There is absolutely NO COMPARISON of the POTB with the NWP. The POTB was a real, operating railroad until the storm took it out. The NWP hasn't been a real railroad for at least 10 years, and most likely, except fo short local segments, never will.

The cost of repairing the damage to the POTB, although substantial, returns a viable transportation corridor for rail and fiberoptics back into service for who knows how long.

The added traffic to highways 6 and 101 will cause substantial maintenance expense as well as additional safety concerns. While unpopular to the highway folks, rebuilding the railroad is the only LOGICAL solution to the immediate and long term needs of the area. Since I said LOGICAL, the best case scenario may never happen since it is in the hands of ODOT rail division and the rest of the bureaucrats.

We could rebuild the POTB, the Coos Bay branch and the Baily Branch with the waste built into Connect Oregon I and II and still have enough for beer and pizza to celebrate when completed.