Daily Archives: October 14, 2005

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Railroads still important, even in 21st century

My friend David wrote this insightful comment on Bill’s blog tonight about rail service in Peoria:
I think people need an education about the importance of railroads – even in the 21st century.

Fact: Several U. S. air carriers are in Chapter 11 yet ALL U. S. freight railroads are solvent.

Fact: The US is still the largest manufacturing nation in the world and big, heavy stuff needs to be shipped short, medium and long distances. Locally, grain processors like ADM, Aventine and MGP are HIGHLY dependent on local railroads for their existence. Keystone Steel & Wire, which recently emerged from Chapter 11 and has regained lost customers, is also highly dependent on local railroads for receving raw materials and shipment of product nationwide. Caterpillar tractors are big and heavy and all of these shipped to export markets go by rail to West, Gulf and East Coast ports.

Fact: Metro Peoria is served by TEN railroads. There are few other cities in this country with that status.

Fact: Peoria is competing with the likes of Rochelle, Illinois, which is quite proactive in developing rail-served industrial sites – even building new track to access these areas. The city owns the railroad and connects with two Class 1’s (BNSF and Union Pacific), thus allowing for rate competition.

Fact: Rochelle is served by its own shortline and two Class 1’s; while Peoria-Pekin’s Tazewell & Peoria RR connects with NINE others – BNSF, Canadian National, Central Illinois RR (for now) Illinois & Midland, Iowa Interstate, Keokuk Junction, Norfolk Southern, TP&W and Union Pacific. Peoria leaders seem to forget this, and towns like Rochelle attract major industrial developments, and the good-paying jobs that go with them.

Peoria is a bit small for commuter trains. Rail freight service is what matters.

DPJ
As usual, David’s comments are worth their own post — can’t stand to see them buried in the comments section.  As for his last point — that Peoria is a bit small for commuter trains — I’m afraid I have to agree.  I would love nothing more than to see commuter rail in Peoria, but I don’t think it’s feasible at this time.
 
In an article just published today, I read that the state of Arizona is considering statewide commuter rail, but the reason is to relieve highway congestion because their population is projected to double or even triple in the next twenty years.  Illinois’ population trend doesn’t look so promising, and Peoria’s population in particular appears to be stagnant or falling.  Couple that with the six to eight lanes we have through town on the interstate now, and I don’t foresee any traffic congestion for years to come.

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SBC doesn’t want my business

A while back, I switched from SBC to McLeodUSA for my local phone service.  I switched because, at the time, SBC was charging me something like 12¢ per minute for local toll calls.  McLeod was offering one of those “60 minutes of local toll and/or long distance for x dollars.”  It worked out to be considerably less per minute than SBC.  I called SBC and asked them if they could match it, and they said they couldn’t because of regulation.  So I switched.
 
Well, regulation apparently has changed since then because I kept getting advertisements and incentives to go back to SBC in the mail, and apparently they can do even better than McLeod now.  So when I moved to the Uplands, I thought this would be a good time to switch back. 
 
On September 7, I called SBC at 1-866-999-6181 and talked to “Michele.”  She was in another state, of course (Utah, if I remember correctly).  But she feigned interest in my move anyway, like a good sales rep.  I told her what I wanted (pretty much bare-bones service), found out all the prices, then committed to switch my phone service over.  They said they’d waive the reconnection charge, and that it would take approximately five days for the change to take effect.  After I talked to “Michele,” she transferred me to a third-party verification service where I verified I really wanted to switch to SBC. 
 
And then I waited. 
 
It’s now been five weeks, and my phone service is still being handled by McLeod.  No change, no explanation, no contact from SBC whatsoever. 
 
So, I guess they don’t want my business.  Which is odd, since every SBC employee I’ve met bellyaches about having to let companies like McLeod have access to their network at wholesale rates while they (SBC) have to do all the maintenance.  You’d think they’d jump at the chance to take a customer away from McLeod.
 
They’ve driven me away twice now.  I don’t think there will be a third time.  Not that they care.