the first guinea pig out there."
Eric Brown of Artisan Homes, a developer of high-density, mixed-use projects in Phoenix, said at a transit-oriented development forum Jan. 31 that cities need to get out of the way of a good developer willing to risk capital.
"Offer incentives to the pioneers, and others will follow," he said.
The city is in the process of developing the Mesa Grande Area Plan to guide redevelopment along its 1-mile light rail corridor, which could be lengthened to the east.
The 20-mile rail line is scheduled open in December 2008 and end at Main and Sycamore, near the East Valley Institute of Technology. - Jim Walsh, The Arizona Republic
PANEL VOTE GIVES HONOLULU RAIL TRANSIT GO-AHEAD
HONOLULU, HI -- A Lingle administration official voted Friday with the majority of members on a Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization committee in giving the city the green light to proceed with its rail transit project.
Brennon Morioka, state Department of Transportation deputy director, said he voted to approve transportation plans for the city's 20-mile transit route from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center because he believes it keeps alive the possibility of the first segment running by Honolulu Airport.
"We still believe that the airport route will likely become the route should rail move forward," Morioka said.
Gov. Linda Lingle has been one of the leading critics of city plans to route the first transit segment along Salt Lake Boulevard instead of by the airport.
The OMPO Policy Committee vote was 11-1 with Councilman Charles Djou voting against the proposed change to the Regional Transportation Plan. One member, state Sen. Carol Fukunaga, did not attend Friday's meeting.
"I know the deck's stacked already," Djou said, indicating that he knew the amendment had enough votes to pass.
Djou said he voted no because he believed that going along with the amendment would be a "de facto" ratification of the Salt Lake route, which he opposes. He wants to see the first segment not only run by the airport, but also go to the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Morioka said he went into the meeting with concerns that the language of the amendment included a reference to the city's planned initial route along Salt Lake Boulevard. But Morioka said OMPO staff assured him that what the panel voted on yesterday is general enough to include the airport in the initial route in the future.
Morioka said the airport will be studied as part of the environmental impact study for the entire 30-plus-mile overall route from West Kapolei to UH and a branch to Waikiki, and that the state will continue to lobby for the airport route in the initial segment.
"We've already sent formal letters to both the city and (Federal Transit Administration) requesting that the airport route be evaluated as part of the EIS and that the financial comparisons be made as well as the ridership comparisons," Morioka said.
Yesterday's vote fulfills a requirement the city needed to apply for federal funding for the $3.5 billion initial route and move on to the next stage of the planning process: preliminary engineering.
City spokesman Bill Brennan said the city is submitting documents for the grant application.
"We're happy the vote was nearly unanimous as it was," Brennan said. "It's another required step in the FTA process which we have now met."
Brennan said he was also pleased that the state Transportation Department voted the way it did.
"To weigh in favorably at this OMPO vote is another sign there's more and more support from several quarters for transit," Brennan said. "The arguments are over the fine points."
The Policy Committee, OMPO's key decision-making body, is made up of six state legislators, five City Council members and the directors of the state and city transportation departments. - Crystal Kua, The Honolulu Star-Bulletin
SKEPTICS FEAR STREETCARS WILL ADD TO PEACHTREE GRIDLOCK
ATLANTA, GA -- The Peachtree corridor is one of Atlanta's most congested thoroughfares, drawing tens of thousands of people each day to work, shop, eat and drink.
Now add to the mix a fleet of slow-moving streetcars that stop every few blocks to pick up and drop off passengers.
What do you have?
Some see a charming new way for office workers and condo dwellers to get around.
Others fear a potential traffic nightmare.
From his office overlooking Peachtree near the Buckhead Village, architect Niles Bolton has a clear view of the road's traffic problems.
"The worst section is here to Lenox [Square mall]," he said. "From November on through Christmas, it's just gridlock."
Bolton said he's not opposed to the streetcars, though he thinks the transit line should be built in concert with road improvements in the area to give motorists an alternative to Peachtree.
"Right now, [Peachtree] is the only direct spine we have," he said. "It's the road people take to get all the way downtown."
The streetcar system is part of an ambitious $1 billion proposal to transform Peachtree into a world-class boulevard. The plan, developed by a group of civic and business leaders appointed by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, includes broad sidewalks for outdoor cafes and strolling, plus dozens of new parks and plazas, as well as the streetcars.
Streetcar backers say there's room on Peachtree for cars and trolleys.
"If you can take one vehicle that's the length of three cars and you can put 25 people in it, you are by definition improving the traffic situation, not making it worse," said Tom Bell, CEO of Cousins Properties, who served as co-chairman of the mayor's Peachtree Corridor Task Force.
Streetcars would roll with other traffic, generally in the far-right lane, with stops about every quarter-mile. Trolleys would run every 10 minutes.
While the corridor would be widened in places to accommodate medians, turn lanes and wider sidewalks, no additional lanes are planned along either of the two proposed streetcar lines -- a 14-mile stretch along Peachtree and a 2.5-mile downtown tourist loop.
The streetcars' top speed is about 30 mph. With stops and traffic flow factored in, the vehicles would move at about 10 mph.
Streetcar backers say putting trolleys on Peachtree won't necessarily make traffic worse. Here's their logic:
• The streetcars should reduce the number of cars on Peachtree, because the system is designed to be used by people who would otherwise hop in their cars to grab lunch, attend meetings or run errands.
• In Midtown and downtown, a street grid, including several one-way roads flanking Peachtree, offers drivers plenty of alternatives, further minimizing the streetcar's impact.
• The most congested parts of Peachtree north of I-85 in Buckhead would receive a significant makeover, including landscaped medians that would limit left-hand turns to major intersections.
Without medians, cars are able to turn left at any point. Many drivers avoid using the left-hand lane for fear of being stuck behind a vehicle waiting to turn left.
Building a median would, in effect, restore the left-hand lanes as a usable piece of asphalt, streetcar backers say, reducing congestion by about 30 percent.
However, traffic on Peachtree Road in Buckhead is often so heavy that more aggressive -- and controversial -- measures might be necessary down the road, streetcar planners say, such as reserving the right-hand lane for the streetcars and other transit vehicles.
Indeed, the traffic issue is emerging as one of the biggest facing the streetcars as city leaders try to build the political and financial support to steer the project forward.
Some politicians and business leaders say they are worried that the streetcars either won't do enough to reduce traffic or could even make congestion worse.
Former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell, president of the Buckhead Coalition, said the influential business group is deeply divided on the streetcar proposal. Some members question whether enough people would ride the streetcars to make a difference.
"There are some who feel that it's going to actually be a deterrent, that it will actually slow traffic because of its loading and unloading," said Massell.
One of the big challenges facing streetcar supporters is that the trolley system is not a conventional transit project. It's designed not to reduce traffic, but rather to improve the quality of life for those who live and work along Peachtree by providing an alternative to long walks and short-haul automobile trips.
Howard Shook, an Atlanta city councilman who represents Buckhead, said he's not sure it's a good idea to spend $500 million to build the streetcar system unless it helps ease gridlock on Peachtree.
Mike Meyer, a transportation consultant and a professor at Georgia Tech, said Peachtree can handle a streetcar line as long as traffic mitigating features are built in, such as medians and turn lanes in the most congested areas.
"I honestly don't think you're going to see a huge impact on traffic flow, because you can design around that," he said.
But even Peachtree streetcar planners say the traffic congestion plaguing Peachtree Road in Buckhead presents a problem.
More than 40,000 vehicles a day travel that stretch, making it one of the region's busiest surface streets. Some businesses have resorted to hiring off-duty police officers to direct traffic in and out of their parking lots.
For a streetcar system, such congestion could be catastrophic. If the trolley gets bogged down in traffic, many potential riders will remain in their cars, said Ed Ellis, a transportation expert who worked on the streetcar plan.
"If you operate a streetcar in very congested conditions, you have to question whether it's a good investment or not," Ellis said.
The potential solution may be hard to stomach for car-loving Atlantans: Reserve the right-hand lane for transit vehicles like the streetcars and automobiles making turns.
These so-called managed lanes would be highly controversial, Ellis acknowledges. But as Peachtree becomes even more crowded, a decision may be required to favor transit over automobiles, he said.
"There's going to come a time when we won't have a choice," Ellis said. – Paul Donsky, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE END
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 Railroad Newsline for Monday, 05/07/07 |
Larry W. Grant | 05-07-2007 - 02:43 |