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Railroad Newsline for Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Compiled by Larry W. Grant

In Memory of Rob Carlson, 1952 – 2006

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RAIL NEWS

RAILROADS LOOK TO YOUTH AS SENIOR WORKERS RETIRE

Photo here:

[media.sacbee.com]

Caption reads: Union Pacific workers check out a locomotive at the J.W. Davis Yard in Roseville, which is a transit point for nearly all of Northern California's rail freight traffic. The Association of American Railroads estimates 80,000 new rail technicians will be needed in the next five years. The industry is recruiting workers with a variety of educational levels. (Sacramento Bee/Lezlie Sterling)

ROSEVILLE, CA -- For an idea of the labor shortage in today's railroad industry, click into the Union Pacific's Web site. A rolling ticker scrolls through no less than seven states where the railroad is hiring.

Another page shows the Union Pacific Railroad's plea is simple and direct: "We need good people and we need them now."

From Arkansas to Oregon, Iowa to Wyoming and in Northern California cities such as Oakland and Roseville, freight railroads are hanging the "Help Wanted" sign to meet the growing demand for rail service and to fill the gap opened as an aging work force rides the rails to retirement.

"The railroad career is not for everyone. There's traveling. You're away from home," said Kelly Donley, spokeswoman for the Association of American Railroads. "But there's no better-paying, secure industry, and it's not a job that's going to be outsourced. The jobs are here in America."

The trouble is, when young people think of railroads, they might think of shoveling coal and billowing steam. That sepia-toned image, however, has given way to a mix of computers, electronics and mechanics.

Wages currently average slightly more than $67,000 a year, according to the railroad association, which projects that 80,000 new rail technicians will be needed over the next five years even though technological advances will winnow the demand for labor.

Educational requirements vary widely, from a high school diploma or its equivalent in entry-level positions, to two-year technical degrees or more for diesel mechanics, to engineering or science degrees for operations managers.

Union Pacific, the nation's largest railroad, looks for applicants with a journeyman's card, military training or on-the-job experience in most cases but will provide on-the-job training for entry-level positions.

The railroad also recruits college graduates with majors in accounting, computer science, marketing, production management and other fields.

The positions are in places such as Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Pocatello, Idaho; Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Roseville, home to one of the nation's largest train yards and the biggest one on the West Coast.

Nearly all of Northern California's rail freight traffic -- 98 percent -- rumbles through Union Pacific's gargantuan J.W. Davis Yard in Roseville, where the sign at the locomotive yard's entrance at Church Street boasts "The Pride of the Sierras."

Here, on a recent morning, rows and rows of hopper cars sat behind tracks dotted with Union Pacific's trademark mustard yellow locomotives lined up end to end and side by side. A long skein of cars crawled through the yard headed east: hoppers, lumber-laden flatbeds and tank cars filled with oil and gasoline.

As many as 2,300 cars a day roll along the switchboard of tracks on the 915-acre site, headed to and from the bustling Port of Oakland, the forests of the Pacific Northwest and to Midwestern cities such as Kansas City, St. Louis and Chicago.

Graphic here:

[media.sacbee.com]

Finding the talent needed to meet the demand of a multibillion-dollar industry, however, has been difficult.

"While people are interested in railroads (as a career), we're still searching for qualified employees," said Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis.

Railroading provides the type of secure, steady pay that allows a worker to "buy a house, start a family, pay taxes," said Michael Halbern, a Sierra College professor teaching a new wave of tech-savvy railroaders at Sierra College's Computer Integrated Electronics-Mechatronics Program.

Increasingly there are opportunities for women, who make up roughly 9 percent of the total industry work force, according to the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, the Chicago-based pension authority for the nation's railroaders.

While wages average $67,000 a year, compensation rises to more than $90,000 with benefits, according to the railroad association, based in Washington, DC.

Oddly, that was part of the problem, say those in the rail industry. Workers enticed by the good pay and long-term job security grew gray in their jobs.

In 2001, employment law changed, allowing workers with 30 or more years of experience to retire at age 60. That triggered a wave of departures that the industry is still recovering from, said railroad officials.

When those workers retired, not only manpower disappeared but also years of experience on the tracks and in the locomotive.

The retirements were keenly felt because railroads had trimmed their labor forces as freight shipments moved to air carriers and trucks, said Dan Williams, a Sacramento branch manager at the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.

Myriad other factors also contributed to boosting the demand for railroad workers: the growth in container shipping; limits on how many hours long-haul truckers could drive; soaring gas prices; the Wyoming coal boom; and the demand for Midwestern corn for ethanol development.

Although freight traffic nationwide was down in May, compared with the same time last year, the nation's seven major freight railroads are hauling more freight than ever before and spending a record $9.4 billion to increase rail capacity, according to the railroad association.

Through the first 18 weeks of 2007, U.S. railroads hauled 5.8 million carloads and more than 4 million trailers or containers. In total, those cars took 588 billion tons of freight over as many miles.

While lower than the same 18 weeks in 2006, the numbers still speak to a robust $48 billion industry and to what has driven the demand for employees at Union Pacific and other railroads in recent years.

UP alone hired nearly 3,200 workers in California between 2004 and 2006. Nearly 6,000 people work for Union Pacific in California, some 1,400 in Placer County, home to Roseville's yard, Davis said.

Union Pacific found a few good men and women by looking to the military for recruits, Davis said. The railroad has been named top military-friendly employer the past two years by online career guide G.I. Jobs.com for its outreach to and hiring of former military personnel.

Still, the demanding, physical work, the long hours often miles from home and an outdated image of the industry discourage some prospects.

"The challenge has been getting young people to think about railroads as a career opportunity. When they think about railroads, they think about shoveling coal and steam engines," Donley of the railroad association, said.

Today, however, technology permeates the industry from the locomotive's cab to the way freight is handled and shipped.

"(The locomotive) is a rolling computer. ... This is not just 'grab a wrench and turn a nut,' " said Sierra College's Halbern. "The railroads have the same needs as other companies. They are trying to find a place where they can attract employees to keep the infrastructure alive." - Darrell Smith, The Sacramento Bee

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ROUNDHOUSE RESTORED TO HOLD HISTORIC SHAY LOCOMOTIVE

SAMOA, CA – Facing tons of additional responsibilities, if the Timber Heritage Association felt like it was getting stuck moving for a friend, the City of Arcata just lightened the load, at least financially. Arcata sold its 1918 Annie & Mary Railroad Shay No. 7 to THA last week for the grand total of one buck.

The historic logging railroad organization has been housing the 50-ton piece of Arcata history at their former Glendale property for years. Now faced with the mammoth undertaking of moving five remaining engines to the new Samoa Roundhouse home, THA can at least be assured that everything it’s moving is THA property.

Inside the Roundhouse, volunteers have been busying themselves, preparing the 1886 locomotive station for the return of its engines. While the bomb-proof redwood beam building, representing the best of Industrial Age construction, remains in solid condition, its roof has borne the brunt of onshore ocean winds for decades. THA member Bob Felter has been coordinating a rebuild that will keep Humboldt history out of the weather for good.

Four steam locomotives and the Murphy’s Diesel remain in Glendale. Most of THA’s other equipment has been transferred to Samoa including the North West Pacific caboose. Working in concert, heavy-equipment experts Mercer-Fraser Co. and John Pittman Trucking have been gearing up for the heavy lifting of the 90-ton engines in Glendale. A converted nine-axle trailer has had two added, in order to make the move. That will happen within the next couple weeks.

But Felter has some additional roof work to do. This Saturday morning, he’s organizing a work crew at the roundhouse (below the Samoa Cookhouse). Volunteers are invited to bring their work gloves, tools and elbow grease. More is available information at (707) 616-6302. - Terrence McNally, The Arcata Eye

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CP RAIL MAY OUTSOURCE MAJOR WORK DURING STIRKE: CEO

CALGARY, AB -- Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. may contract out heavy repair work on its tracks if a strike by maintenance workers lasts into the summer, the railroad's chief executive said on Monday.

Nearly two weeks after 3,200 workers represented by the Teamsters union walked off the job, CP Rail CEO Fred Green said he will not back down from his position that they must accept a company-wide wage-hike pattern. No talks are scheduled.

The summer is the railroad's period for major repairs of tracks and facilities normally conducted by the members of the Maintenance of Way Employees Division of Teamsters Canada.

During the dispute, CP Rail has prioritized its work into items that it must do, that it wants to do and that it would like to do, Green said in an interview.

"The further in we go, we'll have to refine our priority list," he said. "What we also have the ability to do is, if people aren't working, we can contract it out."

The railroad is using workers from its management ranks to take care of the day-to-day track and bridge maintenance that had been the responsibility of about 1,200 of the unionized staff. It deferred expansion activity during the dispute over wages and work-rule changes.

"At this point, we've got so many people trained that we can actually set up gangs and operate the gangs as well as the regular maintenance that we're doing," he said.

"It's certainly not influencing our position whatsoever. We are the safest railway in North America for train accidents. We're going to sustain that point of view ... the good news is I've have a lot of alternatives to keep it that way."

The union has said it wants bigger wage increases than the 3 percent agreed on by other bargaining units at CP Rail, arguing its members' pay has lagged that of the others.

The railroad has said it could offer larger increases, but only if the track workers gave up other work-rule concessions to generate savings and boost efficiency.

Green said he would not be moved by animosity that contracting out work could fuel among the strikers.

"If people don't want to work and you want to get the work done, you do what you have to do," he said.

Customers, including Canadian Wheat Board, have expressed concern that an extended dispute could affect shipments, but Green said freight volumes are large and moving on time.

Union president William Brehl said he is not surprised by Green's comments, and suggested they show how far apart the two sides still are more than two months after the company tabled its last offer.

"They haven't budged off their position on many things since March 23 officially. We're not just talking (wage) pattern -- the wages are a small part of this contract," Brehl said.

"If he's dug in for the long haul, then I guess that's what he's done." - Jeffrey Jones, Reuters

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FIVE TANKERS JUMP THE TRACKS IN EASTERN IOWA

DEWAR, IA -- Five tankers of an Iowa Northern Railroad Co. train jumped the tracks but remained upright in a minor train derailment in eastern Iowa over the weekend.

The Black Hawk County sheriff's office says the derailment happened at about 17:10 hours on Sunday just off Raymond Road in Dewar. Deputies reported the incident as a "minor derailment."

A hazardous materials team checked the scene, but officials say they found no safety concerns. It wasn't immediately clear what the tankers were carrying.

The tankers are expected to be returned to the tracks and moved on Tuesday. - The Associated Press, WHO-TV13, Des Moines, IA

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RAILROAD ENGINEER CLAIMS RARE HAND DEFORMITY IN NEW SUIT

MADISON COUNTY, IL -- A railroad worker diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture filed a Federal Employers Liability Act suit against Union Pacific Railroad in Madison County Circuit Court May 15, claiming the railroad failed to provide him a safe place to work.

Ronald Fose, an engineer, claims Union Pacific failed to provide safe conditions to work, failed to provide safe methods of work, failed to enact a comprehensive ergonomics program and failed to provide safe locomotives and equipment.

Dupuytren's contracture is a rare hand deformity in which the connective tissue under the skin of the palm thickens and scars. Knots and cords of tissue form under the skin, often pulling one or more of the fingers into a bent position.

Though the fingers affected by Dupuytren's contracture bend normally, they can't be straightened, making it difficult to use one's hand.

Fose claims he suffers serious, painful and permanent injuries, suffers pain and mental anguish, lost wages and fringe benefits, became liable for medical expenses and loss of a normal life.

Represented by Steven Groves and Gerard Schneller of St. Louis, Fose is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, plus costs of the suit.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Nicholas Byron. - Steve Gonzalez, The Madison County Record

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SIGN OF TRUE LOVE

FORT WORTH, TX -- Because he was going to be in Korea on business for his 10-year anniversary, Brant Ring wanted to give his wife, Paige, a sign that he still loved her.
So he rented one.

A big one -- a billboard, actually. Both sides. It worked. "I might have to send him out of town more often," Paige said.

Paige, and most folks driving along Farm Road 1220 near Eagle Mountain Elementary School in northwest Tarrant County, noticed the billboard last week. One side reads "Paige, Thank you for A PERFECT 10! Happy Anniversary." The other side features a heart with an arrow through it. In the heart is "P.R. + B.R." and "T.L. 4ever."

Photo here:

[media.star-telegram.com]

Brant Ring works for the BNSF Railway Company and is attending business conferences in Korea, China and Japan, his wife said.

"When I first saw it, I managed to keep on the road. It took a couple minutes to realize I was the Paige on the sign," she said. "Several of our friends saw it, and when I went out to eat I got a standing ovation." - Matt Frazier, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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RAILROAD WORKER CITES FELA FOR FALL ON TRAIN

BEAUMONT, TX -- A trip to the bathroom landed a railroad worker on his back and the railroad company in court.

Terry Adams filed a personal injury suit under the Federal Employers' Liability Act against BNSF Railway Company on May 25 in Jefferson County district court. FELA designed for workers to recover damages for personal injuries sustained while employed by defendants engaged in interstate commerce.

On Nov. 18, 2006, Adams was employed with BNSF Railway Company and was injured while descending the steps of a locomotive. As the plaintiff walked down the steps to the lavatory, he stepped on debris, which caused him to fall and strike his back causing injury to his back, neck and other parts of his body.

According to the plaintiff's original petition, the injuries were due to negligence of the defendant by failing to provide a reasonably safe place to work.

The railway is also in violation of the Federal Locomotive Safety Statute, the plaintiff argues, because the locomotive in question was not in proper condition and safe to operate without unnecessary danger of personal injury.

In addition, a Federal Railroad Administration Regulation requires that all systems on a locomotive be "free of conditions that endanger the safety of crew, locomotive or train."

Another FRA regulation requires that "floors of locomotive cabs, passageways and compartments shall be kept free from oil, water, waste or any obstruction that creates slipping, tripping or fire hazard." Therefore, the floor and/or steps on the locomotive were in violation of that regulation, the suit says.

Because of the incident, "plaintiff has suffered great physical and mental pain, suffering and anguish and will continue in all probability to suffer for a long time into the future, if not for the balance of his natural life." He has also lost wages, earning capacity and will be in need of medical care in the future.

He is requesting a trial by jury and is represented by Sara Youngdahl and Clint McGuire of Youngdahl Law Firm in Friendswood.

The case has been assigned to Judge Donald Floyd in the 172nd District Court. - Marilyn Tennissen, The Southeast Texas Record

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MISSOURI RAILROAD ACCIDENT SUIT CLAIMS WHISTLE NOT PROPERLY BLOWN

MADISON COUNTY, IL -- A Missouri railroad crossing accident that resulted in severe and disabling injuries to a college student is the subject of a St. Clair County personal injury lawsuit.

The parents of Laura Warren claim Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. is negligent for an incident that took place Dec. 22, 2005, at a grade crossing on Meramec Terrace Road in Franklin County.

Steven and Gail Warren claim the train's horn was not properly blown to warn of the train's approach.

Laura Warren was a passenger in the left rear side of a Ford Explorer when it was struck as it traveled west across the tracks.

The suit, filed May 25, also names the train's engineer as a defendant, Samuel S. Williams.

According to the suit, Williams did not blow the proper emergency horn sequence or properly engage the emergency brakes.

The suit also claims the crossing had an inadequate approach sight distance, which was one of the contributing factors that led to the collision.

"Defendant BNSF failed to clear visibility obstructions to provide motorists with an adequate view of the track in both directions, in violation of applicable Missouri state law," the complaint states.

The suit claims that venue is proper in St. Clair County because both defendants are residents of the county.

Laura Warren was enrolled at the University of Missouri-Rolla, the complaint states. Her parents were appointed as co-guardians and co-conservators of her estate as she is incapacitated and disabled.

She suffered closed head injuries, brain infarctions, hemorrhage and contusions to her brain, multiple skull base fractures, extensive facial fractures, fractured pelvis and ribs, multiple soft tissue and internal organ injuries including lacerated spleen and liver, and diaphragmatic rupture with herniation of her stomach into her left hemi-thorax, and hemorrhagic shock and anemia from blood loss, the suit states.

The two-count suit seeks in excess of $100,000 in compensatory and punitive damages.

Plaintiffs are represented by Robert F. Ritter and Patrick J. Hagerty of Gray, Ritter & Graham of St. Louis, and Joseph A. Bartholomew of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer & Shevlin of Belleville. - Ann Knef, The Madison County Record

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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO RAILROAD MEMORIES & STORIES WANTED

Photo here:

[denver.yourhub.com]

Do you have memories or stories of riding passenger trains through Douglas County, waiting at Castle Rock's depots, or working for the railroads that pass through Douglas County? Share your valuable experiences with generations to come. The Douglas County History Research Center (DCHRC, part of Douglas County Libraries) is conducting a unique oral history project this summer at the Philip S. Miller Library (100 South Wilcox Street in Castle Rock). Interviews will be conducted on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. The first session runs from June 5 through June 23. Session two picks up on July 10 and goes through August 4. All participants will receive a copy of the oral history interview and transcript.

The recording sessions will run from 30-60 min. in length. They will be donated to the DCHRC as part of the collective memory of the community. Some of the stories will also appear in a thesis paper written on Douglas County History by Fred Edison, Douglas County High School History Instructor, and graduate student at the University of Colorado at Denver.

To schedule an interview, contact Johanna Harden or Annette Gray (DCHRC Archivists) at 303-791-READ, or Fred Edison at 303-688-9286. - Aspen Walker, denver.yourhub.com

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PASCO RAILROAD DEDICATION CEREMONY

PASCO, WA -- For the past few weeks two brothers have been working hard towards their Eagle Scout Project.

They have built a railroad memorial monument at the City View Cemetery located off Oregon Avenue in Pasco.

Organizers said that many of the people who are buried in this cemetery worked on the railroad.

There was a dedication ceremony on Monday afternoon for Todd and Caleb Shannon, both high school students from Kennewick.

The two teens have been working on the dedication for over a month.

Caleb Shannon said, "When people come over and they know people that have worked on the railroad and they are buried here they can realize that we remember what they've done."

The project was a team effort from their troop, the community, their parents and the city of Pasco. Many of the material and supplies involved in the monument were donated from a number of local businesses.

The brothers said they divided the project in half. Todd worked on cleaning up this area and planting the flowers and shrubs, while Caleb worked on the pathway. - KNDO-TV, Yakima, WA

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UPRR SENDS 150 FLAGS TO EMPLOYEES IN MILITARY

Photo here:

[images.zwire.com]

Caption reads: Steve Holland, left, and Kenneth Weimerskirch of the Union Pacific Railroad help to raise flags at Bailey Yard on Monday.

NORTH PLATTE, NE -- As community members gathered Monday to remember those soldiers who have given their lives to protect America’s freedom, employees at Union Pacific Railroad raised 150 flags to send to active duty reservists.

This is the fourth year UPRR has flown flags at Bailey Yard to send to employees who are currently on active duty with the reserves. Since the program started in 2004, the number of flags has gradually increased.

“Every year it gets a little bit bigger and a little bit better,” said Darren Deppen, a machinist for UPRR.

Deppen said he and fellow UPRR employee Bruce Ferguson started the program. In their first year, they raised 110 flags. This year, the number of flags increased to 150.

It was expected to take up to four hours to fly the flags, and another four hours or so to refold and package them. Deppen said 105 of the flags will be sent to UPRR employees, and the rest will go to family members.

All those who participate in the “flag raising” project are volunteers. Deppen said they all are machinists in the mechanical department at UPRR, and they all have prior military experience except for Ferguson.

Troy Miller, who helped raise several flags this year, has 23 years with the Navy. Deppen said he is being called back on active duty, and will be leaving for the Middle East next week.

Deppen himself has 20 years of active duty with the Marine Corps, and Steve Holland, who also volunteers with the project, served for 28 years in the Marine Corps Reserves.

Deppen said Union Pacific supplies the flags for this project, and the volunteers cover all other expenses. The flags are flown for about one minute. Later, they will be folded and packaged to send overseas.

A certificate will be included with each flag. Deppen said they will also include copies of more than 2,000 signatures with each flag from people wishing the soldiers well and thanking the service men and women for their support.

“It’s a way for us to give back to the employees to say, ‘Hey, thanks for your time. We know what it’s like,’” Deppen said. “And it’s a big morale booster for them.” - John Lindenberger, The North Platte Telegraph

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CN ANNOUNCES FIRST RENEWAL OF HOURLY-RATE UTU LABOR AGREEMENT ON FORMER WC

CHICAGO, IL -- Canadian National Railway said Tuesday United Transportation Union (UTU) members on its former Wisconsin Central (WC) territory have ratified a new collective labor agreement providing general wage increases through mid-2011.

The ratification marks the first renewal of the hourly rate agreement on the former WC, which is located in the Upper U.S. Midwest. CN acquired the Wisconsin Central Transportation Corp. in October 2001.

In contrast with traditional mileage- and rule-based wage systems for engine crews dating back to the steam locomotive era, WC UTU members are paid hourly wages and enjoy job security in exchange for greater work rule flexibility for the company. Most of CN's train and engine employees in the United States are covered by such agreements.

Effective May 28, 2007, the new labor pact will apply to about 300 conductors, with pay increases retroactive to Aug. 1, 2004. It will also move the conductors to the UTU’s national health and welfare plan. - Mark Hallman, CN News Release

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FULL STEAM AHEAD

Photo here:

[www.asahi.com]

Caption reads: Technicians inspect parts of Aso Boy at JR Kyushu's Kokura plant in Kita-Kyushu. Behind the wheels on the left sits the frame on which the boiler rested.(Hiroyuki Kikuchi/ The Asahi Shimbun)

KITA-KYUSHU, JAPAN -- Rusty metal wheels neatly lined up nearly dwarf a man in a hard hat who has come by to take a look. Ponderous plates of metal fused by sturdy bolts rest nearby, while countless smaller parts have been placed tidily in corners.

This is the workshop where a group of retired railway technicians, including an 89-year-old, are undertaking a job that many had shunned as impossible.

But the project--rebuilding the first locomotive mass-produced in Japan--is now seen as a key to increasing tourism in Kyushu and promoting the 2011 opening of a new Shinkansen line connecting Hakata and Kagoshima.

Aso Boy, the nickname of the steam locomotive that was retired for a second time two years ago, is making another comeback.

The Class 8620 locomotive, built 85 years ago and owned by Kyushu Railway Co., will run through Kumamoto Prefecture from Kumamoto to Hitoyoshi starting in 2009.

The restoration project, being carried out in a red-brick building of JR Kyushu's Kokura plant in Kita-Kyushu, would likely have been scrapped if not for a blueprint recovered from a railroad car company, Nippon Sharyo Ltd.

Most of the estimated 30,000 parts from the disassembled Aso Boy are slated for repair as part of the restoration project. The disassembly of the locomotive began at the end of February with the removal of the cab cover and the smokestack to expose the boiler.

"This is the pipe through which steam passes," project leader Masatoshi Oda, 52, explained while showing the Herculean task ahead of the team.

Off to the side sat the frame upon which the boiler will be placed. The frame acts as the spine of the locomotive.

However, because of serious wear and tear, the frame will be rebuilt at Nippon Sharyo in Aichi Prefecture.

The other parts at the Kokura plant will undergo maintenance. The frame will be reassembled with the wheels, boiler and other parts sometime this year.

Aso Boy, constructed in 1922, was first retired in 1975 and preserved at Yatake Station in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture. In 1988, it was brought back into use and ran from Kumamoto to Miyaji, Kumamoto Prefecture.

With the passenger ratio at a healthy 68 percent, Aso Boy held its own against express train services and helped to promote tourism to Mount Aso.

However, the steep intervals took a toll on the old locomotive, and it was retired for a second time in 2005.

Although many people were unhappy with this decision, restoration of the locomotive was thought to be too difficult.

First and foremost, blueprints for the frame of the model could not be found.

The frame, which expands as a result of steam from the boiler, could be pared down for redesign. But the makeup of steel from 80 years ago is subtly different from that of steel today. If the new steel expands differently, it could have a negative impact on the wheels.

In addition, few technicians among the current generation of JR employees have a complete understanding of steam locomotives.

The big break came when an old blueprint was unearthed at Nippon Sharyo.

JR Kyushu had been unable to find a company passionate about maintaining a record to the present and that knew how to locate and read old blueprints. But a year ago, JR Kyushu came across Nippon Sharyo.

"For manufacturers, it's a one-time job with little gain. The first company to show immediate interest was Nippon Sharyo," a JR Kyushu official said.

JR Kyushu also sought veteran technicians familiar with steam locomotives. Kenzo Ohashi, 89, answered that call, and a 14-member team was formed in February.

Now that it was possible to research and solve the issues of steel expansion and design adjustments, Nippon Sharyo could begin constructing the frame.

But there were several other issues that had to be dealt with.

The frame was dotted with holes. The technicians initially thought the holes prevented warping, but the exact purpose of each remains unknown.

Additionally, the area around the boiler was covered with rust.

The finishing touches, including wheel alignment, will be done by hand.

"Finishing touches are now made using blueprints and data, but in the olden days, wooden blocks and molds were used to learn what we felt was right," Oda said. "The steam locomotive dates back to the generation when goods were manufactured by hand. Each part was unique."

To prepare for the "next time," the team plans to record each step of the project, as well as compile a manual outlining measures for repair and maintenance. The team also intends to start a video log in the near future.

Oda is a third-generation technician for the former Japanese National Railways; his grandfather and father were also involved with steam locomotives.

"For that reason alone, it's an honor to work on this project. As a witness to the history of both Japanese National Railways and Japan Railways, I hope to keep the locomotive running for a long time," Oda said. - Koichi Yamamoto, The Asahi Shimbun

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TRANSIT NEWS

NEW MEXICO RAILRUNNER: PROGRESS 'PRETTY GOOD' ON EXPANSION

SANTA FE, NM -- Eighteen months from now, commuter trains are supposed to be traveling between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

While much work remains to be done to meet that schedule and funding isn’t completely set, planners say they are keeping pace with the timeline set by Gov. Bill Richardson to have the service up and running by the end of next year.

The state Department of Transportation has already made key decisions about the Santa Fe leg of the Rail Runner Express, the biggest being the location of new train tracks south of the city.
Now planners are seeking approval from the federal government to begin construction in the right-of-way median of Interstate 25.

Federal rules allow the highway median to be used for transit infrastructure such as train tracks, but Mid-Region Council of Governments Project Manager Chris Blewett said the state still has to apply for permission as a formality. In as few as two weeks, Blewett said final reports will be turned over for approval.

Passenger cars and locomotives have been ordered and will arrive late this year and early next year, along with 79,000 wooden railroad ties and 7,200 tons of steel rail that will be delivered by the end of summer, he said.

A construction contract for rebuilding the tracks used by Santa Fe Southern Railway should also be in place in the coming months.

“I feel pretty good about where we are at right now,” Blewett said.

The biggest logistical questions that remain revolve around where the train will stop in and around Santa Fe. The Transportation Department has already committed to a stop at the Railyard downtown and plans to build a new train station at its headquarters at Cordova and Cerrillos roads.

Blewett said next month he’ll schedule meetings to nail down the best spot for a station in Santa Fe County, with the strong likelihood of locating it near where Richards Avenue crosses below I-25 or near the N.M. 599/I-25 interchange.

In addition, the city plans to hire consultants to study the viability of an additional stop inside the city limits. Some ideas on the table include a stop at the intersection of Zia and St. Francis or near the Greyhound bus station on St. Michael’s Drive.

But transit planner Jon Bulthuis, director of the Santa Fe Trails bus system, said if an extra city stop is decided on, it won’t be built for the start of the train service at the end of 2008.

The city will focus its efforts on making the Transportation Department headquarters facility an “intermodel center,” he said. Rail Runner riders will be able to transfer to Santa Fe Trails buses, taxis and other transportation.

The new headquarters complex is part of a state plan to partner with a private developer to build residential and commercial spaces along with a bus and train stop and government offices.
Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught selected a bidder for the project in December but negotiations have not led to a contract yet with Santa Fe Properties Development Co., said S.U. Mahesh, a department spokesman. The development firm is associated with Santa Fe real-estate and art dealer Gerald Peters, a Richardson contributor.

Regardless of whether the mixed-use part of the redevelopment happens quickly, Mahesh said, the train will be able to load and unload passengers from that location on time according to the governor’s deadline.

“It takes about three months to build a train station, so we are pretty confident that we will have the train station done by the end of 2008,” he said Friday.

The $400 million budget for the Albuquerque-to-Santa Fe phase of the Rail Runner project is also still partially unfunded. Congress promised to contribute $75 million, but the state hasn’t yet received the money. Because of the delay, Richardson asked lawmakers during the last legislative session to set aside $35 million for the project. At the time, his spokesman said the governor would make up the other $40 million next year.

In the Albuquerque area, the trains have carried more than 360,000 riders since the service began in July 2006. - Julie Ann Grimm, The Santa Fe New Mexican

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FASTRACKS SPEEDING VERTICAL USE OF LAND

DENVER, CO -- When a new mixed-use development was proposed at the end of the light-rail line that will connect Golden with downtown Denver, outspoken critics focused on one element - the development's density.

"Golden historically hasn't had any developments denser than 20 or 22 units to the acre, but that's suburban-type density," said Michael O'Hara, the architect in charge of the project. "The planning commission agreed that, to limit sprawl and infrastructure costs, it would approve 54 units to the acre.

"Everyone understood it was better to have a dense project," said O'Hara, managing principal at KTGY Group's Denver office. "It was a more effective use of the land."

As metro Denver's FasTracks transit project prepares to bring rail service to metro cities over the next nine years, discussions like Golden's are becoming more common.

And as young singles and empty-nesters rush toward lofts in the city, developers are getting more comfortable building up instead of out.

Arvada Mayor Ken Fellman likes to tell his constituents, "If you don't like sprawl, you had better like density. When land is limited, you have to grow vertically."

Doing so is at the heart of a smart-growth movement now sweeping the country.

The National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at the University of Maryland recently endorsed 10 principles of environmentally sensitive land development, aimed at minimizing America's dependence on the car, reducing air pollution and improving quality of life. Among them were compact, vertical buildings; walkable communities; mixed land uses; and a variety of transportation choices.

Faced with the prospect of developing the land around new rail stations into so-called transit-oriented developments (or TODs), metro cities are working to understand the concept and sell it to their residents.

"Voters mandated FasTracks and its significant investment in infrastructure, and density goes along with it," O'Hara said. "Cities have to provide access to that investment to the greatest number of people."

Change for neighborhoods

People like Fellman are prepared for the challenge. He and members of Arvada's City Council are committed to changing the zoning around transit stops to allow taller buildings.

"Once we take public input, I'm not sure how it will play," he admitted.

Fellman anticipates resistance from people who worry that height will block their views, congest their streets or generally change the face of their community.

Yet by its very nature, the train stations planned for Arvada Ridge and Olde Town will change the neighborhoods, Fellman said.

To maximize it, the city will have to create the critical mass necessary to support rail service.

Based on current thinking, the best way to do that is with a dense, mixed-use development that provides housing, retail, offices and other services that attract commuters.

"We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to plan correctly, or we can screw it up big time," Fellman said. "People will either look back and say, 'They were really smart,' or "Oh, my goodness. What were they thinking?"'

While there will always be a large audience for suburban homes with big backyards, a new audience is emerging for multi-family homes well located in the midst of thriving neighborhoods.
Some are younger adults who "tend to hive rather than cocoon," as O'Hara describes them.

"Younger people get a place to stay in a house or a condo, but most of their activity is outside of their place," he said. "They want adjacency to all the amenities nearby so they can socialize and be out and about."

They're attracted to TODs as well as urban neighborhoods, as are the generation of home owners who have finished raising their families.

"The typical scenario is a family with a ranch house that is too big. The kids have grown up.
They're looking for a new lifestyle," said David Obitz, a managing principal at KTGY Group's Irvine, California, office. He will be in Denver this week to address attendees at the "Building for Boomers & Beyond," housing symposium sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders.

"They want to move to a smaller home in the city, with as nice a kitchen as the home they're leaving behind, a living/dining space, and a well-appointed and spacious master suite.

"The backyard amenities they had in the suburbs are now either off-site or in their buildings. Their open space is the street scene, with shopping and nice restaurants and entertainment. The buildings have fitness rooms, club facilities and pools."

No matter where they are in life, everybody values their time, said Obitz. "Rather than being stuck in traffic, why not be closer to work, recreation and friends? That's still the driving force."

Requiring density

The Denver Regional Council of Governments is trying to fuel the trend by requiring metro communities to increase their density by 10 percent by 2030.

Doing so will help them consume less land, improve air quality, reduce water problems and improve transportation, said Larry Mugler, the group's planning services manager.

As an incentive to accomplish that goal, DRCOG can give funding priority for transportation projects in communities that meet the goal.

Metro Denver now averages 4 or 4.5 homes per acre, Mugler said. Increasing that to 6.5 or 7 houses per acre will mean smaller lots, which use less water than larger lots, and more compact developments, which will shorten the length of vehicle trips and improve the air quality.

Perhaps as valuable is the intangible effect of improving transit for commuters and creating more jobs that are closer to home.

"Communities suffer when people have long commutes," Fellman said.

"Every hour on the road means one less hour spent coaching Little League or at Kiwanis or Rotary meetings. Every minute you save is a minute that can be spent in the community." - Linda Castrone, The Denver Post

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