Resurrecting abandoned rail in Northern California

[bertharogan]

Excellent. The Green movement is slowly catching on, and I am glad to see it is happening on the rail line there.

[metalbynumber]

Over here in Massachusetts they have no money and use to put trains on abandoned lines. They rip up the tracks and make bike/walking paths out of them (rails to trails).

[colliecandle]

Don't bother with the expense and hassle of replacing rail!  Just get a ballast cleaner/profiler and grinder! You may not be able to use a top line speed, but WHY the rush? 50mph would get you there safely and people can see the countryside instead of a high speed blur!! First and foremost, railways are a public SERVICE - profit is not necessarily paramount! Provision of RELIABLE, SAFE and clean transport will pay for itself over time.

[murdockpsb]

If you look back to maps of almost any city from 1910-1950, you'll be amazed at the network of streetcars, interurbans, and railroads running through (as well as connecting towns between major cities. Honestly, it's horrible how so much of our infrastructure (aside from highways) has been lost.

Kudos to you for bringing back another small piece of rail transportation back. I really wish more efforts like these were being made nationwide.

[dougks2008]

this is brilliant. i drove by that rail station all the time to go up to my uncle's place in tomales and wondered what was going to happen to it.

[NixonNow72]

Wow, this is really exciting. I travel that corridor all the time, but had no idea the rails were about to be reactivated. Can you give us some history on the line; when was it last used for passenger or freight service? Will the railbeds require substantial upgrading? What sections, if any, are being worked on? What is the overall plan, to open it in phases? Thanks...

Rob

[kirstendirksen]

@NixonNow72 According to the SMART website... "The first segment, 37 miles from downtown San Rafael with Railroad Square in Santa Rosa, will connect the two largest cities in the North Bay and all of the cities in between. Construction on this segment is scheduled to begin in 2011, with passenger train service scheduled to begin in late 2014. Future segments, ultimately completing the project from Larkspur to Cloverdale, will be built as additional revenues become available."

[MrIowahawkeyes12]

Yes it is

[5000TRAINS]

Its nice to see the railroads making a come back all over the country

[LCRV1]

I heard the line was now repaired to the south and Trains were actually running again. Can you tell us how it is working now...thank you!!!

[kirstendirksen]

@LCRV1 Construction on SMART was scheduled to begin this year, but passenger service isn't scheduled to begin until 2014. Though since the funds weren't available to build it all, it will be built in stages and building will continue after 2014 as funds become available.

[tedinvegas]

I was following this development closely over the past few years (reviving the Northwestern Pacific). It has been amusing to watch environmentalists spar with other environmentalists. They want the traffic off of 101, but not the trains running through their neighborhood. At the end of the day, the rails were only abandoned for a few years. Trains used to run on them. So I'm amused that residents are so shocked and upset trains are returning.

[BUICK925]

who is gonna get it, amtrak, caltrans? WHO!??!

[HUTCHtopher]

Can't wait for trains to start running but it seems at every corner there's a NIMBY or environmentalist trying to stop progress.

[UXAQ]

@HUTCHtopher well what do you expect its san francisco lol

[HUTCHtopher]

@UXAQ indeed....... San Francisco is a joke

[CSXandSpartanfan33]

if only they did this in Michigan

[lukebccb]

Is that old Northwestern Pacific rail in the video?

[kirstendirksen]

@lukebccb You're right, it is. I filmed at both the Santa Rosa and Windsor stations back in 2008. They're supposed to start work on the SMART train this year (2011) and have it running by 2014.

[cforssi]

I like to see the rail line revived but the "Smart" type business is nothing more than United Nations retoric for "Slave". If you research the UN agenda 21, you will see how they want us all to live in "Sustainable" housing like stack em and pack em. This rail line is a prime candidate for that. The term "Sustainable" mean something that cannot support itself without taxation or making other people pay. This kind of project is that. I am for the railroads but this is yuppie nonesense.

[lukebccb]

@cforssi: you must hate interstate highways and city streets then too huh?



[SUBWAY125]

@lukebccb I hate highways. They stink

[lotwyo]

He misses something very basic: people don't like to live like in the 50's anymore. People now like, when they can afford, subdivisions with nice stand-alone houses. They give you more privacy and are cheap on a $/sq. feet basis. So people need better freeways (if gov't stop stealing money from the gas taxes to pet projects like bike paths or historic trails, which could be done if funded by other means - like a tax on bicycles and sport equipment?) and interstates to move quickly.

[skateperson111]

i live like right next to thier.

[microbusss]

wow! love to take a hy-rail vehicle such as a putt putt car or a handcar on this line b4 it gets rehabbed lol

[railrider51]

The rail line is technicly not abandoned, its considered out of service.

[saintmj57]

pack the empty cars with goods instead of using trucks......how much is gas in CA ?....or let the weed tax pay for it................

[sw8741]

There is a reason why passenger rail isn't up and running, it never pays for itself!! Great idea, sure, but the cost is NEVER recouped. $450 MILLION of tax payer money? How many ticket sales is that? Lets say the new condos sales make up 80% of that figure. Thats still over $100 Million in ticket sales! Then there is the union labor @ $70/hr sweeping floors. ALL ticket sales will be subsidized shifting cost to taxpayers from each individual. CA is bankrupt! Can you say BOONDOGGLE?

[kirstendirksen]

@sw8741 What about the billions the state and federal governments spend on highways. They never even try to get that back (except for the rare toll road in the east coast). Definite boondoggle.

[sw8741]

@kirstendirksen

Nice try but you forgot the $.18 for each gallon gas tax and all the registration fees & recycling fees the individual pays in CA by driving cars. The state makes so much money from the gas tax they spend it on other things besides roads. So much money was stolen for other government largess that 2 initiatives had to be passed by the voters to keep CA government greedy hand off the money. And don't forget the $.18 for each gallon for the Feds.

[kirstendirksen]

@sw8741 1st, I think highways come with a pollution cost that is minimized with trains. 2nd, one study regarding costs: "Using Federal Highway Administration stats, Subsidyscope calculated that in 2007, 51% of the nation's $193 billion set aside for highway construction & maintenance was generated through user fees. The rest came from other sources, including revenue generated by income, sales and property taxes, as well as bond issues".

[sw8741]

@kirstendirksen

"There are 3 types of lies. White lies, DAMNED LIES, and statistics" - Mark Twain. Sounds like a nice statistic. Yes the other 49% is payed for by the state taxpayers and "other sources"since the Feds will only pay 51%. Its the agreement states have to agree to if they want ANY funds from the Feds for Federal highway construction! That stat doesn't even mention how much gas tax revenue the Feds collects or spends on highways. Nice try though. Mark Twain was right again!

[kirstendirksen]

@sw8741 I would agree with you about statistics so I suppose we should disregard your 1st comment. Which leaves us with why do you see roads as a better investment than rail? Assume hypothetically that they both eventually pay for themselves, would you invest in both to give people options? I used to take the CalTrain from San Francisco to Palo Alto every week and it was a nice way to commute. Plus, I think rail tends to promote nicer towns with community vs more sprawling suburbs or exurbs.

[sw8741]

@kirstendirksen

not so fast. i didn't give a stat in my first comment. it was a guestamation based upon your interviewees $450 million figure. I highly doubt selling condos will pay anywhere near 80% of the 450 million. Trains would be nice if they took you to your destination, but they don't. They drop you off miles from where you need to be and you must find a way to get there. A bus? Those big slow lumbering things? All reasons why people don't want to take them

[kirstendirksen]

@sw8741 Even to argue which costs more- highways or trains- you need stats and then there are a lot of variables. You're right that trains don't take you to your destination, but I think that is what preserves quality of life in a town. Less cars, more walkability, more community. If towns are built more compact, you won't have to walk far to get home. Studies show people even pay more for more walkable communities and that they lead to less obesity.

[Gavsta10]

@sw8741 Well to me its a great idea. Looks like your lazy just because they dont take you to you destination. Really get over it they take you as far as they can its not like the end of the world. Walking cant hurt you as bad as sitting in the car and going every where in it. In the long run this would cost cheaper then Fuel or gas. If you like you own transport like your car well why are you looking up this for.

[joeyconservative]

Looks like a very worthy project.

[kirstendirksen]

@joeyconservative I would agree. And since the bond measure was approved, they will begin construction in 2011 and it is expected to be up and running by 2014.

[nagaempress]

@kirstendirksen Oh your freaking kidding me This is awesome!

Now if they can get it into the city....Ar at least to the Ferries

[kirstendirksen]

@nagaempress It should go close to the Larkspur ferry-- within easy walking distance and also a quick shuttle. So the idea is it will get commuters from the North Bay to San Francisco.

[nagaempress]

@kirstendirksen I wish it would have been up when I lived there I used to take GG transit to the city..man what a mess that was.

I just hope the in town busses have improved as well. I was out on west third and it was a pain to get anywhere by bus in the evenings

[Isochest]

This route looks as if it's not been out of action for too long. And that station looks intact.