MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Counties in Washington state that rely on BNSF Railway trains to remove garbage have asked for congressional help in dealing with unreliable service from the railroad.
The website GoSkagit.com reports that Skagit County Public Works Director Grace Kane says the county’s trash transfer station was last closed on July 11 because garbage had not been removed, and has been close to closing other times because trains to remove garbage have not arrived.
“All this time, we’ve relied on BNSF, and the trains have become unreliable,” Kane told the site.
Kane and officials from Snohomish and Island counties, which also use BNSF to move trash, made with congressional staff members and asked them to apply legislative pressure. The railroad responds to complaints, she said, but improvement is temporarily: “It feels like whoever is screaming the loudest gets the attention this week.”
A BNSF representative said the company is working with its partners to reduce backlogs and is planning infrastructure improvements.
This is a gripe directed to Trains staff. The second to last paragraph should be corrected like this:
Kane and officials from Snohomish and Island counties, which also use BNSF to move trash, MET with congressional staff members and asked them to apply legislative pressure. The railroad responds to complaints, she said, but improvement is TEMPORARY: “It feels like whoever is screaming the loudest gets the attention this week.”
I have noticed for the last couple of years, many articles in the print magazine and these online items are full of typos. Could Trains please hire a proof reader or at least use Gramerly.
Amen to that. Many of us have complained of the “first draft” look of these Newswire articles. I find many boo-boos in the magazine, as well. Unprofessional. Miss Winters, my fifth-grade english teacher, would disapprove.
Too much reliance on spell check.
“Kane and officials from Snohomish and Island counties, which also use BNSF to move trash, made with congressional staff members and asked them to apply legislative pressure.” Trash made with congressional staff members is referring to what piece of legislation?
Maybe it’s time to deal with your own trash instead of sending to someone else.
From what I saw of Washington highways last month I understand why they depend on railroads.
I totally agree with you Charles, the highways are a mess, the worst I have seen in the years I have lived here. Plus the condition of the roadway surfaces is horrible. Many of these freeways have not had their roadways resurfaced since they were built and I originally moved here in 1967 then back in 2016 after my 18 year Minnesota time.
On a side note I sure see a lot of garbage trains on both UP and BNSF when I am at trackside.
But wait! Another news article above states BNSR profits rise in spite of lower volumes of service….Hmmm. Stockholders delight. winner-winner, chicken dinner!
This is just trash talk…