 10/19/11 | 747 views  Groups at odds over use of land Folsom supports preserving rail line as it asks for a denial of track removal A movement to preserve an 18-mile stretch of railway between Folsom and Shingle Springs for the potential development of an excursion train got a boost last week by way of the Folsom City Council. In a 4-1 vote, the council approved a motion requesting that the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Corridor Joint Powers Authority deny a request by El Dorado County to remove tracks from a portion of the corridor. The vote follows a September finding by the JPA that El Dorado County does not unilaterally have the right to pull up the track to be sold to salvagers. Trail proponents have argued that removal of the rails from Folsom to Shingle Springs (leaving tracks from there to Placerville for train development), would bring in as much as $1 million, which could pay for a trail on the already graded railway foundation. They have further argued that the private operation of an 18-mile excursion train is not feasible from an economic standpoint. But the JPA, which comprises several local governments and agencies including El Dorado County and Folsom, concluded the track’s removal could threaten the continuity of the rail corridor. Folsom Councilwoman Kerri Howell, who also sits on the JPA board, reaffirmed that finding prior to her vote. “I don’t see anyway that taking 18 miles of rail and tie out of the middle of a railroad does not result in discontinuity,” she said. “What these people are trying to do is take the rail up tomorrow to ensure there’s never a rail. El Dorado County doesn’t have five cents to build three feet of trail, let alone 18 miles.” Howell went on to cite a finding by the Department of Transportation that the proposed rail removal and sale would actually result in a net loss to the county of $150,000, since by law workers would have to earn prevailing wages. Council members Steve Miklos, Andy Morin and Ernie Sheldon joined Howell in voting in favor of the measure. “If the rails are lost, they’re lost forever,” Sheldon said. “They’re not coming back.” He later suggested that trail and rail enthusiasts work together to meet both of their goals. “I’m sure we can build that trail and build that train and do it together,” he added. The lone “no” vote came from Councilman Jeff Starsky, who said he wanted more information and feedback from the city’s cycle enthusiasts. Mike Kennison, who heads Friends of the El Dorado Trail, said he’s still hopeful that his side will prevail. He also questioned the DOT study cited by Howell. “There was absolutely no inspection done before making that finding,” he said. “All the DOT did was make two phone calls.” He went on to say that having both tracks and a trail is not possible, since grading a new trail could cost as much as $20 million. Philip Rose is president of the Placerville Sacramento Valley Railroad, an organization that has already been running a single car up a portion of the tracks as part of a licensing agreement with the JPA. He said he was pleased with the decision, but at the same time hopeful that the decision will stand and that other member entities will reach the same conclusion. |
November 08, 2011
August 08, 2011
Train returns to Latrobe after 54-year absence
8/2/11
By Margaret Snider Telegraph Correspondent
Aug. 6 and 7 will mark the first passenger train of the Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad (P&SVRR) to the town of Latrobe since 1957. Although some freight trains have run, there has been no passenger service since the 1957 special. This will be a beginning for the P&SVRR, which had been negotiating with the Joint Powers Agency (JPA) for a five-year license to run excursion rail the full length of the line from Folsom to Diamond Springs. “We got that agreement with the JPA,” said Philip Rose, President of the P&SVRR. On Tuesday, July 26, 2011, the agreement was ratified by the County of Sacramento and the City of Folsom. “Now we’re just waiting for El Dorado County,” Rose said. El Dorado County is scheduled to decide on Aug. 16. In the meantime, with the previously washed-out portion of track repaired and safety tested, the rail is ready for use with the Skagit, the line’s light-weight rail vehicle. Fortuitously, the train is running the same weekend that Folsom High School is holding its all-class reunion. Eric Olds, vice president of the P&SVRR, and one of the conductors for the weekend, said they did not plan it that way. “We weren’t aware of it ahead of time,” Olds said. “We think it’s just a great opportunity for people who want to experience something unique about the area.” When Rose heard of the high school reunion, he contacted Dean Handy, who is one of the movers of the reunion. “He was really excited about the idea that people would be able to ride the train,” Rose said. Handy, Folsom High School class of 1964, sent e-mails about the railroad to some of the landmark reunion classes. “With this being a special reunion weekend for you,” Handy’s e-mail said, “I thought you and your classmates may enjoy taking a couple hours out of the day to experience this wonderful rebirth of a railroad.” Handy is an enthusiastic participant and organizer of the reunion. He emphasizes that he is not in charge, he’s “just the most vocal and boisterous.”
Departure times for the excursions to Latrobe, as well as those for the shorter trip to Carson Creek, can be found at psvrr.com or by calling Gary Davis at (916) 834-3094.
In October, the P&SVRR is looking forward to a pumpkin run, also with light vehicles, and another excursion near Christmas. The ticket proceeds from all the excursions go to the efforts of the all-volunteer organization to save the historic rails and keep the trains running.
“We replaced maybe 200 ties on the washout,” said Rose. “So we’re hoping that if all goes well we can run heavy equipment at Christmastime.”
* * *
KNOW AND GO
What: Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad Excursion to Latrobe
When: Aug. 6-7, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Departing from Hampton Station, 155 Placerville Road, Folsom
Info: For times, tickets and information call Gary Davis, 916-834-3094 or go to http://psvrr.com
June 24, 2011
Recently At Folsom Junction
Ethane Doty operating the Howard Terminal #8 and Frank Fuson switchman and photographer.
June 02, 2011
Historic Rail Line Coming Back
B. Moffitt/CPR News
A rail line that first linked San Francisco to the Sierra foothills in the 1860s is making a comeback…slowly. Volunteers are leading the effort to restore the Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad.
By Bob MoffittListen now:
Thursday, June 02, 2011
Ethan Doty and thirty other volunteers are working to lay new ties and track between Folsom and Shingle Springs.
He is operating the Howard Terminal Engine today because it is big enough to carry the tools, ties, and track down the line to the next section the group will rebuild.
Railroad President Philip Rose says while they rebuild the track to hold the big engines and cars, they are giving tours twice a month on a smaller engine called a Skagit…with plans for a Christmas line using the big engine.
PHILLIP ROSE: "Run Christmas trains on a short two-mile stretch of rejuvenated track this year.. That will create revenue for us to continue to develop the railroad…to improve the railroad."
Rose says they hope to have track laid and trains running to Shingle Springs by 2015…That is the 150th anniversary of the opening of the original line.
May 31, 2011
Whose rails are they? Question clouds future
KEITH BERRY (yellow hat), president of the El Dorado Western Railway Foundation, nudges a new flatcar along the tracks near the Historical Railroad Museum in El Dorado. Berry said the foundation has acquired another "gang car" that holds eight riders and is intended to carry the public on future excursions. Photo courtesy from El Dorado Western Railway Foundation
El Dorado County supervisors directed their staff to determine the “feasibility and legality” of removing the rails from the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Corridor several weeks ago. Tuesday, however, the issue seemed to become murkier than it was before.
After nearly two hours of testimony and deliberation, the board voted unanimously to direct county staff to create one or more proposals that would answer some of the outstanding questions and suggest a way forward.
Folsom City Councilwoman Kerri Howell told the board that the railroad hardware belongs to the transportation corridor’s governing Joint Powers Authority and not to El Dorado County, although the county is a partner in the JPA. Howell said she was relaying the opinion of the JPA’s legal counsel and that of “many but not all members.” Howell represents Folsom on the JPA board of directors.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors designated the transportation corridor’s right of way from Shingle Springs to the county line to be a hiking, biking and equestrian facility earlier this year.
Since that time, there has been pressure by “trails” advocates to dismantle and possibly sell the rails to a salvage company. Revenue from such a transaction could be used to help finance trail construction, and estimates have ranged as high as $5 million according to some published reports. However, none of that information has been formally solicited through a request for proposal or a contract with a salvage company.
Emotions have run high for years among those who want to create a “Class 1″ trail on the railbed and those who hope to retain the historical function of the railroad by operating excursion trains on the original right of way. Often categorized as the “train guys” and the “trails people,” another perspective holds that the right of way is wide enough to satisfy the needs and visions of both camps. The right of way reportedly extends from a minimum of about 60 feet to as much as 200 feet in some spots along the nearly 30 miles between Missouri Flat Road and the county line.
Deputy county counsel Paula Frantz, who specializes in land use law for the county, told the Mountain Democrat Wednesday that a final determination of ownership would likely have to be made by a judge. The original purpose of the JPA was to “acquire and preserve” the right of way known as the Placerville Branch of the Southern Pacific Transportation Co. That acquisition was fully accomplished in 1996.
“Southern Pacific transferred ownership to the JPA, so the JPA owns the underlying land,” Frantz explained. “El Dorado County has an easement, so we control it but can’t alter its function.”
She added that it is far less “cut and dried than it would appear, and there’s money involved in all these things. And like any neighborhood dispute, it’s a question of the interpretation of the ‘sales contract.’ It doesn’t matter what one party or the other’s opinion is.”
Summarizing the board’s action of Tuesday, Frantz said supervisors want to know how much it would cost to pull up the rails and the relative value of the materials.
“If it’s worth it they might pursue it, and the JPA might be fine with that,” she said. “Finding out if it’s even financially feasible is the next step.”
Supervisor John Knight is the board’s representative on the JPA and the lead in moving forward on the issue.
“I don’t dispute that the JPA owns the assets and controls the right of way,” Knight said. “But if there’s enough value in the assets, we can move on this, but we need to find out if it’s feasible — or close it off to all use,” Knight added expressing some frustration. “I need more clarity, but I believe we can legally take the rails.”
Under the auspices of the federal Rails to Trails Act, the right of way may revert to rail use if or when, in the future, the original rail company (the abandoning rail line) determines that commercial railroading is once again viable on that right of way. In that event, the company would be financially liable to re-lay the track and upgrade other infrastructure, Steve Schweigerdt of the Rails to Trails Conservancy explained during the board meeting two weeks ago. The land would not revert to earlier owners or easement holders, he said.
And Tuesday, Board Chairman Ray Nutting noted that it was “Rails to Trails that allowed us to be where we are today. I believe everything about this board is pro-rail, pro-train, and we need to talk about interim uses. Rails to Trails ensures the right to revert to rails if and when the timber industry is ever restored.”
Nutting is the owner of a small timber operation and while he has passionately lamented the loss of rail commerce, he has also championed Rails to Trails legislation as a promise, dim as it may be, for protecting a future for heavy railroading in the county.
El Dorado County Director of Transportation Jim Ware has been tasked with leading the effort to find a “proposal” the board can pursue. In an e-mail Ware sent to the Mountain Democrat Wednesday, Ware clarified his role in the process.
“I see my role as the person that sets up and facilitates the meeting between our county counsel and the SPTC-JPA’s Counsel. The outcome of that meeting should result in a report to our board on counsel’s opinion (position) of the status of ownership as well as what we can and can’t do relative to this matter,” ware wrote.
Determining costs and risks associated with any project related to removing the rails and commencing trail construction are a major part of Ware’s assignment, he said. Risks include the actual constructability of a project as well as financial, legal and technical issues.
“I saw the purpose of yesterday’s meeting as an opportunity to present the implementation plan for this project to the board. The board quickly saw that a key component to this effort would be to secure a proposal(s) to see what the county could expect in the way of costs/revenues to implement their direction,” he concluded.
Ware had emphasized to the board Tuesday that a project manager should be assigned to conduct the day-to-day efforts of pursuing all issues relating to an “actionable” proposal. But he also cautioned that assigning staff to the rails project would necessarily take personnel away from other projects. The board must determine the priorities, he explained.
Under a recent reorganization plan, the county Department of Transportation had to lay off about a dozen engineers and other technical staff.
Short URL: http://www-new.mtdemocrat.com/?p=74199
Posted by Chris Daley on May 26 2011. Filed under Featured Stories,Folsom, News, Placerville. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
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It’s been done but why not repeat history? We could call your Choo choo Amerika. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxeakfgEpi0
Is there something we don’t know?
Sometimes thou does’t protest too much……