(The Associated Press circulated the following story on June 11.)
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Locals residents were treated to a train ride for a chance to view scenic northern Idaho from the rails, while demonstrators took the opportunity to protest the reopening of a leak-prone refueling depot.
The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. hosted 354 people on a ride in vintage luxury rail cars Friday. Riders got a view of the embattled refueling depot before the train rolled on through pine forest mountains and along crystal clear lakes.
BNSF has offered the ride to employees and special guests since the companies merged in 1995.
Railroad officials were adamant that Friday’s trip was not an attempt to gain public favor. It was designed to let local residents see what the railroad had done with the depot, spokesman Gus Melonas said.
“With the opening of the new facility, we thought it was a good opportunity to showcase our investment,” Melonas said while giving a quick tour of the wood-paneled executive cars.
Select riders and media were served London broil steak with dumplings on china plates. Families sat at tables with cushy bench seats eating snacks, candy and beverages. All the children on board got paper conductor hats and coloring books.
The trip came less than a week before the depot’s owner and state officials are to demonstrate for the Kootenai County Commission that the facility has been fixed.
The BNSF fueling depot near Hauser is the fastest pit stop on the company’s northern mainline and is capable of shaving as much as seven hours off a refueling stop.
The $42 million depot was closed on Feb. 23 after leaks were discovered. Between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel were estimated to have reached an aquifer that supplies drinking water to more than 600,000 people in the region, though state officials say public health wasn’t compromised.
Last month, 1st District Judge Charles Hosack allowed the depot to reopen following $7 million in BNSF repairs. The railroad also agreed to increase leak monitoring and detection capabilities at the depot.
The County Commission is to meet Wednesday to decide whether it should revoke the railroad’s operating permit, which was issued in 2000 by a different set of county commissioners.
Commissioners will also discuss whether the commission itself has the authority to shut down the depot, and whether it can use any of the $5 million bond the railroad posted to pay for an independent study.
About a dozen protesters on Friday showed their disapproval, standing outside the fuel depot gate and shouting at passengers, many of whom were invited by the mayors of Hauser and Rathdrum.
Hayden resident Bob Riddle held up a piece of poster board reading “Thanks DEQ,” to show his sardonic disappointment after the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality agreed last month to allow the depot to reopen.
Riddle said the railroad needs to move the refueling depot, which services about 30 trains a day, off the aquifer.
One sign featured a skull and crossbones and the words, “BNSF The Deadly Polluter.” A protester shouted that the people were being “taken for a ride.”
“Yes, we are,” shouted back one of the riders.
Meanwhile, Melonas said all the seats were filled for Friday’s trip.
“I’ve never seen more ‘thank-yous’ as people were leaving,” he said. “There were lots of smiles and lots of excitement.”