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
Next Member Meeting: Fall 2013. Details to be announced.
Next Board Meeting: Saturday, September 21, 9:00 am at UNL's Hardin Hall in Lincoln. Please contact Dave Purdy, PRN President, for details.
Japanese
manufacturer to open near Kawasaki in Lincoln By the Lincoln Journal Star – September 10, 2013 Morio
Denki, a Japanese company that makes electronic components for rail
transportation, will open its first U.S. operation in Lincoln by the end of
the year, Lt. Gov. Lavon Heidemann and the company announced jointly in
Tokyo. Heidemann is in Japan as part of his first Asian trade mission. The
company, which had $6 billion in revenue for its fiscal year that ended in
March, has sold train component parts to Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing in
Lincoln, and locating this operation near Kawasaki is a strategic move for
Morio Denki, according to a news release from the office of Gov. Dave
Heineman. Kawasaki makes passenger train cars in Lincoln. Mike
Boyle, Lincoln plant manager and a Kawasaki vice president, said he was
pleased the company will be locating an office in Lincoln. "Kawasaki and Morio Denki have had a long, successful business relationship. This move will further enhance inter-business communication and processes, which will greatly improve business efficiencies," Boyle said in an email.
Officials: KC streetcar to land TIGER grant Kansas
City's initial streetcar effort will receive $20 million in additional
federal funding once the next round of TIGER grants is officially announced,
according to two U.S. congressional representatives from Missouri. Both
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) told the Kansas City
Star last week that the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic
Recovery) grant will allow the 2.2-mile, $102 million system to be
constructed with double-track capability. The TIGER grant would cover roughly
20% of the project's estimated cost. "We're
on a roll in Kansas City, and the taxpayers in our community can be pleased
that the work we're doing here is being recognized nationally," said
Cleaver. Kansas
City had applied for a $25 million TIGER grant in 2012, but didn't have its
local funding mechanism in place, a decided handicap. But a newly
established downtown transportation district, approved by Kansas City voters
who live or own businesses in the district, has since addressed that
requirement. The vote was challenged, but upheld by the Missouri Court of
Appeals last month. Kansas
City officials have said they intend to seek streetcar rolling stock through
options already held by Cincinnati or Salt Lake City, which are advancing
their own streetcar lines.
Seward on track with rail campus proposal August
19, 2013 •
By ART HOVEY / Lincoln Journal Star SEWARD — Local
officials in a city better known as a Fourth of July destination than an
industrial and rail hub want to change that by building the largest rail
campus in the state. The centerpiece for transformation on 300 acres on Seward's southern outskirts is a rail loop large enough to accommodate 130-car unit trains. That upgrade in rail infrastructure could become a magnet to attract commercial and industrial tenants. On the plus side, the proposed Seward/Lincoln Regional Rail Campus is close to a much bigger population center and close to U.S. 34, Nebraska 15 and Interstate 80. And it's right next to a BNSF main line that carries dozens of trains per day to and from Lincoln. On a more challenging note, the site currently is a cornfield. Seward Mayor Josh
Eickmeier and Jonathan Jank, executive director of Seward County Economic
Development, are among promoters of the cornfield conversion. “Because of
its size and because of its location,” Eickmeier said, “we think that
will generate a lot of interest in the project.” Jank intends to take the
rail campus idea on the trade-show circuit in November and January in
Chicago and shop it to potential tenants.
Dan Lutz at Amtrak's new Lincoln, NE station Dan Lutz Honored by ProRail Nebraska By Morrie Tuttle, PRN Secretary At its Annual Meeting in Lincoln June 1st, ProRail Nebraska presented a special award to Dan Lutz for his devoted service to the organization. Dan was one of the founding members of ProRail. Due to illness, Dan has had to step down from the active leadership role he has played for so long. Unfortunately, Dan was unable to attend the meeting, so a five-man delegation from the Board went to his home after the meeting to make the presentation.
Date
eyed for KC streetcar groundbreaking By Douglas John Bowen, Friday, August 2, 2013 – Railway Age Construction of
Kansas City, Mo.'s initial 2.2-mile streetcar line could begin this October,
pending approval by the City Council, the Kansas City Streetcar Authority
said Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. The authority
announced that a contract for the construction manager at risk will be
presented to the City Council and could be approved in as little as three
weeks. Utility relocation would likely be the first step in the construction
process. The authority
Thursday was given a presentation by officials of HDR Inc. and Des Moines,
Iowa-based architecture firm Confluence on streetcar station design
recommendations and preferences. The city will oversee the public bidding
process for the stations. Last month Kansas
City selected Herzog Contracting Corp., in conjunction with Stacy and
Witbeck, Inc. as finalists for a $102 million contract to build the
streetcar line.
FEVR excursions not running this year July 20, 2013 • By Chris Zavadil/Fremont Tribune The Nebraska Railroad Museum in Fremont has
suspended Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad (FEVR) excursions for the
season, due to track conditions.
The museum is the parent nonprofit corporation that
operates the FEVR.
“The FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) has
some concerns about the current condition of the track, we also have
concerns about the condition of the track,” Wallen said.
“It’s possible that we might be able to operate
over some of those parts,” he said, “but neither the FRA nor ourselves
are comfortable with the condition to maintain safe passenger operations.
There would have to be some work done on some select spots to get the track
straightened out, leveled up, issues like that that need to be addressed.”
Click here to read the full article.
Amtrak
Barred From Regulating Freight Railroads on Delays By Angela Greiling Keane & Tom Schoenberg - Jul 2, 2013 Amtrak,
the U.S. long-distance passenger railroad, lost its power to assess blame
when its trains are delayed and to have a say in whether freight railroads
causing those holdups are penalized.
The
U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington yesterday ruled the taxpayer-supported
service is a private company to which Congress improperly gave regulatory
power over freight railroads such as Union Pacific Corp. (UNP) and Warren
Buffett’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
The
court threw out a law passed to enforce a requirement, dating to Amtrak’s
creation in 1970, that freight trains give priority to passenger trains on
tracks they share, which they do in most of the U.S.
“If
freight railroads perceive they no longer face penalties for giving freight
trains priority over passenger trains, and the passenger-train delays are
extensive, the result could be a de-facto imploding of Amtrak,” said Frank
Wilner, a transportation economist and author of “Amtrak: Past, Present
and Future,” published last year.
The
case involves on-time performance standards and enforcement mechanisms
established under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008.
Click here to read the full article.
Steaming into the 21st-century: New look, new purpose for Blair's last train depot By David Hendee / World-Herald staff writer - June 29, 2013 They were sidetracked but never derailed. They huffed and puffed but kept chugging along. Six years after saving the last train depot in Blair from demolition, preservationists are on track to pull the project into the station and let off steam today. The 1880 depot — forgotten and ignored for decades, except by historians and railroad enthusiasts — has made the grade as a 21st-century park pavilion with ties to its steel-and-steam past. A community picnic will celebrate the depot's revival. The former Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway depot is considered the last remaining link to the railroad era that brought Blair to life in 1869, said Dawn Nielsen, president of the Blair Historic Preservation Alliance. Click here to read the full article.
Nebraska
railroad license plate wins award Trains.com
– June 18, 2013
OMAHA, Neb. – The
Automobile License Plate Collectors Association has overwhelmingly voted the
Friends of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum license plate from Nebraska as
the best new plate in the U.S. Last year, Nebraska introduced a license
plate to increase support for the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, which also
coincided with 150th anniversary of the creation of the railroad. Since 1970, license
plate association has recognized a state with the best new license plate
design of the year. This year marks the 42nd anniversary of the award and
the first award for Nebraska. "I am pleased to announce that the Great
State of Nebraska is this year's recipient of ALPCA's Best Plate
Award," ALPCA President Greg Gibson says. "Nebraska's outstanding
Railroad plate topped plates from twelve other states." Association members
worldwide were asked to vote based on two judging criteria: the overall
attractiveness of the license plate design and its legibility as a tool for
public safety and law enforcement. Award Coordinator Gus Oliver says,
"Many of the members commented about the combination of attractiveness
and simplicity of this plate. I knew it had an excellent chance of winning
the moment I first saw it." "The Nebraska
Department of Motor Vehicles is honored to have assisted with facilitating
the production of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum license plate,"
Director for the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles Rhonda Lahm says.
"The plate not only honors the significant contribution the
Union Pacific Railroad makes to the State of Nebraska, but also displays the
urban and rural diversity of our state." "The Friends of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum Board and all who work or volunteer at the museum were proud to be a part of Union Pacific's 150th anniversary celebration during 2012," Eileen Davis, board president of the Friends, says. "A specialty license plate for Nebraska residents seemed a fitting tribute since Union Pacific is integral to America's history, providing the connection from east to west that helped build this great nation."
KETV's move to Burlington Station will bring a historic downtown building back to life By
Steve Jordon / Omaha World-Herald staff writer June 6, 2013
Omaha’s
Burlington Station, once bustling with cross-continental rail passengers but
vacant, sagging and mostly unused for more than 40 years, is due to be
rejuvenated. Click here to read the full article.
Douglas County moves forward with purchase of Greyhound station By
Robby Korth / Omaha World-Herald staff writer June 5, 2013
Douglas County is moving forward with a plan to purchase the downtown Greyhound bus station following a unanimous vote Tuesday morning from the County Board. Click here to read the full article.
Comment: Should ProRail be concerned about the loss of Omaha's bus station? MegaBus already uses a sidewalk near 72nd & Cass by the Crossroads Shopping Center as its Omaha "station". Will Greyhound and Burlington Trailways set up their own sidewalk terminals? It looks like our hope of the old Omaha Burlington Station becoming a consolidated terminal for intercity ground transportation won't happen. (Clyde Anderson)
Status of LB 486 – Appropriate Funds to pay Nebraska’s Dues in the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact (MIPRC) By Bob Kuzelka - ProRail Vice President - May 9, 2013
LB
486 was introduced by State Senator Annette Dubas, District 34 and Chair of
the Legislature’s Transportation Committee.
It was referred to the Appropriations Committee which held a hearing
on the bill on March 21, 2013.
Both ProRail Nebraska and MIPRC testified in support of the bill.
The
intent of LB 486 has now been incorporated in Amendment (AM) 656 to LB 195
which was introduced by the Appropriations Committee to the Legislature on
April 29, 2013. In
“Section 15. AGENCY NO. 3 – Legislative Council” of the amendment
MIPRC funding has been included under “Program No. 501 –
Intergovernmental Cooperation.”
The amounts of funds appropriated are $30,000 for FY 2013-2014 and
$15,000 for FY 2014-2015.
This handling of LB 486 meets with the approval of Senator Dubas,
MIPRC and PRN.
Over
the next few weeks (Legislative Days 72 through 79) AM 656 will be debated
and amended. Finally,
in some form as an amended LB 195, it will be passed as the biennial budget
for the state and submitted to the Governor.
The governor may decide not to sign it and it becomes law, sign it as
submitted to him or make line item vetoes and return it to the Legislature.
The Legislature may override the vetoes.
At many points in this process the MIPRC funding as now proposed in
AM 656 could be changed and/or deleted.
Please check this PRN website occasionally to learn of any such
actions and what can be done as a result of them.
If
you have questions about the status and future of LB 486 now AM 656 to LB
195, please feel free to contact Bob Kuzelka at rkuzleka1@unl.edu.
Update 5/29/2013: Governor Heineman line-item vetoed the MIPRC funding. Sen. Anette DuBas plans to introduce legislation for MIPRC funding in the 2014 legislative session.
Denver Opens New "W" Light Rail Line
Are you planning to visit Denver this Summer? Try out the city's new light rail line that extends from Denver Union Station west to the City of Golden. "With 11 new stations and 6 new Park-n-Rides, the new W line is just the ticket to ride west." Click here for more information.
LINCOLN-CHICAGO PASSENGER RAIL By David Purdy, ProRail Nebraska President, May 9, 2030 The State of Iowa is preparing a design for passenger rail service between Omaha and Chicago, using their state money and money from the federal government. Nebraska is not contributing to the effort and therefore does not participate in its management. In its application for federal funds, Iowa said that the western terminal of the service would be in Omaha. Now, the time has come to decide in detail where the western terminal will actually be. Iowa has a free had in this regard. They could even place the terminal in Council Bluffs and thereby keep the expense of a Missouri River crossing out of their budget. It is time for Nebraska to wake up and participate in the design. Nebraska should design the part of this project that is in Nebraska. The design should include an extension to Lincoln, so that the project serves a major portion of Nebraska’s population. Nebraska should finance their portion of the design, supplemented by federal funds if practical. Let’s get some action on this idea.
North Platte hosts annual Rail Fest Rail Fest is an annual event that brings together the best aspects of North Platte, Nebraska and the Union Pacific Railroad - their people - into a united spirit of appreciation coupled with a focus on our continued progress together. This year's celebration will be held September 20, 21, and 22, 2013 Rail Fest
celebrates the bond between the Union Pacific Railroad, its employees and
our community. It focuses on what the men and women of the Union Pacific
Railroad have been working toward for almost 5 generations.
ProRail Nebraska Updates Its ObjectivesOctober 19, 2012
Mission: PRN is a member organization that 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 proposed priority objectives are: 1. (MIPRC)
Nebraska
is a member of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC), an
association made up of officials appointed by the Governor of ten states in
the Midwest. Nebraska’s representatives include two State Senators and two
public representatives. MIPRC’s purpose is to coordinate development of
passenger rail service in the several Midwest states. Nebraska has not paid
annual MIPRC dues ($15,000) for three years and has not taken an active role
in this organization. PRN advocates Nebraska’s full and active
participation in MIPRC.
2.
(NEB-CHI
Service)
The
State of Iowa’s DOT is designing the establishment of a second Chicago –
Iowa train service which would be routed through Des Moines and would
terminate in Council Bluffs. PRN
advocates that this line be established to include service though Omaha
terminating in Lincoln. We encourage the State of Nebraska and the
cities of Omaha and Lincoln actively support this Iowa DOT project to
include a Nebraska extension.
4. (Stations) PRN advocates for the expansion of the use and accessibility of the AMTRAK stations in the state as hubs for all surface public and private passenger transportation systems.
6. (OMA/LNK to KC) PRN advocates for the creation of a passenger rail line from Omaha and Lincoln to Kansas City. The states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri currently are studying and undertaking a passenger line that would connect Dallas-Fort Worth through Oklahoma City/Tulsa and Newton, KS to Kansas City. We encourage the State of Nebraska and the cities of Omaha and Lincoln to actively support and participate in this project to include its extension to Nebraska.
7. (OMA/LNK Commuter) The urban region of Lincoln and Omaha contain the major population centers and growth in Nebraska. PRN advocates establishing commuter public transportation service including commuter trains for this urban region. The State of Nebraska needs to restudy the feasibility for such commuter service.
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================================================== 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! ProRail Nebraska e-mail list on Yahoo! Groups Click to subscribe to ProRailNebraska Web space provided by | |||
| Updated 09/11/2013 |
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