TRAINS: David Lassen
Still more Tuesday morning rail news:
U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Florida county’s appeal of Brightline case
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal brought by Indian River County, Fla., over use of tax-exempt private activity bonds to fund Brightline’s expansion to Orlando, Fla. As is generally the case, the justices did not comment on the decision not to hear the case. TCPalm.com reports county officials said the ruling — which came after residents donated $200,000 to finance the case — was expected. That money is in addition to $3.8 million in taxpayer funds the county has spent in fighting the Brightline project since 2014. Brightline spokesman Ben Porritt said in a statement that the decision “closes out the county’s repeated and baseless attempt to disrupt our efforts of connecting Florida by passenger rail.”
MBTA begins planning for service cuts; some could be permanent
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officials have begun identifying service cuts the agency may enact to address an anticipated $300 million to $600 million budget shortfall. CommonWealth magazine reports that in a Monday presentation to the Fiscal and Management Control Board, which oversees the MBTA, officials identified ferry routes, commuter rail, and some bus lines as the most likely target. Priority will be given to operations that serve low-income areas where passengers may not have a car as an option. Subway service is considered essential, so few cuts will be made. But ferry ridership is currently at 11% of pre-COVID levels and commuter rail is at 12%. Cuts could come in spring 2021, and some may be permanent.
BNSF stops longstanding payments over taconite dust in Superior, Wis., citing ‘irregularities’
BNSF Railway has stopped making payments to some Superior, Wis., residents who received small payments annually to offset the cost of cleaning up taconite dust on their homes, saying it found “irregularities” in some payments. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the payments, which date to the 1970s, range from $200 to $500 — enough to offset the cost of power-washing the coating off a home at least once a year. Residents must negotiate their own payment with the railroad, which pays because of the dust coming from the Allouez Taconite Facility. Superior City Council member Jenny Van Sickle told the newspaper about 200 homeowners have had their claims denied, and says the dust is not an insignificant problem: “It is chemical material, sticky, greasy, and disgusting.” BNSF spokeswoman Courtney Wallace said some claims were being paid that were not near the Allouez dock: “As a result, we’re currently reviewing our process to ensure that we are working with property owners who are truly being impacted.”
