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ProRail Nebraska -- Nebraska's Association of Railroad Passengers and Supporters |
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Dedicated to supporting and advocating for railroad service Supporting We're Helping Get Nebraska On Track!
ProRail
Nebraska Meetings
Annual Membership Meeting: Saturday, June 2, 2012, 9:00 a.m. in Lincoln, NE Hardin Hall on the Univ. of NE East Campus, Room 902 (open parking on Saturdays)Tentative Agenda
Next Board Meeting: Saturday, June 2, 2012, after the June 2 Annual Meeting. Please contact Dave Purdy, PRN President, for details.
UP honors North Platte with Train Town USA membership 5/17/2012 Progressive Railroading Union Pacific Railroad has awarded North Platte, Neb., a membership in the railroad's Train Town USA Registry as part of its year-long 150th anniversary celebration. North Platte was first designated as a railroad town by former UP Chief Engineer Grenville Dodge, who chose the location for its readily available water and distance from Grand Island, Neb. The town received its first train in 1866. Dodge then constructed major shop facilities and winter quarters for its crews. In 1867, mainline operations through North Platte began. William "Buffalo Bill" Cody located Scouts Rest Ranch at North Platte because it enabled him to move his Wild West Show across the United States by train or wagon relatively quickly. During World War II, the North Platte Canteen served baked goods and refreshments to more than 6 million service members during a 10-minute train stop as they were convoyed across the United States. Passenger service was discontinued in 1971, after 105 years. Eventually, the town became a division point where trains were sorted, railroad crews exchanged, and equipment maintained or repaired. Today, UP's Bailey Yard is the largest railroad classification yard in the world. Named in honor of former UP President Edd Bailey, the 2,850-acre yard is eight miles long.
BNSF budgets $202 million for Nebraska projectsMay 2, 2012 -- Progressive Railroading Yesterday,
BNSF Railway Co. announced plans to spend $202 million on maintenance and
rail capacity improvement and expansion projects in Nebraska this year.
The
projects include adding a second mainline in the Grand Island area;
beginning the replacement of a bridge over the Missouri River between
Plattsmouth and Pacific Junction, Iowa; expanding a locomotive shop in
Lincoln; improving a car shop in Havelock; and upgrading signals for
positive train control (PTC) implementation work. BNSF also plans to
continue its track maintenance program in Nebraska, which calls for 1,405
miles of track surfacing and undercutting work, and the replacement of 100
miles of rail and about 140,000 ties.
The projects are part of BNSF’s 2012 capital spending budget of $3.9 billion, which includes $2.1 billion for the core network and related assets; $1.1 billion for locomotive, car and other equipment acquisitions; $400 million for terminal, line and intermodal expansion and efficiency projects; and about $300 million for PTC work. “[These] investments will improve our ability to provide rail-freight services to Nebraska businesses and communities, and will expand opportunities to create more jobs and growth for the Nebraska economy,” said BNSF Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Matt Rose in a prepared statement.
Opposition to trains nonsensicalBy Richard L. Schmeling, PRN Member, Lincoln It appears that Republicans have declared war on passenger trains. Mitt Romney, who comes from a state with extensive Amtrak service and lots of commuter rail lines to relieve congestion on the area roads, said while campaigning that he will cut Amtrak's budget to zero if elected president. A Nebraska state senator has introduced a bill to withdraw Nebraska from the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact even though the cost is less than nominal to belong. Sen. Mike Johanns can't see the value in having a nice modern, high-speed passenger train from Chicago to Omaha. Perhaps this is because Republicans think all citizens are rich and want to fly. This is certainly not the case. With the security hassle and airport terminal congestion, a train from Chicago to Omaha and perhaps on to Lincoln is certainly a wise transportation alternative that should be promoted -- especially with gasoline approaching $4 a gallon. I'm not going to vote for any Republicans who talk such nonsense as not supporting rail passenger service, and I urge other voters to do likewise.
Construction of Amtrak's New Lincoln Station Progresses!
Kawasaki loses out on big rail contract By Matt Olberding, Lincoln Journal-Star - Friday, March 30, 2012 Kawasaki's local plant manager says losing out on a major contract to build subway cars for New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority will not affect jobs at the plant, at least in the short term. The MTA announced Wednesday that it had picked Canada's Bombardier to build 300 new subway cars to replace ones that are nearly 50 years old. Bombardier's bid was just under $600 million, about $57.5 million less than a joint bid from Kawasaki and French company Alstom, according to MTA bid documents. Click here to read the rest of this article.
Talks begin for new passenger railOmaha World-Herald - Monday, February 13, 2012 The Iowa Department of Transportation is seeking public input for a study of a possible new passenger rail line that would connect the Omaha metropolitan area and Chicago. The transportation department and the Federal Railroad Administration are jointly looking at five possible routes across the Hawkeye State. The department is hosting a public, online open-house meeting beginning today. People can file statements about the routes they would prefer, ask questions or raise concerns. Click here to read the rest of this article. Click here to participate in Iowa DOT's Online Public Open-House Meeting and leave comments. Or click here to bypass the Open-House Meeting on go straight to the web page for leaving comments. And this link takes you to the Home Page for the Chicago to Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study.
ProRail Nebraska Opposes Nebraska LB747 "Withdraw from and repeal the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact" Sen. Galen Hadley from Kearney introduced LB747 in the Nebraska Unicameral on January 4, 2012. Enactment of the bill would withdraw Nebraska from the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact (MIPRC). ProRail Nebraska is opposed to LB747! Nebraska was an early member of MIPRC although its first annual dues were paid by the United Transportation Union. Then the state paid its dues and was somewhat active (not with support from Nebraska Dept. of Roads) until about three years ago when the Governor in one of his "cost cutting" moves dropped the annual dues of $15,000 to the MIRPC out of the budget. Nebraska has been carried as a member by MIPRC even though the state is about $45,000 behind in its dues. Most recently the MIPRC director, Laura Kliewer, wrote to the Governor and NDOR trying to arrange to talk about the situation but had no response. In January 2010, the FRA announced that the Iowa DOT was awarded $1 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to advance planning studies for the full passenger rail corridor from Chicago to Omaha. The grant will be matched with a similar amount of state (Iowa) funding. Any implementation of service on this corridor will be incrementally grown, but this planning study will be a major step in development of passenger rail service along this highly populated corridor through Iowa's midsection. The City of Omaha, Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and Metro Area Planning Agency (MAPA) all submitted letters of support for this study helping Iowa get funding. If Nebraska withdraws from the MIPRC, will that mean that Chicago – Omaha passenger service, if it ever develops, will terminate in Council Bluffs? PRN President Dave Purdy Testifies at LB747 Hearing By David Purdy - January 31, 2012
Laura Kliewer with the Midwest
Interstate Passenger Rail Compact (MIPRC)
and I visited the Capitol. For the most part, Laura took the
lead since she is far better acquainted there than any of us ProRail
people. She has contacts because of a second job she has in addition to
the MIPRC. She is on some kind of legislative coordinating group.
We had lunch with Dianne Schimeck, who
was in the capitol on an unrelated matter. She took us to have a
short talk with Senator Dubas. Then the three of us (Kliewer, Purdy
and Schimeck) went around to the hearing room, where we found Morrie
Tuttle. Bob Kuzelka came in a little later.
The hearing on LB 747 opened. All the
Committee members were there except Scott Laughtenbaugh. Senator Fischer
laid down the ground rules, then asked for witnesses who were proponents
for the bill. Monty Frederickson spoke. Sen. Fischer then asked for
opponents. I got up and gave oral testimony pretty much as shown in
our written
testimony except that I omitted a description of the MIPRC. I didn't
want to duplicate any part of Laura's testimony. Laura then gave her
testimony, which included a description of the MIPRC and reasons why
Nebraska should continue with it. Dianne Schimeck then testified,
focussing on why Nebraska joined the Compact and why participation is
still apropo. Bob Kuzelka then testified. Senator Fischer then closed the
discussion of LB747.
Laura and I then visited Senators Harr
and Cornett. Cornett said she had accepted a job in Washington and implied
that she would be leaving Nebraska. We then visited Senator McCoy on
legislative coordinating group business. Senator McCoy didn't think LB 747
stood much chance of passage. He opined that Senator Fischer will hold an
executive committee meeting, and the bill will probably die there. We
should monitor the bill's status to see what happens.
Click here to read the letter submitted by the City of Lincoln opposing LB 747.
State's stake in the heart of rail Lincoln Journal-Star - Monday, January 16, 2012 By Journal Star Editorial Committee Nebraskans who believe in passenger rail transportation have had little to encourage them for a long time. Amtrak comes and goes in the middle of the night, out of sight, out of mind, for the most part, in this automotive-driven state. If LB747 becomes law, they will have even less hope for any new opportunities to ride the rails. The bill, introduced by Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney but characterized as a Department of Roads bill, would take Nebraska out of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact. Well, why not? Let's be honest. The state of Nebraska for years has been resisting any participation in this project, which proposes, among others, high-speed passenger rail between Chicago and Omaha. We've failed to pay our dues to the compact in recent years. We've refused to show any effort or good faith in the future of high-speed rail transportation to or from Nebraska. And this from a state that was the first westbound leg of the transcontinental railroad 150 years ago. This from a state where there are proportionally more freight railroad employees than any other. Click here to read the full editorial.
Sen. Brenda Council Introduces LB 1098 "Repeal the Build Nebraska Act" On January 19, Omaha Sen. Brenda Council introduced LB 1098 that would repeal the Build Nebraska Act that was passed by the Nebraska Legislature last year (LB 84). ProRail Nebraska opposed LB 84 because it would divert state sales tax income from the General Fund to state highway construction and maintenance. Sen. Deb Fischer, who sponsored LB 84 and chairs the Senate's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee, is a big booster of highways and generally opposes any state assistance for other modes of ground transportation like railroads. Click here to read more about LB 1098 in Nebraska Watchdog. The public hearing on LB 1098 before the Revenue Committee took place on Thursday, February 16. ProRail's Bob Kuzelka testified in favor of this bill. Click here to read his statement.
BNSF makes key
'California Zephyr' route upgrade FORT WORTH, Texas - BNSF Railway cut in a new 40 mph double
crossover near Afton, Iowa, east of Creston on its Chicago to Denver
mainline yesterday. Called Control Point 3818, it's the first of four new
crossovers BNSF will place in service across Iowa to help improve the Amtrak
California Zephyr's When all four are in service, Amtrak expects an average
reduction of 30 minutes delay in each direction for the Zephyr. Funding for
the four was provided by the federal High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail
discretionary grant program. It was one of two projects the state of Iowa
applied for and received funding in early 2010.
Union Pacific plans $1 billion investment in Nebraska operations Published: January 23, 2012
OMAHA,
Neb. — Union Pacific has announced plans to spend $1 billion to upgrade
infrastructure in its home state over the next several years. The state is
central to UP’s network, with routes diverging toward Pacific Coast and
coalfield destinations to the west, and major Midwest cities to the east. The
multi-year spending plan includes the following:
Railroad
Exhibition planning with the Sheldon Museum of Art by Will Thomas, Prof. of History, Univ. of NE - Lincoln In 2012 the United
States will mark several important anniversaries for the Great Plains
region, including the passage of three pieces of landmark legislation–the
1862 Pacific Railroad Act, the Morrill Land Grant Act, and the Homestead
Act. In addition, the Civil War Sesquicentennial is already underway,
directing further attention to the importance of this period in American
history.
We are currently planning an exhibition on “Railroads and the Making of Modern America” at the Sheldon Museum of Art from January 21, 2012 through April 2012. This exhibition will coincide with the Center for Great Plains symposium on “1862-2012: The Making of the Great Plains” and will feature works related to this theme in the Sheldon Museum of Art permanent collection. Railroads shaped the landscape of the Great Plains, and they were a central actor in the drama of American modernity.
Click here to read the full story.
BNSF wants to build new bridge over Missouri River between Nebraska and Iowa Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Links to Matt Roque's Cornhusker Game Day Train Report and News Coverage
ProRail Nebraska Statement of Objectives - ProRail Nebraska exists to advocate for improved passenger rail transportation serving Nebraska. It is an affiliate of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP), which advocates passenger rail service on a national basis. Our current projects are:
Click here to read the full Statement of Objectives (a one-page PDF).
================================================== We think trains need more prominence in the U.S. because:
(above courtesy National Association of Railroad Passengers) ================================================= ALL ABOARD FOR PRORAIL NEBRASKA!  JOIN PRORAIL NEBRASKA!
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