Capdiamont’s Weblog

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 editor

Dear 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 News

Residents are continuing to work toward establishment of a trail connecting the Blue Lake area with the northern end of Arcata.

The 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

ARCATA – While government meeting attendees continue to rail about train vs. trail, Arcata’s Public Works Director Doby Class has quietly made an inroad towards one chunk of tracks co-existing with a multi-use path.

“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.

Staff Report
Article Launched: 05/06/2008 12:23:30 AM PDT

Marla Fields and Annan Paterson

A SONOMA-MARIN Area Rail Transit train and trail station in Hamilton will benefit children in the following important ways:

- A Hamilton SMART station will reduce local car traffic. Many of Hamilton’s 8,000 residents are within walking and biking distance to the proposed rail station. That means fewer cars will pass by the schools on their way out of the neighborhood to enter the freeway.

Additionally, nearly 2,000 employees are located about a half mile from the station site. A survey by Q&A Research Company determined 41 percent of employees would commute to work by SMART three or more times per week. The number of new cars added from outside neighborhoods is a small fraction of the total station user base, so the net effect will be to reduce traffic near the schools.

- Reducing neighborhood car traffic increases safety for children. Statistics from SMART’s environmental impact report reveal the biggest threat facing our children who walk and bike is being hit by cars. In the United States, from 2000 to 2007, roughly 4,000 kids under 15 were killed and 300,000 injured by cars and trucks while walking or riding their bikes. During the same period, there were zero deaths to children under 11 by all U.S. commuter rail. (National Highway and Traffic Safety Analysis Administration and Federal Rail Association Office of Safety Analysis database.)

- Children will have a safe route to school. Hamilton children need never cross railroad
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tracks when going to school. Due to the existing neighborhood design, the Safe Route to School plan will take children over a small bridge.

- SMART will greatly improve cycling conditions. SMART’s 70-mile pedestrian and cyclist pathway will take kids off dangerous shared road paths and encourage more kids to safely participate in a healthy, zero-emission lifestyle.

- SMART rail is clean. The SMART train will lead to net reductions in criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases due primarily to the decrease in car traffic (EIR 3.5.5). The new clean diesel technology that these European railcars will employ is described by Scientific American as “nearly as green as hybrids.” SMART trains will use ultra-low sulfur fuel and highly effective particulate traps, resulting in the same amount of particulate matter as a single car, as described in SMART’s “clean train” white paper No. 6.

- A Hamilton station means trains move slowly through the Hamilton neighborhood. Instead of passing through quickly, trains would slow to 20 mph as they approach the station.

- A Hamilton station will allow teachers and some families to arrive to school safely and reliably. The Novato Charter School in Hamilton draws families from Southern and Central Marin, Sonoma County and Northern Novato. They will be able to use rail or the bicycle pathway to commute. Additionally, many teachers commute daily from Petaluma and points further north. Federal Rail Association Office of Safety Analysis statistics prove that riding in commuter rail in the United States is 67 times safer per passenger mile than riding in a car.

Kalvin Platt, acclaimed green-community architect and former director of Harvard’s Land Development Graduate School of Design, has endorsed the Hamilton SMART station “as a unique opportunity to transform a major portion of Novato into a sustainable community providing benefits of reduced auto trips, less traffic, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.”

The IJ editorial board and the Greenbelt Alliance also have endorsed the Hamilton SMART station as the logical choice.

We encourage Novato families to let their council members and school administrators know that they want a Hamilton SMART station - for the kids’ sake.

Marla Fields is a task force leader for Safe Routes to School, chairwoman of the Curb Your Carbon Global Warming Educational Program and a Hamilton resident. Annan Paterson is a Novato mother, grandmother and educator who has worked at Hamilton area schools as a school psychologist. She is active in local government and nonprofit boards.

Prorail voices grow louder as fuel gets more expensive.

Why freight will help dairies

The issues surrounding the railroad in Novato continue to come up. I understand this is a controversial issue, but the most important thing is that the public is armed with factual information.

In an article in Sunday’s IJ regarding milk prices, Supervisor Judy Arnold said, “But someone has yet to explain to me the economics of bringing grain from the Central Valley to Novato on a rail that runs north and south. I don’t understand where the savings comes from.”

Here is the explanation.

First, the railroad tracks split at Highways 101 and 37 and head east. The grain will be coming from places such a Nebraska and Iowa.

Secondly, the economics are simple: trains are a much more efficient and economical way to transfer freight. A big truck can only bring about 25 tons per load while a train can bring thousands of tons at a time. Not only is this a cheaper way to bring feed here, it also will take a large number of trucks off the road, which will lessen traffic congestion and lower the amount of exhaust that pollutes our air. Novato prides itself on becoming greener; it makes sense to use the railroad to help achieve this.

Third, the economic benefits go well beyond savings for agriculture. Many goods will be transported by these trains. Jobs will be created in Novato as businesses recognize the value of the efficiencies rail freight will create. The tax base will increase and the city’ coffers will expand.

For those who would like more detail, and for Arnold’s review, the letter I sent to the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 10 is at www.cfbf.com/counties/pdf/railroad.pdf.

Freight and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit will benefit from each other and work well together. There is no need to try to drive a wedge between two agencies - SMART and the North Coast Rail Authority - that can work together to achieve the mutual goal, which is the best use of the tracks.

Dominic Grossi, president,

Marin County Farm Bureau

Supervisors’ odd priorities

I am not surprised to learn the Marin Board of Supervisors did not include transportation improvement in its list of top five priorities. I am concerned about why.

How bicycle pathways get a higher priority than Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit and intra-county tram options being proposed or disaster preparedness is alarming.

Not to put biking down, but bike pathways seem to have secondary importance to our economy and impact on the ability of the average citizen to move about the county efficiently and dependably. Biking serves the business and transportation needs of so few people. Even with optimal infrastructure, would it substantially improve our transportation problems and gridlock such as occurred well past 9:15 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 101 in Novato? What about freight, people with disabilities, the infirm, seniors, those who live/work beyond reasonable biking boundaries/times, such as the city commuter? Would the best bike-lane infrastructure in the country affect the livelihood of the average citizen?

On the other hand, multi-modal rail will contribute tremendously to the local economy and transportation needs of Marin and Sonoma residents. It will support local farmers by reducing transportation costs of fodder and market products. Rail will reduce pollution, traffic, accidents, stimulate development of intra-city tram services and commerce along stops and provide an alternative for refuse disposal at the dump. SMART even includes construction of bikepaths along its route.

Year after year, the countywide survey shows transportation as our biggest problem.

Supervisors, reprioritize for a 21st century Marin.

Steven Pointer, Bel Marin Keys

Nice, another Novato resident wants SMART, the commuter train.

Sierra Club missed the boat

The Sierra Club has it all wrong.

Building a 900-car garage at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal will not encourage more people to drive. It will encourage more people to park at the terminal and take the ferry to San Francisco instead of driving all the way to the city, thus reducing the heavy traffic on Highway 101. Having a commuter train from Santa Rosa to the Larkspur ferry terminal also would reduce the commute traffic on Highway 101.

Harvey Sperry, Novato

The Safe Peninsula Area-wide Trails, Highway, and Streets Coalition is inviting residents to be part of the discussion of what a potential Manila-area trail might look like, who it would serve and where it would be located.

A Humboldt Bay Region Trail segment from Arcata along the peninsula to the jetty is being envisioned for the Samoa Peninsula community, according to a news release.

A trail visioning process is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Manila Community Center at 1611 Peninsula Drive.

Experts in issues pertaining to trail planning will present information and answer questions and the results will assist in the development of the Humboldt Bay Region Trail and the California Coastal Trail.

For more information, phone Nancy Ihara at 707-442-1676 or e-mail the group at safepathscoalition@yahoo.com.

Samoa Softball has a good write up of the event,  Rails or Trails LWV style.

Heraldo has his Rails & Trails…and Security National?

Eureka Reporter has theirs, Panel of experts talks rails and trails

And the Sub Standard still doesn’t have anything.

Lets recap somethings, people seem to be missing. Fish & Game plus some HSU professors say the trail would be more damaging than a train. There is no time line for a trail. Patrick Higgins says gas will reach 5, 8, or 10 dollars a gallon, and yet doesn’t see a business plan for the railroad. Huh?

The railroad can’t allow people to borrow the tracks for ROW. The process of rail banking/rails to trails is one of abandonment. Abandonment is not what NCRA’s mandate was to do. Another problem is there must be NO plans for use of the tracks for twenty years, before you can get funding to convert the row from rail in to a trail. Period.

Here is the video.