ProRail Nebraska

Dedicated to supporting and advocating for railroad service
in the State of Nebraska.

ProRail Nebraska Meetings

Next Board Meeting: Saturday, September 21, 9:00 am at UNL's Hardin Hall in Lincoln. Please contact Dave Purdy, PRN President, for details.

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.

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 — 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.

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.

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.

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.

The Nebraska Railroad Museum in Fremont has suspended Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad (FEVR) excursions for the season, due to track conditions. “Effectively we cut the season a little bit short last year. … We haven’t run any this year,” Executive Director Dennis Wallen said.

“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. Rob Kulat of the FRA told the Tribune via phone message that his agency inspected the track, “and after discussing it with them, they made their own decision to suspend operations.” Several sections of the track do not meet FRA standards for safe operation, Wallen explained.

“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.”

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.

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.

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

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.

Omaha TV station KETV plans to buy the historic depot at 10th and Pacific Streets, renovate it and move in by the summer of 2015.

KETV, which is owned by Hearst Television Inc. of New York City, is buying the 48,000-square-foot building and 2.1 acres of land from Myriel “My” Boes, an Omahan who had planned to convert it into condominiums and retail space.

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.

The property, located at 1604 S. 16th St., probably will become additional parking downtown, but could have alternative uses, such as expansion space for the county jail in the long term, County Administrator Patrick Bloomingdale said.

"If you don't consider buying that property while it's for sale and you need it later, you don't know what you're going to be able to get it for," Bloomingdale said.

The potential purchase is not without controversy.

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)

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.

Click here to view "Reasons why ProRail Nebraska supports Nebraska Legislative Bill 486."

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.

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.

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.

From the earliest times, railroaders have embodied the hallmarks of the best aspects of human character; discipline, punctuality, technical aptitude, adaptation to ever changing technologies and the ability to conform to a complex set of rules and regulations.

The heritage of the men and women of the Union Pacific Railroad has long been a catalyst in moving North Platte forward. For the last 140 years, the Union Pacific Railroad employees in North Platte have contributed to the building of our city and our community.

ProRail Nebraska Updates Its Objectives

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.

Transportation for America is a coalition seeking to align our national, state, and local transportation policies with an array of issues like economic opportunity, climate change, energy security, health, housing and community development. N.A.R.P. is a member of this coalition.

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