By Linda Williams/TWN Staff Writer
Article Launched: 06/20/2008 12:22:58 PM PDT
Click photo to enlarge
ALCO Metals crew tearing up the ruined railcars removed from the Willits rail… (The Willits News)Dismantlers have taken out five severely vandalized and burnt out railcars from the Willits rail yard, removing part of what had become a hangout for transients and area teens alike.
Willits issued a Notice of Nuisance to the North Coast Railway Authority in January following a series of fires including a near tragic situation where a homeless man was trapped in one of the burning cars.
The NCRA immediately established a working committee to work with the city, which included hiring a grounds keeper to secure and patrol the rail yard. The first order of business involved a general debris cleanup and boarding up the unsecured cars.
Willits police officers and firefighters have expressed satisfaction with the change observed at the yard once Willits resident Rod Whitney began taking charge of the site for the NCRA. “We now have someone from the railroad willing to sign a complaint,” cited one officer.
At a recent Willits City Council meeting, several council members expressed satisfaction with the recent progress including the removal of the burnt out cars and the other efforts being made in the yard, although they did not consider the issue fully resolved.
The NCRA contracted with ALCO Metals to salvage the five cars. ALCO paid $22,500 for the salvage rights, which the NCRA had to send back to the state transportation fund, says NCRA Executive Director Mitch Stogner.
The NCRA intends to gather the remaining cars together and fence off the site to secure
them.
Seems as though Humboldt Bay Watch is being ran by Mike Buettner. He is promoting it.
Old Mike has it in for the railroad. He won’t tell why. Is he being paid to stop the railroad? He has only been in the area, according to a comment he left on a local blog for seven years.
So let’s take a look at things. 1st he complains the railroad will never be viable, should not be in public hands. It should be dead or funded by private enterprise. Now comes along private enterprise, willing to fund it, looking like it will go in to private hands, or managed that way. Now he is in a panic, willing to do anything to stop the railroad, our local railroad.
That is the real truth, willing to do anything to stop the railroad. The truth is he move in to the area, and likes the small town stuff. Being a parks employee, why not. So, when I said in the past that he doesn’t want the railroad, he said that was a mischaracterization. Same thing with calling him and other trail advocates no growth. Looks like I’m right, with both.
By John Krudy
Toledo Free Press Staff Writer
jkrudy@toledofreepress.comA Toledo resident has created and patented a design for a plastic composite railroad tie.
John Marinelli spent his career flying as a naval aviator and corporate pilot before entering the recycling industry after he retired. Intrigued by the industrial application of recycled plastics, he began work on a plastic bridge abutment, but abandoned the project to design the railroad tie.
“I thought it was more practical, and would sell well,” Marinelli said.
Marinelli began work on the Composi-Tie in 1999, and finished it in two years. Since then, he has tested, revamped and marketed the design, which received a patent in 2001.
“I didn’t need an attorney,” he said. “Got it all done myself.”
The heavy and hard black tie is not the first of its kind; other companies have already begun using rail ties made of materials similar to Marinelli’s mix of shredded milk jugs, ground tires, chopped fiberglass and a reinforcing twine that runs through the tie. The true invention is the tie’s shape. The plastic tie is the same size as a wooden one, but it has extended edges on the top and bottom, which make it look like an I-beam with a thick inner section.
Those edges, Marinelli said, help the tie keep still within the chipped rocks of the railroad bed, called ballast. That gives the train a steadier track and smoother ride.
A study provided by Rex Crick, vice president of Recycle Technologies International Inc., another composite tie company, shows that plastic ties retain significantly higher strength over time than wood ties, possess greater resistance to electrical current and keep an exceptional amount of strength over time in tie-insertion tests, which railroad engineers use to determine how well a tie holds a rail spike.
While plastic ties cost more than wooden ones ($85 instead of $45), they wear less and are believed to last more than 50 years, rather than the five to 20 years companies can expect from a wood tie susceptible to rotting, bugs and moisture. Plastic ties won’t contaminate groundwater with pollutants such as the creosote preservative that leaks from wooden ties. And at the end of their time in the ground, plastic ties can be melted down and used again.
“Wooden ties are hazardous; half the trouble is trashing them,” Marinelli said.
Marinelli said he is talking to three or four companies about manufacturing his design. He estimates it would take five or six months to set up a production line.
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I wonder if they have considered the impact their growth, which certainly exceeded the infrastructure’s carrying capacity, has had on others? Commuters from Novato and points north have created a quagmire of traffic problems for residents of Central and Southern Marin.
These problems include: Hundreds of thousands of hours of delays, tons of pollutants, hazards associated with commute traffic on residential streets and the absolutely unrelenting din of the freeway. In light of the above, the impact of the North Coast Rail Authority’s freight operations would be negligible. It is amusing that Novato would sue for an environmental impact report detailing every trifling potential inconvenience its citizens might encounter.
The irony is that rail, including mass transit, is the only hope for cities such as Novato because they will almost certainly become “commute dead” when gas reaches $10 to $20 a gallon.
JP Huberty, Corte MADERA
This writer is incorrect, NCRA hasn’t forfeited any right of way by non use. The line has to go through THE STB in order to abandon (including rail banking/rails to trails) or discontinuance.
By Kurt Kernen
Published: May 17 2008, 11:46 PM
Category: Opinion
Topic: Letter to the editorDear Editor,
The recent article on the Annie and Mary Rail Trail leaves us to ponder what John Murray has planned for the landowners along the railroad right of way. He states that “the NCRA has the right of way for railroad purposes only.” This is correct, and across some parcels the NCRA has forfeited its easements through non-use. Murray continues by adding, “Through rail banking, the NCRA would temporarily abandon the railroad.” This action could allow the railroad to be used for other purposes and Murray adds, “By rail banking you give the locals the ability to make that choice.” It sounds as if Murray is trying to clear the way for eminent domain to be used to procure a trail easement without actually saying those words.
Chris Neary’s focus on determining what interest the NCRA has in the railroad right of way should be helpful. What we do know is across much of the Annie and Mary Railroad right of way, the NCRA has no legal rights to build a trail.
Kurt Kernen
Arcata
Some points here. It is unclear if the this part of the railroad was abandoned. NCRA says no it wasn’t. This part of the railroad was bought under different money, and thus can be rail banked, the rest can’t.
By CERENA JOHNSON, The Eureka Reporter
Published: May 14 2008, 11:44 PM
Category: Local NewsThe Arcata and Mad River Railroad Trail, or Annie and Mary Rail Trail, was the topic of a presentation at the North Coast Railroad Authority board of directors meeting at the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors’ chamber Wednesday.
The proposed Annie and Mary Trail would run from West End Road to Blue Lake.
Currently, there are no rails remaining in the area, only a number of wooden trestles.
John Murray, a member of Friends of the Annie and Mary Rail Trail, said the NCRA does not have a right to enter into an agreement with the city of Blue Lake to put in the trail, as the NCRA has the right-of-way for railroad purposes only.
Through rail banking, he said, the NCRA would abandon the railroad.
The railroad could be utilized for other purposes, also providing the NCRA with the ability bring the railroad back in the future.
“By rail banking, you give the locals the ability to make that choice,” Murray said.
Rail banking would require a manager to act as a holding company, with the right-of-way turned over to the manager, Murray said.
Murray proposed the NCRA temporarily act as the manager.
NCRA Director John Woolley said a previous board had already taken action on the matter.
While many expressed support for exploring the concept, some directors were concerned with the idea of the NCRA serving as manager of the line.
“I am extremely supportive of this,” said Director Tom MacDonald, but said he was concerned about NCRA acting as manager, and said Friends of Annie and Mary likely need an action as they are trying to raise funds.
Director Bernie Meyers said rail banking would be like putting the right-of-way into trust.
“We aren’t abandoning the line,” he said.
Legal Counsel Chris Neary said it is important to get a definition of exactly what interest the NCRA has in the property.
Staff will be working on bringing back an agenda item for action on the issue by July or August.
“We need their blessing,” Murray told The Eureka Reporter. Having a trail, he said, is a “quality of life issue.”
Jennifer Savage
Eye Scene Editor“What we’re talking about is trail with rail,” Class emphasized. He’s walked the proposed line – from the south end of South G Street to the Skate Park – with North Coast Railroad Authority representative John Woolley to determine where the width is adequate to maintain a minimal separation from the tracks. In the areas where a trail cannot run alongside the rail, the solution is what Class called a “rail bed” concept. “We’d clear the vegetation, lay down some filter fabric, put in a pervious walking surface, crushed rock, then a nice finish,” he explained.
The goal is to find an interim solution, Class continued, and enter into a working relationship with the NCRA.
When the rail comes back“When the rail comes back,” Class finished, the City will remove the rail bed, returning the tracks to their original purpose.
Woolley cautioned against early enthusiasm, however. “[The idea] hasn’t gone through any process yet,” he said. “There’s still some interest to have the rail extend into Arcata.” Although he couldn’t speak on behalf of the NCRA, he offered qualified support “as one individual supervisor.” The project “looks like a concept that may have validity,” he said. “When the rail would come back, there’s some alternate ways to move the trail.”
‘Screaming to happen’
Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District Commissioner Mike Wilson, elected to the Bay District largely on a trail platform, commended City staff for moving the project forward, especially in regards to the citizenry’s strong support for more trails linking Arcata and the greater Humboldt Bay region. “It’s been screaming to happen for a long time,” he said. And it will, “so long as NCRA can finally get on board with what the community’s been asking for.”
Coastal trail connection
Because this piece would be considered part of the California Coastal Trail, Class said, multiple agencies will likely be involved and hope for funding exists through the Coastal Conservancy. The California Coastal Trail is an imagined 1,200-mile trail stretching from Mexico to Oregon (more information at californiacoastaltrail.info).
Community members may comment on the proposed trail at the next NCRA meeting, Wednesday, May 14 at 10 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers, 825 Fifth St., Room 111, Eureka.
“It should be a really interesting meeting,” Class said.
Another run for your lives. The d word comes out here, diesel. It must be bad, never mind diesel is widely used in Europe, most buses use it here, and most trucks use it. Ignore that freeway 101 is close by the tracks there. They must be ok.
Marin has a high cancer rate, something needs to change. Relying on the same old highway, and expecting change isn’t going to work. Everywhere there is rail transit, there is a surge in usage as the costs of fuel goes up.
Hamilton SMART station a bad idea
As Hamilton residents who do not live close to the proposed transit station, we join most of our neighbors in opposition, raising several issues for consideration:
• The character of Hamilton will change significantly.
At least one Novato City Councilmember noted that developments would follow at Hamilton or at any commuter station. The developments will likely include apartment buildings, condos, and office buildings, forever changing the character of the neighborhood. Scholarly reports are mixed regarding changes in values of single-family homes close to transit stations. Some may increase but many others will decrease in value.
• Model for Hamilton. The concept for Hamilton is a place for people to both live and work. A transit station encourages just the opposite. Don’t we want to encourage Hamilton employees to purchase new or resale homes in Hamilton? It is far “greener” to have hangar employees work and live in Hamilton.
• Children and safety. Station supporters say the Hamilton station—with added traffic, a 150-car parking lot, idling trains and a potential bus transfer station—will “benefit children.”
Children will be exposed to serious hazards under these circumstances, with three elementary schools located near the proposed station. One recent example is the train death of a San Bruno boy returning from a nearby skate park (April, 2008). The existing Hamilton skate park is within a few hundred feet from rails.
• Not a modern system. Light, electric rail requires different tracks and SMART is not proposing to lay these tracks. Diesel-driven trains will be needed and diesel fumes are hazardous to our health (especially to children and the elderly). Think of the nearby schools and skate park!
• Bus transfer station. With a train station, it would be difficult to argue against a Hamilton bus depot. Is this what we want at Hamilton?
• Ridership. SMART itself estimates 250 boardings maximum daily at Hamilton in the year 2025, a meaningless number having no impact whatsoever on 101 traffic.
There are no benefits and serious harm for Hamilton were a transit station to be built here.
Elvera and Alan Berson
Passenger and freight a win-win
Kudos to Dominic Grossi, President of the Marin County Farm Bureau, for his excellent analysis on page A5 of last week’s Advance of rail’s benefits and the win/win relationship between passenger and freight trains. Sharing fixed costs will improve SMART’s farebox recovery ratio and reduce its operating subsidy.
This will involve more than SMART and freight trains.
Bob Cleek, on the same page, mentions excursion trains. Our railroad has the potential to host the most successful tourist/excursion train service in the United States. Tourist trains between Healdsburg and Willits were hugely popular in 1996-97.
When the railroad was shut down, NCRA’s passenger contractors were holding 10,000 requests for tickets plus another 10,000 inquiries. But if Novato wants to get in on the action, it will have to stand in line behind Santa Rosa and Petaluma.
Intercity passenger trains are also in the picture: Think Santa Rosa to Sacramento in two hours and 10 minutes (estimated running time in a 1993-94 study). Amtrak holds first right of refusal to run intercity on the Northwestern Pacific and will certainly be a player.
It’s surprising that Supervisor Judy Arnold wasn’t aware that our railroad connects into the national rail system. Where else would the freight be coming from and going to? From Black Point the track goes through Port Sonoma, Sears Point, Schellville, Napa Junction, and Cordelia, connecting with Amtrak and Union Pacific at Suisun City. It’s the Redwood Empire’s lifeline. Not only is it more sustainable, it offers the ultimate in mobility. You don’t have to take four thousand pounds of iron, rubber and glass with you everywhere you go.
You just step on board, and that’s a big part of why it’s so much more cost-effective and relaxing than driving.
Lionel Gambill
Update:11:15 pm video has been posted, only part one is live, waiting on Google to finish processing the other three parts.
NCRA Meeting 14 May 2008 part 1
Update: 11:37 pm: 2nd part live
NCRA Meeting 14 May 2008 part 2
NCRA Meeting 14 May 2008 part 3
NCRA Meeting 14 May 2008 part 4
Nite nite
Interesting meeting. Video to be posted later.
Topics:
A&MR RR trail, confusing mix of who owns what.
Trails and safety.
Budget: Will be in the red for a bit.
The operator gets calls once a week from potential people on the Southern end wanting info on shipping VIA the railroad. It used to be once a month.
Tom MacDonald’s statement on Mike P’s revelation of the email. Time line of emails VS appointments to board VS meeting. Paraphrase: the revealed email was two days after appointment, 7 days before his 1st NCRA meeting. Asking all 9 letters be included to the state AG, to clarify. 2nd sending all 9 emails to Marin Grand Jury for review for any conflict of interest.
Progress of the railroad.
Car hire VS UP.
UP has 19 years to cleanup the rail yards.
Meeting adjourned at 1:44 pm.
A good friend of mine called up wished me “happy train day” on Saturday. It was a pretty good day. THA has opened up for train/speeder use from Samoa to the 1st crossing in Manila.
There is a little bit of briers, and ivy. But the hard stuff is done.
