Washington Rail News December 2006 /January 2007 www.allaboardwashington.org Publication of All Aboard Washington A NotNot----forforforfor----profitprofit Consumer Organization “Moving forward...On Rail ."."." BNSF’s Andrew Johnsen addresses King Street Station: November All Aboard Washington meeting renovation ready to move All Aboard Washington held its so today. forward? Let’s hope it’s November 11 meeting at Tacoma’s In starting, finally true Freighthouse Square, the Milwaukee Johnsen noted that Headlines from the past (in our Road’s historic freight house reborn as he has “lots” of newsletters): a shopping and office complex. Our pictures of trains in • First steps to restore King featured speaker was Andrew Johnsen, his office. Street Station (February/March BNSF director of public affairs for BNSF, through 1991) Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British its predecessors, • King Street Station: legislative Columbia. Before joining BNSF John- Andre w Johnsen has been in Wash- sen was former Gov. Gary Locke’s ington State since action moves restoration transportation associate. During his in- 1873. About 300 predecessor railroads forward (June/July 2001) • troduction of Johnsen, Lloyd Flem make up today’s BNSF. Update: King Street Station noted he worked closely with him in the The freight railroads are doing good renovation progress (December governor’s office and continues to do since deregulation under the Staggers 2004/January 2005) Act of 1980 and now, with the trucking Now, after many false starts, dead industry hurt by a shortage of drivers, ends and roadblocks, the restoration of high fuel costs and highway conges- Seattle’s historic 1906 King Street Sta- tion, the rail renaissance is on. BNSF is tion is poised to finally move forward in investing $2.6 bill. in capital projects in 2007. The Seattle City Council’s Trans- 2006. Together, the seven Class I rail- portation Committee on Nov. 21 ap- roads are spending $8.3 bill. to buy proved a measure to purchase the sta- equipment and upgrade infrastructure tion from BNSF for $1. The measure, this year. which passed the committee on a 5-0 BNSF has 3300 employees in vote, is scheduled for action by the full Again this Thanksgiving, Amtrak Washington and more are being hired city council on Dec. 11 and its expected operated extra trains between Seattle approval will finally move phase one and Portland. One additional roundtrip continually. Johnsen stated that our state is one of the for cornerstones of into high gear. operated on Wednesday, Thursday and “It’s a beautiful, historic building Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. the railroad, with our intermodal imports Sunday, there were two extra roundtrips, and grain exports to Asia. BNSF is the that’s been allowed to languish,” said for a total of seven trains each way! world’s largest intermodal railroad. It is Jan Drago, chairwoman of the Trans- Pictured above is extra train 511, along also a major transporter of grain, coal portation Committee. “It’s kind of a the Tacoma Narrows near Steilacoom. and mixed industrial products; all these jewel waiting to be restored.” On Wednesday and Sunday there wasn’t lines are experiencing double digit Says Deputy Major Tim Ceis, “We more than a handful of seats left to sell. growth. The railroad is projecting want to create a train station we can be All north-bound space was sold out as continued growth for at least the next proud of. Now it’s pretty embarrassing travel on train 14, the Coast Starlight to have a station in that state of repair.” from Los Angeles, is still blocked for 20 years. Funding comes from $19 mill. pro- sales due to horrendous on-time Johnsen then discussed what BNSF performance. However, since early is doing within the state. The railroad is vided by the state, Sound Transit, Am- September, train 14’s reliability has spending $100 mill. in capital trak, the federal government and others dramatically improved. NARP’s Ross investment in 2006. The Lyle siding in several years ago and an additional Capon took the case for opening train 14 the Columbia River Gorge is the most $10 mill. from the transportation levy to sales north of Eugene on Wednesday important project. It’s completion allows approved by Seattle voters on Nov. 7. and Sunday all the w ay to an Amtrak vice four additional trains a day on the route, Progress had stalled even though president. At the last minute, Amtrak did with total operations now at 38-40 a money was in hand because the station open these two trains to sales. Even with had to be in public ownership to spend the short notice over 100 additional day. Improvements to the Stampede passengers were accommo dated, though Pass line remain a midterm project, the funds. train 14 was about two hours late each with tunnel and signal work the (See Money that could be spent, about day. Johnsen, page 4) (See King Street, page 5) Photo by Zack Willhoite page 2 capital and labor resources and quite passenger rail just to "provide people a From the desk of profitable, may not ultimately be nice train ride": We as an American the Government sustainable, particularly as it relies on society have no hesitation in adding Affairs Director huge increases in consumer goods freeway lanes, usually at a cost far bybyby imports from Asia, particularly the exceeding any possible amount for rail, Peoples Republic of China. While the because "I like to drive alone!" even Lloyd H. Flem how and where of production seems to though using carpools or transit would concern only a minority of North be far less costly to individuals and our Rail Plan; Let it Snow; American consumers (of which your communities than our accommodation Election 2006 writer is one; "Made in USA" is worth a of drive-alone behavior. Should we not few more dimes to me!), cheap stuff also be as willing to provide a safer, December 1 was the due date of the "made in China" may not be forever. more environmentally-sound rail Rail Capacity and Needs Study au- While China is still an authoritarian alternative as we are for those added thorized by the State Legislature and state, China's hard-working populace is lanes? supervised by the Washington State beginning to want a better return on We await publication of the study Transportation Commission. As a their labors, and the severe and will continue to address the issues member of the study's Technical Re- environmental pollution arising from and policy recommendations raised source Panel representing when meeting with state rail passengers, I was given …the Class I [railroads’] current "Hook legislators in weeks to come. the opportunity to give input and suggestions to Cam- and Haul" business strategy, which is ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ bridge Systematics, the highly efficient in terms of capital and Except for some difficul- Boston-based consulting firm labor resources and quite profitable, ties accessing Sounder sta- hired to do the study. I tions by icy roads from their believe the study will be ba- may not ultimately be sustainable… homes, rail passengers were sically affirmative from the China's vast and growing industrial able to enjoy their normal standpoint of us who feel rail should sector is of concern to thoughtful quick, safe, and comfortable commutes remain in part a public responsibility, Chinese and others worldwide. In addi- on our Sound Transit commuter trains, and not just subject to the caprices of tion, the value of the dollar against while most Puget Sound residents were Wall Street, as some seemingly would Chinese currency will likely drop. In agonizing in their motor vehicles during hope for (unlike all other modes, which sum, these factors may well decrease the late November snow and ice are near-universally seen as meriting the comparative price advantages of storms. And King County plans to de- public funding). Chinese consumer goods, with the re- stroy an existing rail line along the east While All Aboard Washington is sultant slowing or even reversal of the side of Lake Washington! foremost a passenger rail advocacy magnitude of such imports and the ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ organization, we also have a strong roles of trains hauling them. interest in freight rail, in part because In addition, I felt the relative safety of What are the implications of the re- intercity and commuter passenger rail compared to road travel needed to cent elections for passenger rail? First, trains utilize tracks owned by freight be emphasized. That travel by a strong majority of urban areas which railroad corporations, and most were considering funding to build of us believe a healthy system of or add to regional or transit rail freight railroads has multiple systems voted yes. Americans benefits to the people of our want trains, not just lanes. state and nation. While support for passenger Early drafts of the study ad- rail is definitely bi-partisan dressed the concerns of our among elected officials, a higher state's agricultural and industrial percentage of Democrats than sectors: that the Class I railroads Republicans have tended to vote (BNSF and UP) had become so for public rail funding. This may focused on taking trainloads of be in part ideological, but more containers of imports or single significantly because Democrats commodities cross country that A BNSF intermodal train moving onto the mainline tend to be in the majority in more these traditional freight rail cus- from the Port of Tacoma. Photo by Jim Hamre urban areas or in areas such as tomers were not being well our Northwest corridor. Trans- served. In that regard, my final American passenger train is many portation in general and rail in particular inputs on this issue included the times safer (somewhere between 10 did not seem to enter into the recent thoughts of All Aboard Washington and 55 times safer per million passen- campaigns.