Washington Rail News December 2008 /January 2002009999

www.AllAboardWashington.org

Publication of All Aboard Washington A Not ---for-forforfor----profitprofit Consumer Organization “Moving forward...On Rail ."."."

Can Railbanked Corridors Be Rerailed for All Aboard Washington rail conference a success Passenger Trains? Earth As Only a Railroad Can Make By C.B. Hall Central to the fate of the King lines offers only limited reassurance to It: The World and Environmental Sustai- nability; that was the theme of All Aboard County “Eastside” section of BNSF's those concerned about Sims' inten - Washington’s Oct. 25 conference at Ta - Woodinville Subdivision between Tuk- tions. The historical record yields not a coma’s Washington State History Mu - wila and Snohomish is the question of single case in which rail service, freight seum. Here is a synopsis of all the ex- how easily rail service, passenger or or passenger, has been restored on a tremely interesting informat ion presented freight, can be restored if the tracks are railbanked corridor with a developed by our speakers and panelists. torn up in favor of a trail. The Eastside trail on it. Cesar Vergara, Principal Industrial corridor is to be railbanked under the Active attempts are however being Designer, Jacob s Engineering, New York National Trails System Act of 1983. made right now in Montgomery County, City (when Vergara worked for Amtrak Since railroad rights-of-way represent Maryland (Washington, DC area) to one of his project s was the industrial de- an important transportation asset, the construct a light -rail system on a short sign our Talgo trainsets ): NTSA provides for their reservation for trail in the Georgetown Branch corridor, • Transportation is the most bas ic future rail service, should future need which CSX railbanked in 1988, and that tenet of civilization. Without it, you make that desirable. It appears there case provides the best lessons for All have nothing. are no major legalistic or regulatory im- Aboard Washington as it considers the • It takes the same amount of pediments to such restoration, but, for ramifications of a possible removal of money to make something beauti - the Eastside, that's only the start of the infrastructure on the Eastside. ful as to make something ugly. story. Of all the potential hurdles, In Maryland, the original light-rail • Design is intelligence made visible. plans for the Georgetown • Engineering moves a train. Design Branch took shape immediately is only 1% of the cost but 100% of after it was railbanked. Those what people see. plans succumbed in the early • The car of the future is a rail car 1990s to funding and cost prob- and there’s a bike waiting for you lems. The tracks were then re- at the other end. • moved and an unpaved bike- There are two criteria for designing and-pedestrian trail, part of the a rail station. First, it should be easy to find. Second, it should be Capital Crescent Trail system, attractive. was developed on three miles of • If we design trains and stations Shots from websites supporting the Maryland the corridor. Purple Line, www.purplelinenow.com, and the beautifully, they are easier to sell The State of Maryland re- to the public . Stations build com- Sonoma-Marin Counties rail line in California, cently revived the light-rail plan. www.sonomamarintrain.org munities. However, some politi- A draft environmental impact cian’s commandment seems to be statement (DEIS) just issued “Make it sure it looks as ugly and concluded that two of the three cheap as possibly so that my con - alternatives for building this stituents don’t give me hell.” “Purple Line” – as well as three Robert Eaton, Ph .D., Mayor of alternative bus rapid transit Leavenworth: (BRT) scenarios, two of them It’s the job of a mayor to put all the likewise using the trail corridor – pieces together. Extremists will meet federal cost-effectiveness never see the other side of the ar - guidelines. Staff at the Mary- gument. The mayor’s role is to find NIMBYism would likely be the highest. land -National Capital Park and Plan- compromise. King County Executive Ron Sims ning Commission (MNCPPC) feel • It’s old lessons from Europe, not wants the railbanked corridor to be- some concern about BRT's capacity to new lessons, that we need to come “the granddaddy of all trails,” and accommodate the high ridership antic - learn. American rail lines are pri- a search for precedents for restoring ipated, given the route's many connec - vately owned and primarily haul any kind of rail service on railbanked (See Railbanked, page 5) (See Conference, page 6) page 2 “clean cars” (see last issue of WA RAIL vestments the state has made between From the desk of NEWS), transit, bike and pedestrian, or 2002 and 2008 , up to $15 mill. per fiscal the Government passenger trains. But an authorization is year, and not have to have the direct Affairs Director but a “Good Idea.” Congress must be monetary matching contributions that willing to appropriate the dollars to bring states which have not made such in- bybyby about the needed changes and rail vestments will be required to make. Lloyd H. Flem development. These federal bucks and credits for past These great opportunities are met state rail investments are strictly depen- Passenger train advances 2009+; with serious challenges. As of this writ- dent upon the passage of Amtrak appro- Opportunities & Challenges, ing, the stock market continues to de- priations in Congress. including for AA WA members! cline, businesses great and small are in While investments from DeeCee trouble, 100,000s of people are losing (“About time!”, say rail advocates, state With the election of Barack Obama jobs and home foreclosures multiply. DOT rail staff and legislators who have and Joe Biden, the USA will have, for the These overall economic crises are likely appropriated state investment monies first time, an Executive Branch which has to assume higher priorities of even the with relatively little coming from the Na- made strong, detailed commitments to a most pro-passenger-rail Administration tion’s Capital over the years) will be wel- much more prominent role for Amtrak and Congress. If these national, even comed, the predictions of a growing state and the development of high speed international, economic problems get un- revenue shortfall make challenges to freight and passenger rail. In a position der some degree of control in months to getting significant increases in rail in- paper done before the 2008 election, the come, then the opportunities for a big vestments from the Hill in Olympia even word “railways” was the first transporta- leap for passenger train service can be greater. But with a refocus on AA WA’s tion mode mentioned when listing infra- realized. Another challenge is the dra- traditional mission of working for intercity structure needs (www.barackobama. matic fall in motor fuel prices. No in- passenger train service, your Olympia of- com/pdf/issues/FactSheet fice and you, rail advocates Transportation.pdf). Obama’s The USA will have, for the first time, and members of AA WA, we Chicago home and Biden’s need to politely but persistently decades-long daily use of an Executive Branch which has made remind our legislators that Amtrak give evidence that the strong, detailed commitments to a many of their announced goals President-Elect and VP-Elect for our state – environmental, are serious about starting the much more prominent role for economic and social – are long journey toward bringing Amtrak and the development of high served by moving passenger our country into parity with the trains to a transportation role rest of the industrialized world speed freight and passenger rail. they occupy in most of the rest outside North America. formed person predicted gasoline would of the world. At this writing no names have publicly ever fall below $3.00 per gallon, yet ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ surfaced for US Secretary of Transporta- $1.89 has popped up in a few places in We in key roles at All Aboard Wash- tion. But rumors floating among the pas- recent days. While ridership appears to ington plan to involve you, our members, senger rail community give cause for remain strong on intercity and commuter more than has been the case in recent hope. Names privately mentioned include trains (last summer’s new riders discov- years. Your membership dues and loyal people who have been strongly pro- ered how pleasant taking the train was support are of greatest importance, but passenger train in their professional versus driving I-5 or I-405), will “cheap many, probably most of you can and work. gas” influence folks into returning to their should be more active in your advocacy Congress will be at least as potentially old (drive-absolutely-everywhere-alone) for more passenger trains. Minimally, that pro-passenger train as before Election habits? But we can all celebrate the vot- means contacting our elected officials at 2008. However, given the importance of ers’ wisdom in solidly defeating Tim Ey- the local, and particularly State Legisla- bipartisan support for passenger trains man’s latest reckless effort to dictate tive and US Congressional levels. I’ve (and other issues concerning conserva- poor transportation policy. harped on this before and a few of you tion and environmental protection – most At the State level, the years of fine have responded, perhaps more than I pro-rail elected officials are also “green”), work of the WSDOT Rail Office (now have been aware. As previously men- in both the 2006 and 2008 elections State Rail and Marine Office) is acknowl- tioned in these columns, you need not some of passenger rail’s best Republican edged at the federal level. The Midrange have great writing or, if on the phone or friends were defeated, albeit by Demo- Plan for the Amtrak Cascades , now in person, impressive speaking skills. In crats also likely to be pro-passenger rail. pending, is just the latest example of fact, sincere statements of your beliefs We lost this year, for example, Rep. careful work our state rail people accom- and ideas can be more influential with Chris Shays (R-CT) and Sen. Gordon plish. I represented AA WA as an ap- those elected to represent you in Olym- Smith (R-OR), one of the Senate’s pointed stakeholder to the development pia and DeeCee than an overly-smooth strongest proponents of the national net- of the plan and, with valuable input from pre-prepared offering. work Amtrak trains in the West. AA WA member CB Hall, crafted a paper That said, I am always willing to as- However, more good news was Con- which offered comments and suggestions sist, if you feel you need such, in content gress’s passage in early October of HB on the plan. Copies of the plan and my or style before you contact your electeds. 2085, a vitally important railroad safety paper are available for those of you truly But there are many other constructive and Amtrak authorization bill. An in- interested. chores AA WA member can and will be creasing percentage of the American If significant rail monies become asked to do to help forward the cause of people also seem conscious of the need available from federal legislation, Wash- more passenger train service and to help for “greener” transportation, whether ington State will get credit for capital in- (See Flem, page 4) page 3 version of Seattle’s Pike Place Market, Pontificat e! The View Granville Island. Leadership. Having this simple hang At Skytrain’s downtown terminus, up stall what should be (in my opinion) Down the Waterfront Station, which is also the only the start of at least four trains a day Tracks West Coast Express commuter train sta - to Vancouver is just silly. There are those ======tion and the SeaBus terminal, the main of us in the states that want to travel in a with Jim Cusick lobby is the restored Canadian Pacific civilized, effortless and comfortable way station, again a hub activity with stores to the upcoming Olympic festivities. and coffee, etc. In private industry, this would simply A Great Getaway Hmmm, compared to Seattle, Van- require intervention from a superior who Well, winter is upon us. Shorter days, couver is a city with vision! Compare if then surveys the situation, understands record rainfall, flooding. What can one do you will, their rail transit to Seattle’s. what the problem is, understands what is to escape the latest weather calamity? Compare their water taxi service with a viable solution, and puts it into action. Sounds like a good reason to check out Seattle’s . Compare their intercity rail sta- Problem one is that this isn’t a private what’s happening up north. tion to Seattle’s. company. Thin gs are even more complex Now I know it seems counter-intuitive And if that depresses you, remember because it spans the border of two coming from someone in this newsletter, Vancouver is only a train ride away. Well, countries. but with the availability of Amtrak’s train now it’s only one train, the morning 7:40 What’s at issue is that energy is being 510 to Vancouver, BC, it seems only from Seattle, leaving Vancouver at 5:45 spent a lower level that could and should natural that it should be a train trip. A few in the evening. be resolved by those at a higher decision hours viewing the extraordinary scenery And if that depresses you… making level. Congressional representa - along Puget Sound, a tives, Amtrak executi ves and minute or two at Canadian Compared to Seattle, Vancouver is a city US Customs officials should be customs, and next thing meeting with their counterparts you know, it’s like you’re with visio n! Compare if you will, their rail and with our friends north of the in a different country! transit to Seattle’s. Compare their water border. They could have this Well, they do speak resolved in one arm wrestling English for the most part, taxi service with Seattle’s . Compare their match. and save for it being diffi- intercity rail station to Seattle’s. Now that “Amtrak Joe” Biden cult for those of us south is vice president, I’m sure he of the border to gauge how many layers Time to call in the big guns could have this resolved in one short(?) of clothing to wear and that hockey is the negotiating session…well at minimum, dominant sports topic, a visit to Vancou- Not that I have anything personally in- we would know that everything would ver, BC is a great getaway. vested in this, but even though people have been discussed once the agree - The first thing you notice when you have an alternate bus option through ment is reached. get through customs is how bright and Amtrak to get up north there is another So now that Election Day has passed, active Pacific Central Station is. It’s well train that almost gets there. After all, it’s all is not necessarily gloomy down here, lit, clean, beautifully restored, and busy just a stone’s throw from Bellingham, in spite of the latest news and weat her with passengers from the various modes where the current Cascades 516 termi- reports. using it. It also has a number of food nates, and that’s t he problem. vendors and even a magazine store. People are disappointed that they We’re on the move ! Although not directly downtown, it pro- can’t take a train up in the evening. As Everyone knows that I’ve been the vides a pleasant place to stay while was reported in our last issue, the hang cheerleader for Sound Transit’s efforts to waiting for a train or a bus or for some- up seems so minor. Here you already build a viable rail system here in the Pu - one to pick you up. have a facility, Pacific Central Station that get Sound area. Those of you that reli - However, we’re on our way into town, can easily accommodate another train. giously follow my column know that I so it’s just a short walk across the park to That Can adian customs is considering have always felt that the gen eral public the Skytrain station, and then just a few the staffing necessary as a “new facility” was ahead of the politicians and have stops to the downtown hotel. It’s fairly on its face has the feel of a negotiating supported a rail based solution. effortless to move about in this fair city ploy. And yes, I can say “I told you so .” without a car. Considering that a new flight into an I regularly proposed that Sound Tran - With the upcoming Winter Olympics in airport or extended hours at a highway sit put their own plan – without the roads 2010, construction cranes are as predo- border crossing aren’t considered a new component – before the voters. ST pro- minant as completed buildings. The con- facility, why then pick on Amtrak? I know posed and the publi c said YES! struction of the new Olympic village next that for years it’s been the national politi - Sound Transit’s plan has passed, and to False Creek (across from the old cal pastime to go after Amtrak, but to just that is a testament to both the hard work World’s Fair Expo 86 site) also has a single out this second train has no merit. of the staff, the contractors, the Sound long-term urban renewal payoff. There’s that old “Barney the Purple Dino - Transit Board and everyone involved in Another useful feature is the water saur ” song playing again in the back- making the current system work. How - taxi system serving False Creek. This is ground . ever, without appearing like a fawning a wonderfully quaint and novel way to Now I am just like all my readers, I fan, much credit has to be given to Joni navigate the area. have no inside track to negotiations be - Earl, since she is, after all, the public face While east-west travel is the more tween Amtrak and Canadian customs. All of Sound Transit. tourist friendly, regular pedestrian com- I can do is speculate. Since I don’t have It is a testament to the successes of muters use the north-south routes regu- the hard evidence, the only thing I can do Sound Transit that the public voted in fa - larly. A great place to visit is Vancouver’s here is my usual: (See Cusick, page 4) page 4 Lacey’s centennial Station. A regular AA Even if you are critical of certain Flem, from page 2 WA meeting is scheduled for the 13 th . A Sound Transit Light Rail designs, then be our organization grow. They include, but guest speaker from WSDOT, discussing constructive and participate. If you have are certainly not limited to: hosting infor- the Mid-Range Plan for the Amtrak Cas- praise for the things you agree with, then mation tables and keeping stocks of bro- cades, has been invited. In addition, be constructive, PARTICIPATE! chures at Amtrak stations and other pub- board members Bob Lawrence and Lo- It’s time to take ownership. lic gathering places where such are ap- ren Herrigstad will report on recent confe- Forget the latest “Stormwatcher” re- propriate; conducting research, whether rences in Sacramento and San Fran- ports, I think the weather is looking pretty from print and electronic media or from cisco. It is also a fun time, with pizza, good! in-person meetings, valuable to the holiday cheer, and a pep talk by Old cause of passenger rail and AA WA; Coach Lloyd H. Flem. Time: 11:30 a.m. writing grants or accessing folks who After many to about 3 p.m., convenient for Amtrak have such skills (unlike most non-profit, years of trains from both north and south. delays and tax-exempt organizations, AA WA has to The Dec. 20 meeting will honor both false starts, date relied overwhelmingly on member- veteran and fairly new volunteer Station restoration ships and donations from members for Hosts at Centennial Station. All AA WA of Seattle’s support); simply serving as a greeter at members are welcome! Santa Claus will 1906 King AA WA meetings and other events where arrive, by northbound Amtrak Cascades St. Station we are involved; serving as active liai- at 10:18 a.m. Live music and Holiday is finally un- sons to allied groups within the environ- goodies! Not only did the Capital Com- der way in mental, transportation, business, labor munity build Centennial Station with little earnest. and civic communities; writing/calling tax money, but has staffed it with volun- Scaffolding newspapers, radio and TV stations with teers, missing few if any trains, for nearly good news or counters to not-so-good- sixteen years! Again, our trains will allow news. (Example: airports socked in, most out-of-Thurston residents to join us passes closed, yet Empire Builder and via the mode of civilized travel! Cascades running fine. Remind ‘em there is an option to “fly or drive”!) Most importantly, we have a good Cusick, from page 3 membership, somewhat over 500 mem- vor of the new plan, even before Central bers and member families. Every mem- Link was put into operation. ber knows one or more persons some- And you should no longer feel de- what or very interested in having or in- pressed about King Street Station either. Photos by Warren Yee creasing passenger train options in our My moles have been telling me that envelops the top of the clock tower as re- state, region, nation, and throughout since the City of Seattle has had owner- pairs are made. Replicas of the original North America. In the next year, if each ship, things have been progressing quite green terra cotta roof tiles are quickly being member just signed up one new member, nicely. Actually you don’t have to be mole installed on the roof. The new tiles alone we would of course double our member- to see some of the behind the scenes make the exterior of the station look much ship and, more importantly, our impact on things going on, which includes the re- nicer. The clock has been repaired (though decision makers! Memberships make ex- building of the roof’s drainage system; temporarily stopped in mid-November as cellent and litter-free Holiday gifts! (Send you can just look up. additional repairs and restoration of the op- us a note that it’s a gift membership with King Street Station no longer has a erating mechanism and faces continue). The microwave dish has been removed the person’s name and address and a microwave tower and the clock works. from the tower. The exterior brick will be re- check and we’ll send the recipient their New scaffolding surrounds the tower, paired and the entire exterior cleaned. The membership as a gift from you.) while work progresses underneath. If you original exterior staircase to the Jackson A final bit of good news: Despite fall- view the station from the south, you can Ave. level will be restored and the former ing gasoline prices, highway travel is see the completed roof with new green upper parking lot turned into a plaza. The predicted to decrease this Thanksgiving. terra cotta tiles. My moles have been exterior work is scheduled to be completed Same with airline travel. But intercity bus telling me that the underlying structure is by spring 2009. Full interior restoration of and rail are slated to increase! Those of quite sound. Built to last. the main floor and seismic upgrades will you traveling by train during the So keep looking up, and to the future, commence by summer 2009 with comple- Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, because as King Street Station trans- tion scheduled for 2011. According to the talk with your fellow passengers, thank- forms itself into the crown jewel of Seat- city of Seattle’s website, the $26.5 mill. re- ing them and congratulating them in tle, the work begins on designing an even novation will achieve the following goals: joining you in making the safe, comfort- bigger project, a rail transit system for the • Restore the building’s historic charac- able and environmentally-sound choice ages. ter and grandeur. to “get to Grandma’s House.” (For the Sound Transit is asking about, and we • Upgrade facilities to meet present and Thanksgiving holiday, virtually all Cas- should be participating in, the new future needs of rail and transit users. cades trains for Wednesday, Thursday thoughtful design of our future transpor- • Enhance passenger safety and morning and Sunday sold out more than tation solutions. If you check Sound security. a week in advance, including many of the Transit’s website, you will see they are • Promote sustainable design with a ten extra one way trips Amtrak added asking for public input into the design of LEED Silver building certification. • over the five day holiday period.) the extensions. Support efforts to transform the station ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ And they are even talking specifically into a modern transit hub. All are invited to two events to be held about the partnerships with others con- www.seattle.gov/transportation/kingstreet.htm on Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 at Olympia- cerning the Eastside rail line. page 5 less of the support from bicyclists. Lead- “To a certain extent you're always Railbanked, from page 1 ing the pro-rail constituency, Action Com- going to have a problem with NIMBYs,” tions with other transit corridors and other mittee for Transit has made what a repre- says Chris Coursey, spokesman for the uncertainties. The final policy decision on sentative, Ben Ross, terms "an enormous project agency, Sonoma Marin Area Rail whether to proceed with the plan is ex- organizing effort," having thus far distri- Transit (SMART), when asked how the pected next year. buted 55,000 leaflets door to door and successful electoral campaign dealt with The Purple Line route would extend another 25,000 at transit stations, for that locus of opposition. “We talked to well beyond the three-mile trail's termini, example. Ross notes that support from them a lot, and talking about the benefits running 16 miles from Bethesda to New bicyclists has flowed naturally from the is the best thing you can do.” Carrollton. Resistance to the new transit favor bicyclists show towards alternative In addition to bicycle and pedestrian line – which would essentially parallel the transportation. Unlike Autrey, he ex- advocates, SMART's winning team in- traffic-choked Washington Beltway – presses confidence that the pro-rail argu- cluded “environmental and business coalesced long before the DEIS gave the ment will prevail. groups who'd never worked together be- project the thumbs up, however, and can Among the conclusions to be drawn fore,” Coursey adds. “It's amazing how be expected to reach a crescendo as de- here: little reason exists for bicycling ad- many people want this to happen.” cision time approaches. Leading the anti- vocates to object to a passenger rail plan While neither the legalisms of rail- rail charge are the Town of Chevy if its assures cyclists of facilities equiva- banking nor the interests of bicyclists and Chase, which straddles the route, and a lent to, or better than, what already ex- pedestrians pose real obstacles to new country club that borders it. Opponents ists. If all the stakeholders – bicyclists, passenger rail service in dormant corri- have already invested over a million dol- pedestrians and rail passengers – get dors, the objections of NIMBYs thus pose lars in their efforts, with Chevy Chase what they need, happiness should reign. the thorniest political challenges. The ba- earmarking $400,000 to hire a New York What complicates the issue in Mary- sics of coalition-building offer the likeliest consultant to plead the anti-rail case. land is that the foot-powered modes oc- route to success. It's impossible to as- It's not as if the plan would wipe the cupy the controversial three miles, to the suage people who genuinely hate trains three miles of trail off the map. Indeed, exclusion, for now, of rail. Simple logic passing by, but it's merely hard work to the proposal calls for preserving the trail, dictates that it would be better to trans- bring those many constituencies who even when that means building a flyover form the Eastside right-of-way into a support the rail-and-trail option on board to accommodate it where the right-of-way multi-use transportation corridor at the – to build a political base broad enough narrows so as to preclude placing trail outset, rather than inviting a situation like to prevail over implacable abutting prop- and tracks (or busway) side by side. The that in Maryland, where rail might have to erty owners who show up at every meet- plan also calls for paving the trail. plead for room, at some future time, in ing and yell. If it can happen in Maryland Given the upgrade for bicyclists, the what was originally a rail corridor. and California, it can happen here in the Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail California offers a solution. In Marin green Northwest. (CCCT), which promotes the interests of and Sonoma counties (across the Golden both hikers and bikers, has taken a neu- Gate from San Francisco), public leaders tral stance on the plan. On its website, President-elect Barack Obama has a with an eye on the future acquired a little- CCCT takes the view that the trail "must website, change.gov/page/s/yourstory, used rail corridor and asked voters to ap- remain in the Georgetown Branch as where citizens can offer ideas on what prove a sales tax increase to develop the high-quality trail" if the plan goes forward. you'd like the new administration to do 70-mile line for commuter rail and bi- The Washington Area Bicyclist Associa- and where you'd like the country to go. cycle/pedestrian traffic – to upgrade the tion has come out in favor of the plan. On This is a good place to comment on track and build the trail alongside it. Rail, its website, under the heading “Build the transportation issues in our country and bicycle and pedestrian advocates em- Light Rail Option,” the group states that how rail in all forms needs to play an braced the idea, and the vote, this past important role in revitalizing our nation’s “the trail improvements that will come Election Day, ran nearly 70% in favor. transportation infrastructure. with the Purple Line…make this a win- Since the railroad is being upgraded, ra- The American Assoc. of State High- win project for both trail users and the ther than built from scratch, expected way and Transportation Officials also people who will ride the new transit line.” costs are low – under $8 million a mile for has a website where you can comment According to Tom Autrey, transporta- all capital costs, trail and 14 stations to the new president on transportation tion planner at the MNCPPC, the plan's included. issues: www.itoldthepresident.org backers will have "a hill to climb" regard-

All Aboard Washington Officers Important Addresses and Phone Numbers Chuck Mott, Mukilteo..Chairman ...... 425 710-9665 ... [email protected] U. S. House of Representatives: Tony Trifiletti, Shoreline..President ...... 206 440-9451 ... [email protected] Washington, DC 20515 Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Vice President ...... 253 848-2473 ... [email protected] U. S. Senate: Washington, DC 20510 Rocky Shay, Federal Way..Secretary ...... 253 925-2085 ... [email protected] Capitol Switchboard (all members): 202 224-3121 John Carlin, Edmonds..Treasurer ...... 425 778-4529 ... [email protected] State Legislature: State Capitol, Olympia 98504 Al Runte, Seattle..Executive Director ...... 206 525-3608 ... [email protected] Hotline for leaving messages: 800 562-6000 Lloyd Flem, Olympia.. Government Affairs Director ...... 360 943-8333 ... [email protected] Amtrak Reservations/Information: 800 872-7245 Office FAX ...... 360 943-0136 Address ...... 3704 22 nd Ave SE, Olympia 98501 All Aboard Washington: AllAboardWashington.org NARP: www.narprail.org Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Newsletter Editor .....253 848-2473 ... [email protected] NARP Hotline: www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/hotline/ Warren Yee, Seattle..E-newsletter ...... 206 723-0259 ... [email protected] Amtrak: www.amtrak.com Amtrak Cascades: www.amtrakcascades.com All are evening numbers, except Lloyd's, which is available 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Sound Transit: www.soundtransit.org page 6 worth is revitalizing itself by opening gravity. Over 3000 Talgo rail cars All Aboard News up its public spaces and getting have been built in the last 60 years. December 13: All Aboard Washington ga- people out of their cars. Parking lots • Talgo wanted to begin work in a de- thering at 11:45 a.m. at Centennial Sta- will be moved to the edge of town. veloped country that had abandoned tion, 6600 Yelm Hwy SE, Lacey. Meeting The Empire Builder stop (in Sept. its passenger trains in the Fifties. is timed between the arrival of trains 11 and 2009) will offer a new travel option America was a natural. 500 and the departure of trains 507 and for visitors. • The Talgo equipment used on the 516. Cost is $10 cash or check for pizza • Engage the environmental commu- Cascades travels 100,000 mean and beverages. nity, housing community and political miles between failures. In February, All Aboard Washington is community as allies. • Spain currently has 1563 kilometers planning a rail lobby day at the Legislature. • Rail forms the spine of transit of high speed tracks and that will in- Details will be available on this opportunity oriented development. crease to 2230 kilometers by 2010. as plans are finalized. • Public dollars utilized by public-pri- The afternoon panel discussion was ex- March 28 is the tentative date for our an- vate partnerships benefit the public. pertly moderated by Dave Ross of KIRO nual joint meeting with NARP, Assoc. of Brock Nelson, Director of Public Affairs, News/Talk Radio. The panel consisted of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates and Union Pacific Railroad: Jonathan Hutchison, Amtrak West Public Montana ARP. Details are been worked out • Twenty percent of Union Pacific’s Affairs; Bruce Agnew, Cascadia Project; but the meeting will probably be in Essex or gross revenue is plowed back into Robert Eaton; Rep. Deb Wallace (D-Van- Whitefish, MT. infrastructure and equipment. couver); Sen. Dan Swecker (R-Rochester); • Antonio Perez; Martin Young, Sound Tran- All Aboard Washington welcomed the fol- Forty percent of freight ton-miles sit; Loren Herrigstad; and Lloyd Flem. lowing new members in October and No- move by rail, but rail consumes only Some key comments: vember: Nora Friend, Washington, DC; 8% of the energy used for transpor- Hutchison: What separates American Gary & Fran Harder, Olympia; Michael Dra- tation. • passenger rail from French rail is a matter per, Seattle; Redmond Barnett, Tacoma; Since 1994, UP locomotive fuel effi- of political will and public funding. We need Thomas Irion, Pacific; L. Keith Stone, Ta- ciency has increased 20% while to make Amtrak grow. We need to restore coma; Dr. William Keppler, Edmonds; Brock greenhouse gas emissions have de- trains that were deleted from the national Nelson, Portland, OR. creased 20%. Since 2000, oxides of nitrogen emissions have decreased network years ago. We need more trains in Members contributing to this newsletter in- 60% and particulate matter emis- this corridor. clude C. B. Hall, Warren Yee, Ron Sheck, sions have decreased 40%. Agnew: New highways will be tolled. Steve Spear, Al Runte, Tony Trifiletti, Loren • UP moves one ton of freight 790 New transportation capacity will be primarily Herrigstad, Jim Cusick and Lloyd Flem. miles on one gallon of diesel fuel. rail. Do you want to be greener, save All Aboard The railroad has implemented a Fuel Swecker: A weight and mileage fee le- Washington money and get your newsletter Master program where engineers vied on cars, if enacted, could go to rail. sooner? Send your email address to War- compete for best fuel efficiency. Perez: Spain lacks government by initi- ren Yee (see p. 5) and we’ll start sending • Implementation of Positive Train ative and referendum. The government you Washington Rail News as a Control will increase rail capacity, makes the decisions. This makes high PDF in lieu of a paper copy. operating efficiency and further de- speed rail possible. crease fuel consumption. Herrigstad: We can’t afford $11 bill. to Conference, from page 1 Antonio Perez, CEO, Talgo America, widen I-405. The Eastside rail line offers freight. European rail lines are gov- Seattle: more bang for the buck. ernment owned and primarily haul • Rail is 17% more efficient than air Young: If there is a new stimulus pack- passengers. and 21% more efficient than cars. age, don’t send the checks to people to • We need to rethink the use of public • Talgo design is based on the idea of spend at Wal-Mart. Spend it on infrastruc- space. Slow down and walk. Leaven- lightweight trains with a low center of ture to invest in the future and put people to work.

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