 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
with the Rail Alliance to provide the
resources necessary to make the
ethanol and rail projects successful.
the Top of Texas to Webb County.
Ethanol projects and rail spurs are
only a small part of rural rail
growth in Texas. We are proud to do
our part.
San Antonio Express News
Rural railroad district seeks
modernization
By Kevin Welch
kevin.welch@amarillo.com
In the name of economic development, three Panhandle
counties are trying to bring a railroad up to date.Ochiltree
and Lipscomb county commissioners passed a resolution
forming the Top of Texas Rural Rail District on Tuesday.
Hansford commissioners passed the same thing
Monday."We are trying to compete in a 21st century market
with a 19th century railroad," said David Scott, a Perryton
city commissioner working on the project.The district will
allow supporters to raise money through federal grants,
loans, user fees and bonds to improve railroads in its
jurisdiction, according to the Web site of the Texas Alliance
of Rail Districts."It's about maintenance, ownership, safety -
we have a whole collection of issues to look at," said John
Helsley, president and executive director of the alliance.The
issues concern the Southwestern Railroad, a short line that
runs from Shattuck, Okla., to Spearman."Right now there is
only a 10 mph speed limit on the rails. They are quite
literally the same rails placed in 1917," Scott said.The
railroad formerly ran farther west to Morse, but it was
shortened a few years ago, said Kenneth Donahue, Ochiltree
county judge.
Grain and oil field pipe are the primary freight hauled on
the line. Improving the rails will make those commodities
flow more easily and will help limit truck traffic on the
highways in the area, said Hansford County Judge Benny
Wilson .Making the existing economy better is one thing,
but another goal of forming the district is creating a new
economy.
"Perryton and Spearman had a chance to get ethanol plants,
and not having good rail service is what stopped them,"
Wilson said.
There are 32 districts in Texas encompassing 80 counties and
the Nov. 8 constitutional amendment election could help
expand their funding possibilities.
The measure would establish a fund that would award
grants for private and public passenger and freight rail
facilities."Proposition 1 is meant to assist rail maintenance
and relocation," Helsley said. "We're finally seeing the state
recognizing the need for rail infrastructure."
