Filed under: Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, NCRA, North Coast Railroad, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, Sonoma
Santa Rosa Press Democrat: Judge to dismiss suit against North Coast rail service
Environmental groups cannot use state law to block the resumption of freight rail service on the North Coast, a Marin County judge tentatively ruled Tuesday.
Judge Roy O. Chernus said that federal law preempts state law in matters relating to railroads, so environmental groups could not sue the North Coast Railroad Authority over deficiencies in an environmental impact report that it prepared under state law using state money.
The state law “mandates a time-consuming review which may result in indefinite delays and unduly interfere with exclusive federal jurisdiction over rail transportation” by giving local officials power to block operations on environmental grounds, the judge wrote.
Ouch! This is what I have said for a long time. This also calls in to question Novato’s lawsuit and settlement. Maybe NCRA can get some money back from that city and the county of Marin.
Watch soon for Hank Sims to write another rant against the railroad and bearing his teeth. The troll or trolls will do the same with the comments on here.
Filed under: NCRA, North Coast Railroad, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, Schellville, SMART, Sonoma, transit | Tags: Passenger Train
For the first time since the reopening of the railroad. The NWP is having a passenger train. For $199 you will travel between Sacramento and the Sonoma race track. A t-shirt and preferred seating is included.
For the first time ever, Northern California NASCAR fans can get on board the NASCAR Express train service to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Sonoma Raceway.
The raceway has partnered with the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) to offer a first-of-its-kind express train that will transport fans directly from the Sacramento area to the raceway on race day, Sunday, June 23, 2013. The train will depart from Sacramento, with stops in Davis and Suisun City, and traverse some of Northern California’s most spectacular scenery before dropping passengers just steps from the raceway’s main entrance.
Filed under: Humboldt, NCRA, North Coast Railroad, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad
I am not sure why people are so against finding out out options and the use of public money. In order to have knowledge we must have info. By using public money we can have what we want, that is passenger rail. That is why Union Pacific rejected public money to expand Donner Pass. They did not want to deal with passenger train expansion. East-West rail would be a common carrier. Things that are carried is produce from farms, lumber, ie common everyday things people need and want. There is no way to sneak the boogeyman coal through here. Relax.
Tomorrow is likely uneventful. The fish passage is likely approved without the bridge.
Filed under: Arcata, Eureka, Humboldt, Manila, NCRA, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, Samoa, THA, trails | Tags: Arcata, california, Eureka, Humboldt, Novato, Railroad, trails, transportation
I admit being nervous how the committee process would go. As I told NCRA at their last meeting, what they came up with was very smart. Now we have a rail with trail process around the bay. This gives our area the political capital and economic benefits we need to implement the plan a single way could not. I knew that not all the ties needed to be replaced, and the rail did not need to be replaced, yet you naysayers would not listen. We can finally move forward now that the “squeeze” folks have quieted down. For those who continue to doubt normal maintenance can raise the rail-bed effectively for sea level rise, please understand NCRA already has done this as part of the rebuilding process. They raised the trestle down in Novato. On either side the track needed to be raised to match the bridge.
I am a part of this process. I do not have a problem with putting a trail along side the rail. I do have a problem with removing the rail for a trail in these vital areas. We need the tourist train. The tourist train is about diversification of our economy.
Filed under: Humboldt, NCRA, North Coast Railroad, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, THA | Tags: antique show, california, Humboldt, Loleta, NCRA, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, nwp, Railroad, speeder
Looks to be another great weekend for fun, with some showers. This Saturday is the Loleta Antique Show and Loleta has been kind enough to invite Timber Heritage Association down to run once again. This show sponsored by the Loleta Volunteer Fire Department. According to their website it is one of the largest Antique Shows in Northern California. My only questions is how did I miss these gems for so long?
Filed under: Eureka, Humboldt, NCRA, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, THA | Tags: california, heritage association, Humboldt, samoa, tourist train, transportation, travel
Another wonderful fundraiser for both Timber Heritage Association and the Clark Museum! A great turnout, weather was not bad, and everyone enjoyed themselves. With a little more work, I think the dinning car could be made available for catered food. Imagine the tourist train running from Samoa to Eureka. Such a ride will attract many people to come and say another night, helping the local economy. During the Fourth of July, runs between Eureka and Arcata will bring our cities together using alternative transportation.
Filed under: Humboldt, NCRA, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, Samoa, THA | Tags: Humboldt, NorCal, Railroad, samoa, THA
Plus speeder rides all day. The three newest passenger cars have been cleaned up, and will be lit for visitors enjoyment!
Filed under: Humboldt, NCRA, North Coast Railroad, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, THA
A fun day was to be had by all. The weather was good, not to hot, and not too cold. The trains were packed all day, and the children were given the opportunity to run the bell while in station. Not only was there the usual speeder ride, but also a rail cycle was there, inviting people to explore the rail a bit at their own pace and power. Those who came for the BBQ and other events packed the speeder. Likewise, the folks who came for the historic speeder ride to the tunnel, packed the BBQ, and other businesses. At the Loleta Bakery, there was not a single loaf to be found at the end of the day, despite extra loafs that were made for the event. I am still enjoying my loaf of Sweet Portuguese Bread.
I will be adding video, beware though, it was done on the iPhone without a tripod.
Loleta Speeder and Rail Cycle runs 8 July 2012
Filed under: Arcata, Eureka, Humboldt, NCRA, North Coast Railroad, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, THA, trails
There is many issues here.
The rail to trail from Arcata to Blue Lake has yet to turn a shovel.
The rail with trail within Arcata and to Bracutt has yet to turn a shovel. Both were submitted to NCRA board and approved long ago. There has been no plan for a trail from Bracutt to Eureka that was brought to the NCRA board for a vote. With no plan submitted, it cannot be approved. NCRA is not the bad guy here. There are proper ways to do things. The trail folks have not done so.
The four million mentioned in the plan is not the true cost of converting the rail to trail. There is an unbroken string of federal court cases stating rails to rails/rail banking is an unconstitutional taking of land. So in each court case, the government had to pay fair market value of the land for a new trail easement as though the railroad was never there, plus interest. Those costs have not been added to the 2007 plan. Link: http://www.mainjustice.com/2012/02/17/railbanking-flopping-in-the-courtroom/
The prism of the railroad is not a levee. It was not designed to hold back any water, and it will not do so. It was only designed to hold up the trains. There has been no costs added to the 2007 plan to make it a levee. Again those are added costs, and time to do so.
The short run for the tourist train from Samoa to Arcata is too short for the proposed Dinner train. It will also leave out the packed Fourth of July passenger train runs between Arcata and Eureka. Those runs brought our communities together with alternative transportation.
The East side of highway 101 might be a better place. I know you have to cross Indianola, various businesses, etc. However you open yourself up to whole new possibilities. It would then be cheaper to add in the old railroad right of ways to Bayside, Old Hansen Rd area, Freshwater, and the north side of Eureka. Indianola was a Railroad right of way. This way you have the main connecting trail, plus more to get people off of old Arcata Road. It allow for better access to the the wildlife refuge. It is more protected from the wind coming off the bay.
Rail banking is unneeded. The operator filed a notice of intent to use the railroad, and that alone preserves the right of way from reverting to private hands. The public was told the railroad has not been used for fifteen years. That is incorrect. There has been the movement of the railroad passenger car, and various groups of speeders. All that usage qualifies as railroad usage, preserving the right of way.
Now there is proposed usage of the railroad as a shortline in the intern, with eventual connection to the outside. With the proposed usage, the Surface Transportation Board will not the abandoning of the railroad. Rail banking requires abandonment of the railroad. Thus no rail banking will be allowed, even if the NCRA wanted to do so.
Filed under: Arcata, bicycle, Eureka, Humboldt, NCRA, Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Railroad, trails
Tomorrow, our county Supervisors will be voting on a railbanking committee for the railroad. Judy Hodgson wishes you to believe there is a plan that everyone has agreed to. There is no such plan. Instead she uses her bully pulpit to bash the railroad. We also have a supervisor, Clif who has acted shamefully, by not putting the restoration of the railroad first and foremost as part of the railroad board.
There is no danger of losing the right of way to land owners. There has been no case of the land reverting back to land owners without the railroad deliberately abandoning the line. We own the railroad, so this will not be the case. Converting the railroad in to a trail requires going through the abandonment process. If an agreement is not reached with whomever takes over, the land will revert back to the land owners.
We, the public do not own most of the land, instead the railroad has an easement, that is literally stated in deeds as, “for railroad use only.” A trail is not a railroad use. There is an unbroken string of federal court cases stating exactly this. This means the lowball figure for trails given is wrong. An entirely new easement must be bought at fair market value, as though the railroad never existed. Otherwise it is an unconstitutional taking of land.
Further the usage figures have been overstated. The figures given are higher than a newly built trail in Marin, between to large population centers. How can this be?
We have yet to hear, how the maintenance of the trail will be paid for, or how much.
Also trail advocates understate the usage of the railroad.
