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Minnesota governor to convene rail summit Nov. 17
I searched in the story for any mention of the state offering mutual participation and state funded financial support for efforts to solve the problems.
It’s like…the state expects the stockholders to finance the solutions to problems the state identifies.
Should the stockholders advise the state’s population not to grow so much agricultural product, or not to use more electricity than can be generated by the amount of coal they can deliver now.
Let’s get the state to finance rail traffic capacity enhancement, or like gov. corpulent said “Sit Down and Shut Up.”.
George Davis from Minnesota
I have attended a meeting hosted by Gov. Dayton earlier this year on this same topic, but attended by the public and city leaders from along the main BNSF route through MN.
As we discussed what might be done to reduce the effects of many long trains traveling through the on-line cities and towns, he said that much of the solution to the problem of blocked tracks by a great number of long trains will have to be solved by resources from Minnesota not from the railroad or from the federal government.
In the issue of safety of long oil trains, he is already working with BNSF and the CP on safety training of local fire departments as well as the deployment of safety equipment along the routes. This deployment and training has already begun with funding from the 2014 MN legislature and BNSF.
Minnesota has a long history of paying for its own improvements.
The only long-term solution is for the needed capacity improvements to be made. The railroads will add crews and locomotives, however main line new track is essential. BNSF is already adding 8 miles of 2nd main line track in the Lacrosse, WI area to remove a bottleneck. CP is adding yard capacity in St. Paul. More is needed as follows and Minnesota participation in financing may be needed to some degree:
- A 3rd main line track is needed from St. Paul to St. Croix Tower near Hastings on the joint BNSF - CP main line.
- A 3rd main line track is needed on BNSF between their Northtown yard in Fridley to Coon Creek near Coon Rapids where the line to Superior, WI leaves that main line.
- The CP single track main line from Hastings, MN to LaCresent, MN must be restored to the two main tracks that existed until 1988.
- The BNSF single track main line between Big Lake, MN and Becker must be restored to the two main tracks that existed until the 1970s.
- Wisconsin and North Dakota must advocate and possibly participate in main line additions in their states on BNSF and CP to handle the increasing volume of crude oil and frac sand being produced in those states.
- Additional and more reliable freight and passenger services between Montana, Manitoba and Chicago are dependent on the above track capacity additions.