Train Taffic Increases

[Valerie Molinski]

I'm less concerned with the increased frequency of trains than what is being carried on these trains.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/business/energy-environment/bakkan-crude-rolling-through-albany.html?_r=0

[Danielle Masters]

I'm less concerned with the increased frequency of trains than what is being carried on these trains.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/business/energy-environment/bakkan-crude-rolling-through-albany.html?_r=0

My children and I are all able to tell what type of train is going by by the sounds. Each type of car has a unique sound to it and since we are home a lot we can tell. My youngest will run to the window when he hears a unique sound, sometimes it's something awesome and unique like the circus train which is a household favorite, we also saw parts to a wind turbine go by and that was pretty fantastic too. A few weeks ago it was what appeared to be new tank cars. They were white on the ends and black in the middle, I actually snapped a few pictures so that I could find out what they were. I just like to know what is going past my house, all I could gather was that they were hauling crude oil. Up until this summer most of the trains passing the house were either coal cars or box cars, but lately I have seen more tank cars. I'm assuming that has to do with the need to relieve train traffic on other lines.

[Danielle Masters]

[Scott Meeson]

That appears to be a tank car for Deep Rock Refining Company.

[Valerie Molinski]

Google the term "bomb trains."

Also google "bomb train maps." After the explosion in the canadian town, I googled it.

[Amy Martin]

great . . and I'm sure Mike Summers, Shawn Juris and the rest of the gang at City Hall are proud of this, too. After all, Juris IS in the insurance business . . . .

[Jim O'Bryan]

great . . and I'm sure Mike Summers, Shawn Juris and the rest of the gang at City Hall are proud of this, too. After all, Juris IS in the insurance business . . . .

Amy

From what I hear, Shawn has been helpful in looking at liabilities that could crop up. Getting
rid of large old trees that could fall in the park and such.

I doubt that they are proud of this. I am sure it just slipped past like so many other things.

BUT

We have two new restaurants opening!

.

[Valerie Molinski]

great . . and I'm sure Mike Summers, Shawn Juris and the rest of the gang at City Hall are proud of this, too. After all, Juris IS in the insurance business . . . .

This type of rail traffic is federally regulated. Local municipalities have little to no say in this.

Also, the other problem is that the rail companies won't tell most municipalities what is actually traveling through them on their lines, citing 'homeland security' concerns. So the transmission of these items are minimized, downplayed, or kept secret. This does not bode well for when there IS an incident, because Emergency Responders may not know what they are dealing with.

[Jim O'Bryan]

great . . and I'm sure Mike Summers, Shawn Juris and the rest of the gang at City Hall are proud of this, too. After all, Juris IS in the insurance business . . . .

This type of rail traffic is federally regulated. Local municipalities have little to no say in this.

Also, the other problem is that the rail companies won't tell most municipalities what is actually traveling through them on their lines, citing 'homeland security' concerns. So the transmission of these items are minimized, downplayed, or kept secret. This does not bode well for when there IS an incident, because Emergency Responders may not know what they are dealing with.

Valerie

This is why Congressman Kucinich was able to get it from a high of 20 trains a day down
to 4 then 2. It is my understanding that with Ford closed in Lorain and Avon, the only
thing the train is used for is the same cargo as The American Republic ore boat. That
it would have been possible to phase the entire line out.

This is why EdFavre and others looked at was affectionately called "The Whiskey Train" that
would have whisked riders from the inner city to the Ferry to Kelly Island and Put-In Bay!
Which was based on a "leave the tracks and we will use them.

Lakewood's Tracks are easily covered by the tracks just south of Lakewood.

FWIW

.

[michael gill]

How much revenue does Lakewood get from all that cargo rolling through? Is there some kind of tariff per ton or something? Or is there a lease paid on that narrow strip of land? And if it is based on the cargo, does the tariff vary with the nature of the cargo? Does a ton of iron bring the same amount of money as --say--a ton of hazardous chemical?

[russell dunn]

I personally have little inside info on these matters of national security and business
trumping the public right to know, however, I do sense a spirited discussion boiling.

Scott, nice identification of one of the newer varieties of tank car with end shield, the
" 1567 " placard covers a range of flammables, at least we are getting the benefit of
modernized rolling stock in advance of the new regulations.

Tim, consult your Monopoly board.

Does anyone have knowledge of the class action suit filed to further compensate any
property owner adjacent to the railroad property after the fiber optic cables were buried
a few years ago ?

Downtown has a lot of big old buildings that are perfect to house tech centers.
There is much unseen going on downtown.

There is talk at the County level of a rerouting of hazardous rail traffic during the
upcoming convention.

Wish I knew more.

Anyone ?

[Dan Alaimo]

I don't get the passivity reflected in many of these posts. If there's a chance we can stop - or get someone at the Federal level to stop - this increase, why not go for it? Does anyone really think more trains are a good or neutral thing? How many trains we've had going through in the past is irrelevant.

But first I want to know how many trains we are really talking about. While going from 2 to 6 trains isn't a huge deal, that number isn't clear. They are saying 2 now, while the actual number is more like 4 - it looks like 2 in each direction. So while they are saying 6, they may really mean 12, and that's a lot more trains in the course of a day. The biggest issue is the delays in getting across the tracks, and that affects many in town who don't live near the tracks (although not those who have moved out). It may also become a safety issue for emergency vehicles.

Maybe they could negotiate the length of the trains, or the transport of hazardous material.

Trains have a much bigger impact on our quality of life than a few chickens.

[russell dunn]

Consider that the stakes may have recently changed.

It may be that the number of trains per day is not as important as knowing the
consist of volatile liquids that could be sent through the city, and the amazing
area of shelter / evacuation precautions that kick in if a problem happens.

Is crude oil coming through our city ?

[Edward Favre]

This is why Congressman Kucinich was able to get it from a high of 20 trains a day down
to 4 then 2. It is my understanding that with Ford closed in Lorain and Avon, the only
thing the train is used for is the same cargo as The American Republic ore boat. That
it would have been possible to phase the entire line out.

This is why EdFavre and others looked at was affectionately called "The Whiskey Train" that
would have whisked riders from the inner city to the Ferry to Kelly Island and Put-In Bay!
Which was based on a "leave the tracks and we will use them.

Lakewood's Tracks are easily covered by the tracks just south of Lakewood.


Jim:

The numbers you post in the Kucinich matter are wrong.
The Ford plant in Avon is still open. That and the Avon Lake power plant are the biggest traffic generators on the line.
The American Republic has nothing to do with it.
The term "Whiskey Train" was never used in any discussion I was involved in.
And the tracks in the SE corner of Lakewood do not easily cover the demand.

FWIW

[Scott Meeson]

https://votesmart.org/public-statement/627114/issue-position-transportation#.VFofk_nF_To



Excerpt:
* Reduction in the number of trains from 39 trains per day, as proposed in the original merger plan, to 13.9 trains per day, a reduction to 1995 levels, along the Nickel Plate Line from Cleveland through the West Shore communities, including Lakewood, Rocky River, Bay Village, and Westlake;



Looks like the maximum number of trains that can travel through our city per day.


FWIW