A look at Monday morning rail news:
— CSX Transportation will reactivate its idled Hulsey Yard in Atlanta, a decision announced just days after city officials drafted a resolution regarding possible future use for the property. Curbed Atlanta quotes CSX spokesman Bryan Tucker as saying the 70-acre facility, formerly an intermodal terminal, will become a transload facility. Neighbors who had hoped the area might be redeveloped with high-density housing and transit will instead see the return of commercial activity, although with only an estimated 20-25 trucks daily, rather than the hundreds of daily moves involved in the yard’s previous usage.
— Four passengers were injured when a South Shore Line commuter train derailed as it arrived at downtown Chicago’s Millennium Station on Saturday morning. The Chicago Sun-Times quotes the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District as reporting the low-speed derailment occurred about 7:50 a.m. The injuries were reported to be minor.
— With voting set to conclude in little more than a week, spending on a ballot initiative to fund Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit is nearing $2.8 million since Jan. 1. The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the initiative is now the most expensive in area history, with opponents spending almost $1.7 million and proponents raising almost $1.2 million for advertising including television spots and mailers. The measure would extend a quarter-cent sales tax to fund the rail system for another 30 years.
Dumb move to gut the Tilford Yard like Jacksonville did.A more better yard
I AGREE with Dale
This is ridiculous. Look at the comments. How do they flow so poorly when you’ve got muktiple stories on one thread. I don’t know who came up with the stupid idea of the ‘digests,’ but I hope they get rid of them.
I don’t care for the new digest format either. I liked the “old” format better. Made it easier to scan the headlines for items of interest.
Mr. Rice, not all local (or even state or commonwealth) governments obey SCOTUS rulings. A SCOTUS ruling is like any other law. Only applicable with enforcement, prosecution, and penalty if found guilty. Absent that, it’s nothing more than stored data.
As for the Sonoma-Marin initiative, it will pass. 62% yes, 38% no.
When 98% of the opposition is bankrolled by only 1 person, people will wise up.
It is always good to have opposition to any initiative like this, its keeps the pro crowd honest and help reconcile their priorities.
But the motives of the opposition are clear. They are big home builders. Big lots, less density, large profits. They feel like their potential customers will in fact be subsidizing their competition.
This runs counter to transit oriented development which relies on volume, density not girth, for profit.
Too funny. Cities aren’t going to let railroads squat on closed yards anymore. I thought the Supreme Court already ruled in the City of Auburn vs. BNSF RR case that former yards are private property and local municipalities can’t over rule a future railroad use unless the RR formally abandons it via the STB.