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Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad rejects grant
Good for the Abilene and Smoky Valley in rejecting the grant sfter studying the manies needed by them to make the grant process work. Some mighty smart folks out in the Midwest who can think without government help.
Note that the $148,000 the railroad would have paid was just 20% of the grant amount. In other words, the railroad would have paid one-fifth of the project’s cost in order to receive a government grant to cover the remaining four fifths.
If the railroad can raise its own funds and do the job without taxpayer support, more power to it. Okay, tax-deductible contributions are a form of taxpayer support, but who earns enough these days to itemize and actually take the deductions??? This approach won’t cost the taxpayer much.
Having had personal experience with Government loans to rail entities, I heartily agree with the A&SV people’s approach. A government loan or grant is no bargain AND it raises the cost of the project significantly account all the bureaucracy (sp?). Well done A&SV!
That’s the trouble with people in the Midwest. Unlike on both coasts where people require the government to do things for them because they can’t, people in the Midwest just go to work and do it. Good for them for rejecting the government money. The government is like the mob. Once you take their money, you are in debt to government. Eventually the government comes around demanding a “favor” just like the mob.
I really hope they have had an Registerd Engineering Firm look at the bridge and develop a plan to rebuild it. It’s one thing to build track, but it’s quite another to rebuild a bridge. Bridge repair and rebuilding involves more expertise than you expect. Not something a ‘volunteer’ would generally have. I hope I’m wrong though, and they know what they are doing.
A grant is not a grant when you have to pay for it.
A grant is not a grant when you have to pay for it.
A grant is not a grant when you have to pay for it.
The big problem was, the match by the A&SV had to be turned over partly in Sept this year, and the rest in the first 1/2 of 2014, but BIDS would not be signed until Sept of 2015. Who knows when work would start then depending on weather and access??? So this could be 2 or 3 years away from happening doing everything and paying everything the government wanted the A&SV to jump through. Plus the rules were changed between application time, and grant award time.
Advisory Council of GOODSEARCH.com
Advisory Council of GOODSEARCH.com
Advisory Council of GOODSEARCH.com
This is a very nice little excursion R.R., and the job they have done with the 3415 is spectacular. Well worth the trip. The bridge in question is a much bigger and higher span than you expect to see in that part of Kansas.
I have wondered why Matt Rose, Warren Buffet and the BSNF haven’t contracted this engine for their own heritage program, ala’ Norfolk Southern’s program. The 3415 has some huge drivers on it and cannot stretch its’ legs on the Abilene & Smoky Valley.
That said, the volunteers there do a great job and I will be sending a contribution.
Sounds like they just shot themselves in the foot…now lets see if they can do this and in a reasonable amount of time.
Lawrence Haws: The A&SV has a well known Kansas engineering firm that deals with bridges handling the project. Very, very little of the bridge work will be done by volunteers. And those few things will be in assistance only (Moving materials by rail, site prep such as tree cutting, etc.)
Could it be that some A&SV people are Hillsdale College grads? Once the federal camel gets his nose in the tent…
This is not the first time government money has been turned down for bridge building…South of Cameron, Tx truck destroyed railroad overpass over hwy. 36…Was going to take 5 days to rebuild. railroad bridge crew 2 days to do job…no state hwy funds used. A North Carolina railroad did same…Iwill be in the State of Kansas this fall and will be visiting this railroad, Very curious to visit this plant to see the structures and people of this rr
Kudos to the A&SV.
From the perspective of this mechanical and structural engineer that helped start the FWWR in 1990-1992, it CAN be done. Yes, we had a 200’ span (four segment) plate girder bridge and 105’ turntable.
Hoorah for A&SV!
It does my heart good to know that some people believe that the Fed is not the be-all end-all when it comes to financing. It’s the guv’ment that shot itself in the foot!