Council Deadlocks on Hiring Consultant to Design Trent/Barker Project

The current railroad crossing at Trent and Barker Rd.

Spokane Valley will not be moving ahead at this time on designing an under or overpass at Barker Road and Trent that would separate vehicle traffic from trains. According to the Spokane Valley News Herald, City Council failed to reach consensus on the agreement and with Council Member Sam Wood absent, the motion stalled with a 3-3 tie.

The council had previously told city staff to seek requests of qualifications from engineering firms to study ways to separate Barker Road from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks just south of Trent. There is a $720,000 federal earmark to do the work, plus the city already committed $300,000 in matching funds.Steve Worley, the city’s capital improvement program manager, was back before the council to approve an additional $300,000 in order to move forward with hiring DEA/HDR to begin the engineering study.

Deputy Mayor Arne Woodard said he would work to bring the issue back before the council at a meeting when there would be seven members present. A similar engineering study request for the Pines Road/Trent crossing is slated for a future council meeting.

Spokane Valley Trying New Tactics in Obtaining Rail Crossing Grants

The rail crossing at Trent and Barker

The City of Spokane Valley has tried repeatedly to get federal grant funding to build over- and overpasses around busy rail road crossings with no luck. According to the Spokesman-Review, the city is now changing tactics on how it applies for those grants in the hope of having more success.

One project involves an overpass and interchange over the rail crossing at Barker Road next to Wellesley and Trent avenues.
The other grade separation project would be an underpass below the mainline at Pines Road just south of Trent.

At both Pines and Barker, vehicle traffic can be delayed by almost 56 trains a day. That means waiting cars are waiting next to a track used to transport flammable oil and other hazardous substances. It also causes problems for emergency vehicles delayed in responding to emergencies and commercial truck traffic.

Together, the grade separation projects, considered key pieces in the plan to separate traffic from rail lines in what is called the Bridging the Valley plan, are estimated at $56 million.

On Jan. 10, the City Council will consider adding $600,000 in city money to the project at Barker and Trent to revise designs, meet current federal standards and advance the project in hopes that the additional work will improve the competitiveness of the Barker Road grant application.

At the same time, City Hall is accepting requests for proposals for a team to complete final design for the Pines Road grade separation project.

Valley officials feel they might have a better response this time because freight movement has become a category for funding from both state and federal transportation departments in recent years and both projects include freight mobility components.

Spokane Valley Seeking Grants to Separate Trains from Traffic- Again

The intersection at Barker Road and Trent Avenue.

Spokane Valley is hoping the third time will be the charm when it comes to obtaining federal funds
for two busy railroad crossings. Increased rail traffic and train horns spurred the City Council to try again to get federal grants that would fund a portion of grade-separation projects at Barker and Pines roads.

The cost to build an overpass at Barker Road just south of Trent is about $29.2 million. The city has already received some funding, and, if received, federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funds would cover up to 80 percent of the total cost.

Another possible grant source – Fastlane, from the U.S. Department of Transportation – targets high-freight areas, which the crossings at Barker and Pines roads could  potentially be eligible for. The amount funded is 60 percent, which would leave the City paying for $2.22 million for Barker and $6.38 million for the Pines underpass, if approved.

The aim of the grants is to reduce congestion and improve areas of expansion on the nation’s highways. The projects would also reduce the blowing of train horns and they would no longer be required.

Train Station Stays Open Extra Year To Take Girl To School

Talk about customer services; a train station in a remote Japanese village stayed open for an extra
year after being slated to close down- for the sole purpose of getting a teenage girl to school every day.

According to the Huffington Post, 18-year-old Kana Harada would have had to walk a 73-minute trek every morning to catch a 9 a.m. express train in a neighboring town if the station hadn't continued to operate.

When station operaters learned of Harada’s commute, it delayed plans to close to the station by until she graduated. It finally closed at the end of March this year.

“I got on and off this train for the last three years, and this station’s presence has become something I have taken for granted,” Harada told Reuters in January. “I do feel sad to think it will disappear.”
Harada wasn’t alone in her sorrow. According to Rocket News, local residents came out on March 25 to see the last train ever stop at the station as a way of paying tribute.

Area Residents Asking For Quiet Zones from Train Horns

A growing number of area residents are asking for railroad quiet zones in Spokane Valley and Cheney. According to the Spokesman-Review, these horn-free zones can be established if communities invest in extra safety measures at railroad crossings. Without the added measures, federal law requires trains to sound their horns at between 96 to 110 decibels as they approach at-grade crossings and continue to do so until the train clears the intersection.

In areas where there are multiple crossings in a short distance, such as between Barker Road and Evergreen Road, this can mean a lot of honking for people living near there, especialy with up to 70 trains passing through the area daily.

In the past, Spokane Valley and Cheney residents have lobbied elected officials for quiet zones, but failed due to the cost of safety equipment that has to be installed which can run to several hundred thousand dollars per crossing.

In 2011, Spokane Valley residents asked for a quiet zone but the City of Spokane Valley Council didn't want to pay for an engineering study, despite having 38 rail crossings where trains blow their horns. Mayor Rod Higgins says it would take more than one or two quiet zones to make a difference in noise levels.

Four years ago, an engineering study estimated the cost of creating a quiet zone through Cheney at more than $1 million. That wasn't an option at the time so the cause was abandoned. Now Cheney Mayor Tom Trulove (an SRTC Board member) wants recommendations from the Federal Railroad Administration on additional safety measures to install at Cheney’s crossings. If the horns cease, Trulove wants assurance that pedestrians and vehicles aren’t at higher risk for getting hit by trains.

In Vancouver, Washington, citizens got a quiet zone by paying for safety upgrades themselves.
Homeowners living closest to the tracks pay $150 per year through a local improvement district. People who live farther from the tracks pay $45 per year. Those payments will continue for 20 years.

Pets Now Welcome on Amtrak Cascades Trains

Beginning March 7, small dogs and cats can join their owners on Amtrak Cascades trains for their next adventure.

Previously, only service animals were allowed on Amtrak Cascades trains. Due to the sensitivity of other passengers, dogs and cats must meet the following requirements:

• The maximum weight including the carrier is limited to 20 pounds
• Owners can reserve a space for their pet for a $25 fee; limit one pet per passenger.
• For the safety and comfort of all passengers, pets must remain in a carrier at all times and carriers must remain on the floor in front of the seat next to the passenger
• The maximum carrier size is 19 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 10.5 inches high
• Five pet spots are allowed per train and are allotted on a first-come, first-served basis

Pet reservations will be accepted for travel beginning March 7 and can only be made with a reservation agent at 1-800-USA-RAIL or at a staffed station. Pets are not allowed on trips to Canada and cannot be booked on trips lasting longer than 7 hours.

Additional Options Needed Across the Cascades

Like last week, it happens every so often and we all freak out. The Washington State Department of Transportation closed both Snoqualmie Pass and Stevens Passes on Christmas Eve due to ten feet of snow and serious avalanche danger. While this is a safety measure, people still complain. Several friends scrapped their plans to spend the holiday with family on the west side after looking into flights (too full and too expensive).

As the folks at the Seattle Transit Blog pointed out in a post yesterday, we need more and better options across the Cascades. A major storm can literally leave us, and the products we depend on that are shipped over the pass daily, stranded and separated from the rest of the state.

And, as the blog post points out, it's not just during the rare freak snowstorm that we need these options. I drive to the west side often and frankly, I hate the drive. If there was train service for a decent price, at a decent hour and that was timely, I think it would be well-used.

At the link above, Seattle Transit Blog breaks down the number of people traveling the passes everyday and how this amount of people could be transported more efficiently.

Amtrak Cracking Down on Excess Baggage

Some train passengers were a little put-out when they heard recently that Amtrak is going to crack down on on a policy that's gone unenforced for many years; a $20 charge for each piece of extra luggage. That's according to the Marketplace website.

Before you get excited though, consider that "excess luggage" is considered anything over 250 pounds of suitcases, bags, boxes or whatever else you bring aboard. That's right, 250 pounds. Amtrak allows each passenger to bring up to 250 pounds. And many do. Our office is in the same building as the Amtrak station and believe me, I have seen people with so much luggage that I thought they were moving.

In comparison, most airlines won't even let you bring your first bag on free anymore. And each bag can cost between $25 and $35 to take with you. 

WSDOT Looking For Input on Proposed Improvements to The Palouse and Coulee City Rail System

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is planning some improvements to
the Palouse and Coulee City (PCC) Rail system, as part of an effort to support area farmers, and is looking for input on them.

The draft PCC Rail System Strategic Plan highlights the benefits of the rail system and lists recommended maintenance and repair projects and polices to boost farm-to-market rail transportation.

The plan indicates that private and public investments in the rail system have not kept pace with preservation and maintenance needs. Trains must run at slower speeds in some areas due to rail conditions. The strategic plan includes a list of capital-project priorities, including several that use lowest-cost options to maximize investments.

The 297-mile PCC rail line consists of three branch lines that carry freight through Spokane, Lincoln, Grant and Whitman counties. Shippers distribute commodities across the rail system to and from hubs of cross-country railroads. The PCC rail system carried 20 percent of state-grown wheat in 2013, saving 37,000 truckload trips on Washington state roadways.

Comments on the draft plan will be taken until Tuesday, March 31.  Comment forms are available online and may be submitted through the link or emailed to freight@wsdot.wa.gov.

Once finalized, the plan will be used to help develop future funding, policy and planning goals.

Derailed Train Continues to Block Traffic

A train derailment yesterday is still blocking traffic today, and could be until tomorrow. the grain train jumped the tracks yesterday at Cheney-Spokane Road on the northeast side of Cheney.

Meanwhile, the incident is drawing attention to another risk involving trains, the chances of this happening more often, and more catastrophically, with the increase in trains, especially oil trains, on tracks through the area.

The Spokesman-Review has the story, and the detour to take to get around the derailment.

Why Amtrak Trains Run Chronically Late These Days

The perception in Spokane has always been that travel by rail just really isn't convenient because of
the hours. Traditionally, the Amtrak passenger plane would arrive in Spokane around 1 a.m. and department a while later. The SRTC offices are in the bus and train station where people catch the train and depart from it. In recent months, when I arrive at 7:30 a.m., the Amtrak train has just been arriving or is still here from when it arrived.

So I found this article interesting. It's from the Poughkeepsie Journal on why Amtrak trains run chronically late. Turns out it's not because Amtrak doesn't respect your time or the conductor needed to stop for a cigarette break. It's because of the increase of other kinds of trains on the rails. And it's hurting Amtrak's bottom line. And our variety of transportation options. Check out the article.

GAO's Office Study Looks At Freight Movement In Spokane Region

Last Friday, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on freight transportation and related congestion. The GAO did this study because projected increased in freight transportation by truck and train is expected to increase traffic congestion in coming years. Already, many people I've talked to are complaining about the increase in trains locally, which comes with an increase in wait times at railroad crossings. Personally, I've missed my bus several times recently because a train has come between me and the bus stop.

Government studies like this are published every day, so why do we care right? Well this particular study reviewed freight-related traffic congestion issues and mitigation projects at 12 communities to understand the types of local impacts communities are experiencing. Spokane was one of those communities. The GAO's office studied our Bridging the Valley project from the early 2000s and talked extensively to our Transportation Planner Ryan, as well as visiting the area to check out the situation in person.

It's interesting reading. Here's the report if you'd like to check it out.

Train Derailment Dumps Plane Fuselages In MT River

Did you see this video or these pictures over the weekend? They're pretty incredible. Three Boeing airplane fuselages slid down a steep embankment into the Clark Fork River following a train derailment in western Montana, about ten miles west of Alberton.

The fuselages were traveling from a Spirit AeroSystems plant in Wichita, Kansas, to a Boeing facility in Renton, Washington, to be assembled into airliners. With our office in the Intermodal Center, we see these fuselages travel through the area on trains all the time.

Train Derailment Delays Passenger Train Service

According to the Spokesman-Review, a freight train has derailed in North Idaho near the Kootenai River, but BNSF officials said nothing has spilled into the waterway and no hazardous materials were involved.

BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said the train with three locomotives derailed at 1:55 a.m. Thursday, five miles east of Bonners Ferry. The train, which originated in Great Falls, Montana, and was heading through Spokane to Pasco was carrying 116 loads of general merchandise, including beer products (what? You've got my attention), rock material and grain.

Melonas says up to 19 cars derailed, and some “rock product” spilled. Response teams are on the site and the railway line could be closed for up to 24 hours during the cleanup. The cause of the derailment has not been determined.

In the meantime, this seriously delayed the arrival of the Amtrak train in Spokane. According to an Amtrak employee I talked to this morning (we work in the same building), passengers were put on buses in Montana and are being driven to Spokane. No word when they'll arrive.

Railroad Deaths Up In 2013

Railroads are launching a campaign to increase awareness of danger at train tracks. The number of the Idaho Press-Tribune.
trespassing deaths grew 11 percent last year, to 476. And the number of deaths in accidents increased nearly 8 percent, to 250 according to

Railroad officials aren't sure why the increase, but Operation Lifesaver CEO Joyce Rose says it might be a side effect of distracted driving caused by smartphones and other electronic devices.

You will soon be seeing new "See Tracks? Think Train" commercials, backed by the Association of American Railroads trade group, major railroads and the Federal Railroad Administration.

Early 1900s Engineer Had Big Plans For NYC

A triple-decker boulevard that runs through Manhattan, with trains on its lower deck, cars in the middle and planes landing on top- now that's multimodal? But is it realistic for the future? Someone apparently thought it was realistic for the past.

Dr. T. Kennard Thomson, a New York City engineer and urban planner had lots of ideas like that for New York- in 1911. He also wanted to add more miles of land to the City and build up the waterfront for economic development reasons.

The New York Public Library recently made Thomson's ideas and proposed maps available online, and you can see some that focus on transit plans here. Some of these plans were even implemented. Check it out to see which.

 

New Oil, Coal Train Info Will Probably Raise Additional Concerns

As more information becomes available, more concerns are surfacing concerning oil and coal trains.
A report released last week estimates that shipping the fuels by rail could bring 82 trains a day through Spokane and Sandpoint in ten years.

At the same time, new data was released that says Federal Railroad Administration inspectors have found 13,141 rail track defects in North Dakota since 2006. BNSF Railway was issued 721 written violation notices based on those defects.

The Spokesman-Review has the details on both reports in the "Getting There" column.

Freight & Oil Shipments Reportedly Causing Amtrak Delays

According to KXLY News, shipments of freight and oil are bumping Amtrak's use of rail lines, causing the trains to detour.
Amtrak uses BNSF Railway Co. lines and says "severe freight train interference" is causing long delays along the Chicago-to-Pacific Northwest Empire Builder route.

In North Dakota, Amtrak trains are reportedly being forced to bypass Grand Forks, Devils Lake and Rugby, areas of heavy oil activity. Passengers in those cities are being bused to either Minot or Fargo to cath west-and-eastbound trains.

For it's part, BNSF says it's investing records amounts of money to expand capacity to help alleviate the problem.

Mayor Releases Statement on Oil Trains

We've been hearing a lot lately about oil and coal trains through our area. Many people are worried about the health impacts of such trains, while here at SRTC we are interested in the impacts to traffic, such as if increased train traffic cause longer delays to vehicle traffic.

Last night, according to KREM TV, Spokane's City Council voted unanimously to regulate the trains that carry crude oil through the city. The resolution calls for more studies of oil trains and protections for the city.
   
The City Council’s vote will force the federal government to include Spokane in its environmental impact statement. Mayor David Condon issued the following statement last night regarding the movement of trains that transport oil through our community:

“The safety of Spokane is my top priority. It is our responsibility to understand the risks and potential impacts associated with crude oil rail shipments so that we can plan accordingly. A collaborative, informed approach will yield the best results for our community.

We as a community must urge the appropriate federal agencies, the nation’s tank car owners and manufacturers, crude oil shippers, and freight railroads to adopt fleet standards for cargo movements.

I have taken several initial steps to better coordinate emergency planning and response in our community. Earlier this month, while in Washington, D.C., I had discussions with our federal Congressional staff. Ed Lewis, the new deputy director of emergency management for Spokane County, will join my Cabinet as a liaison to facilitate better emergency planning. I have also requested a briefing for the public safety committee of the City Council, to share information, identify any gaps and discuss potential next steps. And, later this week, I will be meeting with the federal Government Accountability Office to discuss freight traffic through our community.”

 

A Crazy Number of Bangladeshis Try to Get Home Following Ramadan Using Any Method They Can

I don't want to hear anyone complain about having to stand on the bus the rest of the day. This is some crazy video out of Bangladesh as thousands of people cram into ferries and trains to return to their home villages following the holy month of Ramadan.

The amount of people on the trains is truly astonishing. Guess folks there aren't familiar with the word "liability." And, oh yeah, sorry but you have to watch a short commercial before the video will start :(