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Re: How much traffic - really - on the Coast?
Author: OPRRMS
Date: 08-17-2012 - 18:26
Michael Mahoney Wrote:
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> Seems to me that "siding improvements" don't have
> much value if UP promptly stuffs the sidings with
> spare cars. The purpose of a siding is to allow
> trains to meet without losing time. I should think
> that if the government wants to pay to upgrade the
> sidings, UP should be required to agree that the
> sidings would not be used as their off-site
> storage.
You've answered your own question. The government doesn't own the sidings, UP does.
As BOB2 mentioned, there've been proposals over the years to sell the Coast line to the state, with UP or other carriers obtaining trackage rights (similar to the proposal to sell the Oakland Sub west of Fremont to the state for passenger service). With the state's money problems, fortunately that hasn't happened.
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> Seems to me that "siding improvements" don't have
> much value if UP promptly stuffs the sidings with
> spare cars. The purpose of a siding is to allow
> trains to meet without losing time. I should think
> that if the government wants to pay to upgrade the
> sidings, UP should be required to agree that the
> sidings would not be used as their off-site
> storage.
You've answered your own question. The government doesn't own the sidings, UP does.
As BOB2 mentioned, there've been proposals over the years to sell the Coast line to the state, with UP or other carriers obtaining trackage rights (similar to the proposal to sell the Oakland Sub west of Fremont to the state for passenger service). With the state's money problems, fortunately that hasn't happened.
