(The following column by David Hendricks appeared on the San Antonio Express-News website on April 4, 2009.)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Before San Antonians and Austinites ever hear a boarding call for passenger train services between their two fair cities, hundreds of millions of dollars are going to have to come from either federal or state governments to build a new set of tracks.
Union Pacific Corp. owns nearly all of the existing tracks needed by the Austin-San Antonio Intermunicipal Commuter Rail District to start service. Union Pacific will do everything possible to keep additional passenger traffic off its tracks so it can continue to serve its freight customers.
The rail district believes Union Pacific is correct in doing so. If San Antonio-Austin passenger service shared Union Pacific’s tracks, freight deliveries would be delayed, eventually pushing more freight onto trucks using Interstate 35.
That would defeat the purpose of the commuter rail district, which wants to remove traffic from I-35, regardless of whether it is cars or trucks.
The only logical way San Antonio-Austin rail passenger service can begin is construction of new freight tracks, freeing tracks for passenger service on Union Pacific’s existing route between the two cities.
New tracks have been the focus of the latest negotiations between the rail district and Union Pacific. The question then becomes: Where will the money come from?
Union Pacific Chairman and Chief Executive Jim Young said in San Antonio recently that the rail district’s stance is the best one. “The correct position is to take a long-term view and to have separate rights of way,” Young said.
Young faces this situation in numerous regions throughout Union Pacific’s vast network. Communities seeking to start rail passenger service all want Union Pacific’s right of way. But “right of way is our franchise,” Young said. Sharing tracks doesn’t work. Young’s argument became stronger last summer after a fatal freight-passenger train collision in California.
Railroad companies about two decades ago were willing to share tracks with commuter services, especially in California. Rail freight business was weak then, and tracks were being abandoned. The rail freight business since has rebounded, Young said.
Where can money be found for new tracks? The state could allocate $200 million a year to produce a $2 billion bond financing program that would pay for rail relocation already authorized by state voters.
Federal economic stimulus funding also is possible. The rail district is exploring several options, but nothing is definite. Union Pacific also would help pay for new tracks. To the extent that a new route provides faster, more efficient service to its customers, Union Pacific would kick in its share, Young said.
If funding can be identified this year, passenger service could begin by 2012.
Maintaining freight service is vital to preserve jobs in this area. The passenger rail district will not do anything to harm that. To advance the region’s transportation system and to accommodate anticipated population growth, the money will have to come from state and federal taxpayers.