County on brink of landmark railroad purchase, but can we affor...

For years, transportation planner Luis Mendez has been poring over old county railroad records.

[Soylent Green]

The Santa Cruz County railroad comes with the additional responsibility of running freight trains. While trains no longer operate on the Monterey County line. And therein lies the problem...has there been an structural audit of existing trestles? Are they structurally sound? Will the county be obligated under current freight service to maintain and possibly rebuild these trestles. Look at the rustic or rusting hulk adjacent to Capitola Village. Its not the current expenses that concern me or even the fact that the rail trail will be unconnected and piece meal. Really this should be brought before the voters that are going to be on the so hook far into the future.

[John]

Agreed. This will be a money pit of epic proportions. Ridership will be too slight to offset the astronomical maintainence costs. Won't work.

[THE RAIL DEAL]

Warren Buffett and his Berkshire Hathaway is paying $44 Billion to own a 23,000 route mile long BNSF Railroad Company. That's equal to $1,913,043.00 per mile of track that Buffett is paying to own because he knows rail service is part of the economic future of our Nation. Santa Cruz County is only paying $443,750.00 per mile of track and right of way to insure that the County is forever connected to the rest of the Nation by rail, especially if Buffet's vision is correct. Why would there be any question about what to do; public ownership and then run it like any business, to make a profit for the new taxpayer owners.

[Sand Trucks off 17]

Highway 17 could be made much safer if those sand trucks were forced off of the highway and their loads carried by train from Olympia (near Felton) down to the mainline junction in Watsonville and thence to Silly Valley.
Factor in the savings in crashes and road damage that would be obtained by getting the sand trucks off of 17 and that could cover a lot of cost of running the rails.

[rwc]

"The county transportation agency can tap state and federal money to buy the line and construct much of the proposed rail trail, meaning a portion of the railroad vision could be achieved at relatively little expense to the community."

Folks where do you think that 'state and federal money' comes from?

[rwc]

THE RAIL DEAL wrote:

Warren Buffett and his Berkshire Hathaway is paying $44 Billion to own a 23,000 route mile long BNSF Railroad Company. That's equal to $1,913,043.00 per mile of track that Buffett is paying to own because he knows rail service is part of the economic future of our Nation. Santa Cruz County is only paying $443,750.00 per mile of track and right of way to insure that the County is forever connected to the rest of the Nation by rail, especially if Buffet's vision is correct. Why would there be any question about what to do; public ownership and then run it like any business, to make a profit for the new taxpayer owners.

You have obviously never examined the condition of that roadbed. Those pushing the purchase have no interest in operating a railroad. There is currently no commercial traffic on that line; the cement plant is shut down. They want us to buy them a bike trail.

[jimi doss]

Bike trail , shmike trail who cares ? Sure thats nice but lets look at the future .I wonder where they will end up putting a lite rail service in the future ? Could it be on the very same line and access were talking about now ? You know its inevitable , cars arent gonna be the principal mode of transportation forever.

[Rancho loco]

Schools without money.
Huge homeless population and resulting problems.
Gang violence.
Downtown turning into a cesspool.
Rapes, murders, stabbings, shootings..

Yay!! Let's build A BIKE TRAIL!!

[Never stopped us before]

What, not enough money, can't afford it. But we want it.
Just wait until a winter storm washes out chunks of the roadway, the taxpayers will pay for it.
Just think of the fun, fun, fun we can have on the backs of the tax payers.

[Buy It]

If trains are good enuf for Warren Buffet they shud be good enuf for us...letz move forward with the purchase...Santa Cruz's franchise is beaches;
scenery; tourists; and surfboards....the scenic
rail/trail will be a force multiplier to strengthen
that franchise.

No one seems to object to Nancy Pelosi spending a
trillion dollars on an unknown health care reform package....yet Santa Cruzians sit around carping about a few million dollars on something that
has a finite probability of success.

[diogenes]

The rail/trail will be a governmental folly that will easily surpass the Talentless Artist's Colony on River Street as a beacon of hubris and stupidity.

The county can then print out thousands of travel brochures, enticing tourists to ride the "Broken Down Train to Nowhere".

[Live Oak]

They should buy it now for the $14 million and let it sit there as is (let people use it just as they already do). Later, when we are at the depths of the "second great depression" it will cost dramatically, less than $32 million to build a trail.

$32 million!!!- is the trail to be paved with gold?

[Xanthippe]

We simply cannot afford this. That's the bottom line.

[Boondoggle]

Wow, a 14 million dollar bike trail. Don't we have roads to to accomplish the exact same thing? The cost for infastructure repairs to the public will be enormous and I imagine our politicians will be asking us to approve yet another bond shortly after the transaction is complete. Don't you find it interesting that nowhere in this article was bond funding mentioned...hmmmmmmm

[Alan]

Sand Trucks off 17 wrote:

Highway 17 could be made much safer if those sand trucks were forced off of the highway and their loads carried by train from Olympia (near Felton) down to the mainline junction in Watsonville and thence to Silly Valley.
Factor in the savings in crashes and road damage that would be obtained by getting the sand trucks off of 17 and that could cover a lot of cost of running the rails.

As well as other vehicles & trucks, even people if they were smart enough to add passenger service. Trails are the only logical way to reduce traffic on 17 & how the hell do you spend 32 million on a trail? I say screw the trail & put that money into getting an efficient rail line going again

[Alan]

Ooops its "TRAINS" are the only logical way to reduce traffic on 17:-)

[FedUp]

I think we should buy it and build the bike/pedestrian path. It would be a fantastic asset to Santa Cruz. The construction would put people to work, raise property values and provide a safe alternative transportation corridor across Santa Cruz. Bottom line is government spending helps the economy, even wasteful spending; just ask Northrop Grumman.

My biggest concerns are that it will become filled with transient bums that will make the place less attractive for tourists, families and the rest of the tax payers. You know, a lot like the bike paths by the Levee, downtown, main beach, lighthouse field, garfield park, natural bridges, poginip and the like.

[richinrio]

On a daily basis my mind is boggled with countless stories of government waste and incompetence. This boondoggle will dwarf all of them by leaps and bounds.

I shant bore you to tears with the FACTS regarding the fiscal folly of light rail nationwide. I won't recite the FACTS of AMTRAK and it's frightful mismanagement.

Lets just put it into a simple format so even the dullest among you can realize what a farking fiasco this will be.

Walk the tracks. That's right. Walk the tracks.

Now a word of caution. Since those of you who are in favor of this clearly have your heads so far up your rectum ( technical term is RECTAL CRANIUM INVERSION ) it will be difficult to hear any freight trains coming...I will offer to walk along with you to ensure your safety from any trains.

Why do I want you to walk the tracks? Simple.

To see the filth, the graffiti, the broken glass, the litter, the aftermath of that element of our society here in the Santa Cruz area that loiters and uses the rail corridor for their personal brand of mayhem.

Now, imagine if you will a pristine stretch of paved bike trail. 32 million dollars worth ( which in of itself is so shocking it makes me want to hurl....but the real joke is when they are finally done we will wish it was only 32 million ) of asphalt running from one end of the county to the other.

The Utopian view of this is the ability of those wishing to ride bicycles... will be able to do so without cars endangering them on their rides. Just the carbon free bike riders transporting their fluffy bunnies while delivering food to the homeless. Such a lovely picture.

Lets be real. Graffiti will cover every square inch of that roadway. Broken glass and trash will make it impossible for anyone to ride their bike unless the wheels are made of Kevlar.

As the problem worsens a committee will be formed made up of concerned citizens against a filthy rail trail, an advisory board will examine the problem and determine that what needs to be done is to have a task force assembled and a new department of public works will be created to go out daily and sweep, and clean, and cover up the graffiti from the night before.

Homeless advocates and civil rights attorneys will come to the defense of those whose " art " is being covered up and sue the county for the destruction of public art.

The decision will be made to allow for public walls to be built so those " artists " can freely contribute to the social fabric thus enabling Santa Cruz to fulfill it's stated desire to stay weird.

Meanwhile those of us who actually get stuck with this fiscal abortion will be vomiting into our cereal bowls as we recoil from the real costs of this idiotic fantasy desired by a handful of bike riding zealots.

Make the rail trail a toll road and make those who want this stupid path pay for it themselves.

Oh I'm sorry...just a light moment of levity there.

Typical example of a program designed for a handful and paid for by the majority that will be over-budget, poorly planned and executed, just like every other socialist notion of putting your heart before your brain.

[Rancho loco]

^^^^^^
<Loud Cheers>

[Rocket J Squirrel]

In MHO, every trestle and bridge that serves the train tracks in question in SC county is a major liability, period and when does a liability become an asset?