Looniness unending: “the most successful train in the nation”

                  

You may not have seen an article that appeared in the Portland paper over the weekend, but no matter. The article concludes with these words:

Wayne Davis, head of Trainriders/Northeast, a rail advocacy group that gathered 90,000 signatures in 1989 for a petition asking the state to restore passenger rail service in Maine, said the group historically avoids politics because it views train service as a nonpartisan issue.

But he said the LePage administration’s sudden strong interest in the permitting process for the layover facility might cause his group to organize rail activists to campaign against LePage in the governor’s race.

“We are not powerful, but it would be enough to put a bump in the road for someone who wants to get re-elected,” he said, adding that he thinks LePage is “tinkering with the most successful train in the nation.”

We heard today from a friend that follows Side and local issues.  He tell us that he took exception to Davis’s words, and attempted to respond to them in the comment space that followed the article.  He posted his response, successfully he thought, only to have it disappear a short while later.  So he reposted it, and had the same thing happen.

       

Perplexed, he found his way to the Trainriders/Northeast Facebook page, which was promoting the article and Davis’ words.  Seeing the comment option there, our friend posted his response, and watched it appear.

Only to see it disappear moments later, along with other comments he had made in recent days.

We don’t know what you think of today’s ‘social media,’ which is the term used to refer to Facebook, Twitter, and other similar internet sites supposedly intended to stimulate immediate and widespread exchange on any and all subjects.

We scrupulously avoid both, except in the rarest of circumstances.  We do consider, however, that the ‘comment’ option following print media stories and columns is part of the social media fabric.  You might have noted that here on Side, we have an option that allows you to comment on a post.

Readers don’t make use of this feature very often.  When they do, as the editor, we get to ‘moderate’ the submitted comments.  As best we can recall, in our five years of doing this, we have never removed a comment, and we think, only declined to post a submitted comment one time.

In view of the circumstances, we told our friend that we’d be happy to post his disappearing comment here, where unless forces are at play that we don’t understand, it will appear in perpetuity.  Where others, if they wish, can comment in response.

So here it is:

Two comments.

First, the comments by Wayne Davis of Trainriders Northeast are disingenuous and laughable. As to "historically avoiding politics," Davis is well known in the State House for his attempts to influence policy and votes on various issues. He also attempts to stack NNEPRA's Board of Directors with candidates he hand selects.

Not to mention that with the virtual D monopoly on the Statehouse for all but a few of the last 40 years, 'historically avoiding politics' is a concept largely without meaning.

His assertion that the Downeaster is 'the most successful train in the nation' is near-delusional. The Downeaster has nearly the worst on time performance of any Amtrak line, and it operates at a nearly 50% loss. Compare that to the run between New York City and Washington, D.C, for example, and you'll quickly conclude that the Downeaster may well be the least successful train in the nation.

Second, it is very important to be clear on exactly what the FONSI issued in June says verbatim, which I attach below. FRA finds there will be no significant environmental impact, PROVIDED all commitments to adhere to state and local environmental regulations are met. This was not a blanket go-ahead; it was a go-ahead contingent upon proper permitting and design practices.
===========================================================

VII. Commitments and Minimization Measures:
NNEPRA will be required to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local permitting requirements during the implementation of the Project, which will include:
Public Law 95‐217, Clean Water Act of 1977, 33 USC § 1251‐1376
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, 16 USC § 470
Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (CWA), 33 USC § 1344
Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended, 42 USC § 4601 et seq.
Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands, 42 FR 26961, signed May 24, 1977
This next item, in the highlighted passage, makes it clear that the FONSI is CONDITIONED upon meeting the commitments just above.

VIII. Conclusion:
FRA finds that the Brunswick Layover Facility Project, as presented and assessed in the attached EA, satisfies the requirements of NEPA (42 USC § 4321 et seq.), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts 1500‐1508), FRA’s Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545, May 26, 1999), and FRA’s Update to NEPA Implementing Procedures (78 FR 2713, January 14, 2013), and the Project will have no foreseeable significant impact on the quality of the human or natural environment provided it is implemented in accordance with the commitments identified in this FONSI.

As the Project sponsor, NNEPRA is responsible for ensuring all environmental commitments identified in this FONSI are fully implemented. The EA provides sufficient evidence and analysis for FRA to determine that an environmental impact statement is not required for the Project as presented.

So there you have it.  We think our friend’s comments suggest a call to one of our favorite graphics of late.  Davis seems to personify its message.

                             

And it’s our belief that he could make a sturdier case for the train below being the ‘most successful in the nation than he could for the Downeaster.

    

That presumes rational thought, of course, which is not widely popular these days.  One of the commenters on the newspaper article, whose words were not removed, asserts that the Downeaster is ‘profitable.’

How can one not despair in the face of such abject ignorance and total denial of facts on the public record?  Is there no end to the insatiable thirst for kool-aid?

Technorati Tags: Trainriers,Downeaster,Amtrak

More “off the rails” looniness; is an epidemic afoot?

We’re beginning to worry that the mere thought of diesel fumes emanating from an Amtrak locomotive, let alone inhaling them, can lead to worrisome cognitive imbalance. Symptoms appear to include living in the past, and related flights of fancy.

Witness our case in point.  George Betke, Jr, who appeared on Side as a guest columnist in June (http://othersideofbrunswick.blogspot.com/2014/06/downeasternnepra-business-model-guest.html), had a column published in the Bangor Daily News last week.  You can read it here:

http://bangordailynews.com/2014/08/21/opinion/contributors/brunswick-train-tension-begs-the-question-wheres-the-market-for-service-north-of-portland/?ref=search

Its failings notwithstanding, there is much to be said in favor of journalism in that by giving us the opinion of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community.
Oscar Wilde

Wilde clearly said that well before the age of ‘on-line chatter.’  But in the same vein, it’s sometimes informative to look at the comments that follow opinion pieces.  At other times, it’s downright depressing to see the rancorous and immature discourse that passes for civic exchange in this day and age.  Velcome to ‘social media,’ Mr. Bonks!

       

Mike Kiernan posted this response to Betke’s column.  We don’t know him, but we believe he has a history in the Bath area.  As you’ll see, Kiernan waxes romantic and nostalgic for trains.  And in the process, seems unable to separate the economic distinctions between passenger and freight rail, and to fathom the economic realities for rail overall.  While not quite worshipful of the Downeaster, he comes close, and we have no doubt the deities of TRNE are doing their best to bring him into their fold.  “Fanciful dream flight” fits the theology perfectly.

I had to think on this one, and do some research as well. And given the tone of Betke's piece here it's clear that this was written as a 'hit' piece, politely worded but a 'hit' piece, any way you want to call it. Betke makes the assertion that rail into Northern Maine, anywhere north of Portland, is already a doomed venture, without even giving it a chance, even on paper, to make the argument for itself. He asserts that car's and bus's, all on their own, are rapidly making the rail issue a dinosaur, and not worthy of consideration. What BS ! Rail, both here and elsewhere, has consistently proven to be a major economic driver wherever it goes, thru the sheer ability to move both people, raw material's and finished goods, to both the manufacturer's (who need worker's, and thus create job's) and to the various marketplace's on both a massive, but also economical, scale. The historical fact of the Trans-Continental Railroad, and it's effects on opening up the West, make that case all by itself and beyond any dispute. Likewise, here in Maine, rail had a huge impact on Maine's logging industry (both In-State with the paper mill train's but also the Out-of-State building material's trains as well) , and is again, with the rail expansion of Pan Am, and other's, that are now looking to expand their running increased traffic into the rail yards at Portland's Terminal Container Yard's. This is fact, and not some fanciful dream flight. And both Lac-Megantic and the E-W aside, the fact that rail, via the new CMQR line's, as well as the current Eastern Maine Rail and Irving's own rail operation's, is also playing a major part in expanding business good's moving to the Maine Port's, be they in Portland, Searsport, Bar Harbor (cruise ship's need Ship's Store resupplied at some time ! ) Lubec and Eastport (and their newly built flash freezer for the seafood folk's) all shows that rail, as a major mover of good's and providing service's, is far from dead here in Maine.

The same argument can be made for what some still remember as the tourist and holiday train's that ran thru Maine not so long ago, and need a refresher, more so given the insane rates that the airline's are now charging, that rail can undercut with volume that's been a fact not so long ago. These rail line's and route's, some of which Maine DOT Rail still have the ROW's to on the book's, can and should be used, or at least explored, for the potential of re-opening them for the State's tourist and outdoor business community's benefit, that wind's up benefiting us all in the long run. The State's various fishing camp's alone would hugely benefit, as would these camp's 'ripple effect' business's and community's. And as these effort's spread and work, the next, and inevitable effect, actual long term business's, would take place, that being these same people, who actually own business, would start looking at what's being offered here, on a permanent basis, and see reasons to come to Maine and do business here, ie, set up shop. Maybe it's time we all quit whining and crying about this short term, Me Me Me nonsense and started looking at the long term potential of what Maine, both individually, and as a whole, have to offer, and then move on it. And for those who won't, or can't, move forward with the rest of Maine, then at least have the gut's and decency to get out of the way of those that want, and are willing to, invest in Maine's future, for ourselves, our kid's and our grandkid's.

There’s too much foolishness, hyperbole, and hyperventilating to waste our time responding to, but we do want to make a point or two. 

                 

We’re particularly bemused by Kiernan’s argument for the MLF as a job generator for the long term.  No doubt he bases this on a keen knowledge of railroad history.

                           

             

But as many would know, especially the older among us, railroads offer other employment opportunities deriving from the economic ‘stimulus’ they generate.  Someone has to make sure the new ‘tourists’ are dealt with tactfully, not to mention seeing to it their horses are put up in a certified livery.  Who knows; if things work out, there could be another sausage fragrance in Brunswick’s air.

    

So we should all be grateful for Mike’s visionary thoughts on local and state matters.  Even if he failed to address other related growth areas.

Technorati Tags: BDN,Betke,Amtrak,NNEPRA,Brunswick

BBT BOLO: More “twists” expected

We’ll spare you an added dose of frivolity this morning, and simply add that a second letter was issued to NNEPRA yesterday, and we’ve posted it for your information here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/237988619/Aho-to-NNEPRA-27-Aug-14

The letter is from Maine DEP Commissioner Aho to the ED of NNEPRA, and begins as follows:

The BDN has already published an article on the subject, which you can find here.

We trust that Emily and Jeff and all their friends out there in the fields are exercising due care as they clickety-clack, clickety-clack along their way.

                               

And that fire-extinquishers are close at hand when the need arises.

                         

Technorati Tags: Amtrak,NNEPRA,Brunswick,MLF

MDEP: NNEPRA SWPA NFG; BBT/TNE BOLO GHO

                        

Before you read further, we should warn you that the following post is rated UGA-17 (Undergarment Alert-17 and older.)  And you should know that the Bobbsey Twins are involved.                                

                                   

Two days ago, following the most recent NNEPRA Board Meeting in Portland, TR/NE posted this bubbly news item:

NNEPRA Exec. Dir. Patricia Quinn Concludes, "We're ready to go" with the BLF Once Storm Water Permit is Approved

Published on Monday, 25 August 2014 23:24

Written by TRN Webmaster

Brunswick Items

Ms. Patricia Quinn, NNEPRA Executive Director, briefed the board on various items, including the Downeaster Brunswick Layover Facility. She reported that she had a 2 1/2 hour meeting with the Maine DEP addressing in particular the storm water permitting process. As a result, the permit has been resubmitted and notification of the abutters has been expanded. This is a 45-day process that allows for public input. The meeting with the DEP addressed several other issues: the water table, air quality and storage of lubricants on the property. None of those issues was considered a problem.

OOPS, and we mean a big time OOPS, because the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP) today issued their finding on the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority’s (NNEPRA) StormWater management Permit Application (SWPA).  They deemed it Not Fully Grounded (NFG,) to coin a phrase.  You can read the full decision letter here (http://www.scribd.com/doc/237937384/DEP-SWPA-Deficiency-Letter); the essence of the decision is this passage;

Your application for a layover facility for Amtrak Passenger Rail Service, as described in DEP File #L-26119-NJ-B-N, has been received and reviewed by the Department. Based on engineering review comments from Ben Viola as listed below, the application has been found to be unacceptable for processing at this time.

Accordingly, local authorities have reissued the earlier Be On the Look-Out (BOLO) alert for the Brunswick Bobbsey Twins (BBT) of TrainRiders/Northeast (TNE).  And they’ve elevated the state of agitation of the twins to Going High Order (GHO).

    

While the twins are known for their ability to disguise themselves, authorities are concerned that their real identities may now surface under the pressures of reality.

      

So, fair warning.  Watch the news as it unfolds, and make sure you’ve got your own knickers under control.

                                  

Cape Brunswick can only deal with so many coifs on fire at a time; at least until we build a new central fire station, complete with emergency hair dousing equipment.

Technorati Tags: NNEPRA,DEP,Amtrak,Brunswick,MLF

Other Side Alert: BOLO for BBT of TNE

                    

We’ve just heard from trusted sources in the transportation sector that an alert is about to be issued for two widely known suspects living on the fringe of this sometimes dark and shadowy sector of our economy.

The alert reads: “Be On the Look Out for Brunswick’s Bobbsey Twins of TrainRiders NorthEast.”  The suspects, code named Emily and Jeff, are known to be belligerent in demeanor, are often spotted making hyperbolic statements at town council meetings and state legislative committee hearings, and are considered irritable.  They’ve also been known to submit angry and accusatory letters to local print media outlets.

      

The alert warns that the suspects can be difficult to identify because of their expertise in disguising their appearance in public settings.

Our sources claim the alert stems from a news story appearing recently in The Ostrich.  Dated August 12th, it was titled “More public input sought on bus service to Freeport,” and was written by Rosanna Gargiulo.

It featured a photo of an odd transit vehicle that looked like the one below, which bears an uncanny resemblance to a ‘bus,’ those big things that operate on the same streets and highway infrastructure used by automobiles, trucks, and other everyday vehicles.

           

Officials are worried that the article may easily elevate the twin’s nominal agitation level to Knickers in Knots, or even worse, Hair on Fire.  Random outbursts driven by their angst could easily cause the two to go ‘off the rails’ in public appearances and media submissions.  Members of the public are advised to keep their distance, and be prepared for unexpected sprinkler system activation in public settings.

                     

TNE officials could not be reached to comment on the threat to civil public discourse posed by Emily and Jeff, but we understand they take the position that the carbon footprint of smoldering hair is less than one nano-% of that from an idling Amtrak diesel locomotive, and therefore is no cause for alarm.

Herewith some highlights of the article, which is structured around Freeport considerations:

A JUNE PILOT PROGRAM concept report from Metro sketched out a route and fares for a Portland North Inter-City bus route that would serve Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth and Freeport.

“Due to the inexpensive nature of (the pilot program), we’ll have a chance to have public transport that’s not the train, for a cheaper fare,” said James Hendricks, chairman on the town council, during a phone interview Monday with The Times Record.

“We don’t really know how it would work, but we’ll get to see if it’s a viable option for Freeport, and it seems like it’s a good deal,” Hendricks said, noting that after the pilot program, the council could decide based on ridership numbers if service should be continued.

A June pilot program concept report from Metro sketched out a route and fares for a Portland North Inter- City bus route that would serve Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth and Freeport.

“With the potential availability of federal grant funding,” the report states, “there is an opportunity to implement a three-year pilot project aimed at demonstrating the potential effectiveness of commuter-oriented transit service along the I-295/Route 1 corridor.”

Aimed at commuters between Freeport and Portland, to proposed bus service would depart at a 30-minute frequency between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and then again between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., for a total of 20 southbound and northbound trips per day.

A zone-based fare structure would mean a ticket from Freeport to Portland would cost $4, from Yarmouth to Portland $3, and Falmouth to Portland $2.

The local investment sought from Freeport for the pilot project is $19,667 for year one, $26,443 for year two and $36,008 for year three — with matching local investments from Yarmouth and Cumberland.

“It’s a good proposal, it’s well thought out and it has a lot of promise,” said Councilor Sarah Tracy, “but my concern is that we’re talking about spending $90,000 over the course of three years, it is not clear in the proposal what need it is serving and we haven’t gotten a lot of public feedback yet.

Kristina Egan, vice chairwoman of the town council, said that she had heard from several constituents who were in favor of expanding public transportation to Freeport.

“I think it’s great to start it as a commuter service because that can attract nonwork trips,” said Egan, noting that her background is in transit planning. “The only thing I would ask for is to see if we can add more midday trips and evening trips to help some of the shift workers” who aren’t working a typical 9 to 5 schedule.

“They’re trying to figure out why we would commit to spending over a five-year program a quarter of a million dollars on a wing and a prayer,” said DeGrandpre. “During budget time, we have argued as a council over $1,000.”

After the initial three-year pilot program, the projected local investment from Freeport would increase to $77,742 for the fourth year and increase again to $80,288 for the fifth year, for a total investment of $240,148. However, Metro stipulated that projections for the fourth and fifth year are not fixed.

============================================================

Interestingly, the ‘investment’ in Downeaster service to Freeport and Brunswick, all things considered, including the plans for service ‘optimization,’ are in the range of $100 million, including interest.  NNEPRA also requires perpetual operating subsidies of $2-3 million per year to keep the trains running on the Brunswick extension.  Add to that the $100,000 or so that each town has to cough up to subsidize operations, and you have to wonder about the questioning of bus service expenses.

We contacted our good friend Davis Swain, CEO of the fledgling Bus Riders NorthEast organization, to see what he knew about the alert and the proposed metro bus service.

First, he said his correct title is “Prospective CEO of BRNE,” and we asked why the equivocation.  He told us that processing of the group’s application for 501(c)3 status has inexplicably been delayed at IRS HQ in Washington.  Swain, shown below, said he spent endless hours on the phone trying to find out what’s going on, only to hear excuse after excuse, with no forward progress.

                                       

“Until we get that approval, I can’t call myself the CEO,” Davis told us.   He’s made quite a reputation for himself as the star of numerous fashion photo shoots in OGQ, the well known national magazine.  Self-effacing as ever, he added that ‘looks alone can’t make unreasonable dreams come true.’

At this juncture, we can’t resist a petty personal digression.  We’ve never thought of ourselves as ‘visionary,’ but we do consider that from time to time we merit a “CornerSewer of Common Sense” label.  As proof, we refer you to the posts you’ll find here: http://othersideofbrunswick.blogspot.com/search?q=piloting+train

We have some other points we’d like to make on this subject, fully aware that doing so may raise the alert level associated with the twins to heights unknown.

For starters, wouldn’t it be the answer to a dream if someone instituted bus service from Portland to Boston, and Brunswick to Portland?  Oh wait….somewhere we read that such a service has been going on for years.  Check.

We hope the twins don’t hear about this, because it could cause them to go trainal.  So don’t tell them about plans to build a bus station at Exit 75 of the Maine Turnpike in Auburn, and to pilot a commuter bus service to Portland and Lewiston.

More importantly, we’d like the twins, and their handlers at TRN, to respond to this simple thesis:

The bus is simply more versatile and cost-effective than the train.  It represents relatively modest vehicle investment, operates on existing public infrastructure, can turn at any intersection, stop anywhere along its route, and provide far greater frequency than a train, with less noxious emissions and attendant noise.  Even more, it requires almost no specialized capital investment, especially when compared to the train.

We’d like as well an answer to this related question:

Why do we need a train to do a bus’s job, and how many buses would fit in a 60,000 sf building?

                       

By now, if the suspects (the twins) are following our report, they’re probably grabbing for emergency breathing apparatus or worse.  We hope they didn’t see the articles we posted earlier today, or their condition could be far worse than we know. 

That said, we know some of our readers support the twins unequivocally, and for you, we offer this ‘cut-out’ play kit.

                       

For the general readership, we have some late breaking news, which can be summarized with this graphic;

                   

Something has clearly set off the alarms at TRNE headquarters, and we don’t know what it is.  When we find out, we’ll let you know.  For now, assume that sprinklers are spraying, various garments are in knots, and all sorts of body hair are aflame.  Witness this broadcast message:

http://www.trainridersne.org/

Published on Thursday, 21 August 2014 19:47

Written by TRN Webmaster

ACTION ALERT!  ACTION ALERT!  ACTION ALERT!

It’s time to add your voice as a Downeaster supporter.

Phone calls are still preferred – [Governor Paul LePage] and simply identify yourself and your town and say that you are calling to have your name added to the list supporting the position of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) to construct the Downeaster Layover Facility in Brunswick on the site authorized by the Federal Rail Administration (FRA).
You can leave the same message for the Commissioner of Transportation, David Bernhardt.

Thanks for whatever you can do.

Wayne Davis, Chairman 
TrainRiders NorthEast

We’re hopeful that Wayne doesn’t run the Downeaster’s central time clock, since the alert appeared in the 4 pm hour, but has a time stamp in the 7 pm hour, beyond the posting time for our commentary.

Ever considerate as we are, in the spirit of civil discourse, we offer these items for Wayne’s use in upcoming missives:

                   

           

We figure it’s the least we could do, other than send a tanker full of kool-aid to TRNE offices to replenish their supply.  And at the same time, warn our protagonists that they need to take care in tiptoeing their way around.

                           

You know the old saying: one man’s tulip is another girl’s stinkweed.

Happy tip-toeing, kiddies!

Technorati Tags: NNEPRA,Amtrak,TrainRiders,buses