New coal train study finds proposals will strain rail lines
"Heavy Traffic Ahead", a new study on the increase in coal trains, adds to the mounting evidence that current proposals will further strain rail lines. The 60-page study was released yesterday and commissioned by the Montana-based Western Organization of Resource Councils. It examines the impacts on commodities sharing the same tracks as the coal trains, including shipping containers, grains, and oil headed to Washington refineries.
The study also advises cities and counties could end up being responsible for costly improvements to roads, bridges and other projects required to accommodate additional train traffic.
From the Bellingham Herald: The consultant hired to conduct the study was Terry Whiteside, who works on wheat and barley commissions in several western states.
Despite the economic interest, both the Western Organization of Resource Councils and the consultant have in the study, Whiteside maintained that it was objective and not filtered through the lens of the farmers he works for.
"It's not designed to have a lens at all," he said. "There was no pre-look (by wheat and barley producers) at what we were doing." Whiteside suggested that the results speak loud and clear: The number of coal trains passing through Spokane to the ports will increase from about five a day now to more than 60 per day by 2022.
"Make no mistake about it, this is a huge, huge increase in volume like we've never seen before in this part of the world," he said.
