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Albany & Eastern files suit over log reload facility
Good for the Albany & Eastern.
Having videotaped the A&E before the founding owner sold it, I believe they would have worked with the local community to do such things as scheduling truck traffic to reduce impacts. The attitude indicated by the article does nothing but alienate people which hurts railroading in general in the long term.
that is too bad. I like that railroad a lot.
The A & E is still governed by by various county and city zoning rules. It is this way in any comercial area of the US. Railroads don’t get a ‘freebe’ when they want to change or add something on property they already own. As I see it, from the news articles printed, the A & E really scewed up, by not checking the current zoning of their property and the surronding area. Then by trying to bulldoze their way thru, by saying they are exempt from the permitting process by virture of them being governed by,the federal government transportation rules, borders on fantasy. How ever, I wish them ‘good luck’ in court. They are located in Oregon, so they are really going to need some lawyers before all is said and done.
On something of this nature, it’s always a case of “NIMBY”. The Federal Regs may apply to the rail portion but I’, afraid Federal Regs don’t govern the operational facilities not directly involved in the running of the trains. The fact that the place has always been a rail yard should play into this and the cease and desist order may have been a little over reaching. Sounds like both have arguments that could be better resolved by sitting down and working out a compromise.
Most local authorities seem to think that they push around the little railroad when they really don’t have the authority to do so. The county will find that a transloading facility is just an incidental operation of the railroad. It hasn’t occurred to them that the same number of trucks can move the short distance to the reload or move all the way through town, and the county for that matter, doing that much more road damage.
Good for Rick Franklin. We have too many NIMBYs in the Willamette Valley.
Ah come on! You mean to tell me the railroad can’t address local issues of lighting, noise, and safety? It is a simple matter of mitigation of effects. Does it mean any railroad can run to the Feds for protection whenever threatened by a local council.
They will require the best lawyers money can buy to win that case. The A&E needs grow up!
Joe
GO FOR IT!!!