I have just a few comments to make about today’s Kellar Branch editorial. I knew when I saw a pro-rail article on Sunday that a negative editorial had to be just around the corner, and the Journal Star did not dissapoint.
Titled “Commuter rail on Kellar line a fantasy,” the Journal Star tells us to “[f]ile this [idea] under the folder marked ‘Pie in the Sky.'” This, from a newspaper that thinks a hiking trail is going to draw tourists and residents to Peoria in droves, as if a hiking trail were some sort of unique geological feature not present in every other city.
They argue that riding the train downtown would take too long. “Peoria’s the 15-minute city, remember? It’s far easier to hop in the car.” “Even if gas was $5 a gallon,” they insist, “it’s hard to believe that North Peoria and Dunlap workers and shoppers in any number would park their cars at a depot” and take the train. Yet just four months ago (May 6), they one of their reporters had this to say: “Hikers and bikers hoping to save gasoline or work off calories on the Kellar Branch trail likely won’t be using it any time soon.” (emphasis mine) So, apparently, the Journal Star trail advocates believes that people will park their cars at a trail access point, walk or bike in the elements to their workplace or to go shopping, all in an effort to save gas. But they won’t go to an enclosed depot, get on a climate-controlled train, and ride it to work or go shopping. Somehow, that plan isn’t “Pie in the Sky.”
The next line is killer: “Beyond that, who’s going to pay for this? Where’s the feasibility study? If private sector folks were convinced they could do this without courting bankruptcy, they’d be lining up, wouldn’t they?” Ironically, Pioneer Railcorp, a private business, has already offered to pay for it. They’ve been lining up to purchase the line, provide freight service, help build the trail, and provide commuter/tourist train service. And they’ve had that offer on the table for two years. The city would get $565,000 for the line, $100,000 in help building the trail, yet the Journal Star implies this private development would be costlier to the taxpayer than ripping out the half-million dollar asset and leasing the whole right-of-way to the Park District for $1/year for 99 years! And speaking of feasibility studies, where is the Park District’s?
“Let’s call this proposal what it is: a misguided attempt to try to derail plans for a Kellar branch hiking/biking trail,” they say. First of all, let’s not mix metaphors. The hiking/biking trail proponents are the ones who want to “de-rail” the Kellar Branch. Secondly, that statement is patently untrue. Those who want to save the Kellar rail line are in favor of a trail side-by-side with the rail line. Pioneer has even offered to donate $100,000 in equipment and labor toward building the trail! Ignorance is bliss at 1 News Plaza. The Journal Star seems to be exhibiting a martyr complex.
This statement is puzzling: “The more shrill opponents erroneously assert that anyone who supports a Kellar hiking trail must then oppose trains, as if rail and trail were arch-enemies. Wrong. Central Illinois’ freight rail infrastructure greatly benefits the region.” This, after they just finished falsely accusing commuter rail proponents of opposing trails! Add projection to the martyr complex. And who are these “shrill opponents” of whom they speak?
“But let’s not kid ourselves. Peoria isn’t […] Napa Valley, Calif., drawing the tens of thousands of customers necessary to sustain a tourism train.” Did you know the Journal Star was an expert on how many customers are necessary to sustain a tourist train? I’m sure they’ve done an exhaustive feasibility study on this. Pioneer Railcorp actually owns and operates a tourist train in Gettysburg, Penn. Who do you think is in a better position to guage the feasibility of this plan — Pioneer or the Journal Star?
I won’t bother typing out the final paragraph as it’s just a summary of their faulty reasoning. Whether or not you believe commuter rail is feasible, at least it would be provided by a private company and the city would derive the proceeds of over a half-million dollars for the line. And if commuter service fails, the city would still have freight rail service and a trail alongside the rail line. So, what is there to lose?
In case anyone doubts a train line and hiking/biking trail can peaceably co-exist, the Green Bay Trail runs parallel to the Chicago Metra commuter train line for many miles along Chicago’s North Shore suburbs, from about Wilmette north all the way up to Waukegan (maybe further). The trains travel as fast as 50 MPH or so. Both have been there for decades, and both are heavily used. All that separates them for most of the distance is a row of trees and shrubs.
I don’t think that the available width of the line in most spots would be conducive to a co-existing hiking trail/rail line. I really do believe that plan would be, for the most part, “pie in the sky.” That being said, the hiking/biking trail is never going to happen. No matter what anyone tells you, the Park District will never be able to scrounge up the funds to do the trail, PERIOD. So, we can either let it continue as a weed-infested former rail line, or we can get the trains up and moving again.
http://home.comcast.net/~cmorhiker/GBTrailBike.html
http://home.comcast.net/~cmorhiker/McCloryBikePath.html
Here is what’s possible. There are actually two separate trails, the northerly portion extending into Kenosha, WI.
C. J.
The JSEB chooses to be ignorant of history. If there is an “anti-trail” sentiment among rail supporters it’s because of the trail proponents’ insistence that they should have the Kellar Branch right-of-way all to themselves and insisted, despite numerous warnings to the contrary, that “alternative rail service from the west” would be comparable (and ‘better” some foolishly claimed). They thought they had it all figured out. It was a “win-win” situation. How could anyone oppose them?
Trail proponents offered shallow arguments and outright falsehoods (remember why Pioneer Railcorp sued them for libel because of the petitions that were being handed out locally?) as to why Peoria HAS to fill the six-mile gap between the Rock Island trail and the riverfront (the petition’s information was based on articles that appeared in the Journal Star). They regularly demonstrate incredible ingnorance of railroads and failed to understand how their poorly-planned and implemented alternative rail service (via Union Pacific) would not only increase transit times and transportation costs for Pioneer Park customers, but that it threatened to put these customers out of business. Our prophecies are being fulfilled.
You, I and others who blog about this issue from the perspective of rail supporters are the “shrill opponents” that this editorial speaks. But we’ve presented arguments and facts that trail proponents cannot refute (notice how few if anyone makes an attempt on these blogs anymore) and that bothers them. You, I and others can tear apart a pro-trail editorial in a matter of seconds. We are perceived as a threat to their interests. If our arguments were ineffective, it’s unlikely that we would have their attention.
CJ, note that this line — “Hikers and bikers hoping to save gasoline or work off calories on the Kellar Branch trail likely won’t be using it any time soon†— came from Elaine Hopkins, not the editorial page.
the “peculiar reason” the idea is gaining steam is that it makes sense, unlike the nonsense that we get from the out-of-touch editors of the JS.
As for “shrill opponents” – that is nothing but the pot calling the kettle black.
And time – if people won’t ride a train to save gas and hassle, who is going to spend several hours riding up and down that hill? (hint, the answer is the few fit young people who don’t have to go to work at any particular time on nice days – how many spoiled “trust fund kids” live in Peoria?)
Finally, parking IS costly in Peoria. Much more expensive than most cities twice its size. That’s one of the reasons downtown is died years ago (or, as one recent visitor told me, it’s “nothing but bars, banks and lawyers”).
Years ago bikers and hikers supported trains because they can be complimentary. It is the Park District, the JS and the handful of trail-crazed followers they have that have declared war on trains.
Where the hell does this “15 minute city” idea come from? I can’t get to Dunlap from my house in 15 minutes. It takes over 20 minutes just to get to pioneer park as it is. Maybe at 3 in the morning when there’s no traffic but that would be an exception. I can probably make it downtown from my house to downtown in 15 minutes but thats living next to the Gale exit so thats probably an exception too. Hell it takes about 10 minutes for me to drive up Sterling to the mall area as it is. Five years ago it was maybe a 5 minute drive but not anymore. So this “15 minute city” notion is outdated at best.
SA, if you would bother to fully read my comment, you would know that the width of the “rail beds” throughout most of the Kellar line is not ANYWHERE near the width of the lines you showed on the websites. I did not say that it was impossible… I merely said that the vast majority of the line is not nearly wide enough to accomodate such a package. Take a good look at the pretty shots you sent along… then go out and measure the width of the line before you hit the backyards of people’s homes. I just don’t think it can be done safely.
Me thinks someone is squealing very loudly because they are being hurt where it counts. As for feasibility studies on the park n ride trolley they will be done in time along with everything else. The Illinois Prairie Railroad Foundation, of which I am president is the leader of this project. Several of us have been involved with tourist railways and in fact I was president of the BOD of one for a number of years and am very familiar with the workings of this business. Also several others in the group are very familiar and currently working with railroads and know of what they speak. There is room for the rails and trails to work together. No one is saying that it will run directly along side of the tracks the entire way. This is where we need to go to the design board and work on the problem. It is really not as difficult as it sounds. Why is it that the trail proponents don’t want to sit down and talk? We are willing, where are they? We are working hard to benefit both groups and the entire Peoria area. Is it really that hard to sit down and talk like civilized humanbeings with the greater good of all of Peoria not just a select group. Also being a 15 minute town is out of date. The jams in the parking decks, the cost, the exhaust emissions from all of the vehicles are all things that can be worked on with this proposal. It will also highlight the new museum and be used for many other things besides just a park n ride. We are all a piece of the puzzle of the community and we all need to come together and make the whole picture. We are ready are you?
Prego: I once posted the topo/elevation shots of the 2 spots along the kellar line where it would be a problem. The worst one is over War Dr. Maybe CJ can repost them.
They are planning on going under War Drive with a tunnel, not using the RR trestle.
DMDave — you’re right; I stand corrected.
Nevertheless, trail advocates have often cited that as a use for the trail. For instance, in an article titled “GPS give Rock Island Trail an upgrade” (8/24/06), “[Phil] Lockwood urges the public to use the trail, which runs through several urban areas and allows people to bike to their various destinations rather than drive and incur the high cost of gasoline.”
So, even though the JSEB hasn’t personally posited this argument, I still think this general double-standard among trail advocates is worth pointing out since it appears frequently in the pages of the PJS.
If you walk the line ALL the way through Peoria Heights, you will find that the width is not very wide at all… certainly not enough to put up a barrier of any type between the tracks and the path. From Junction City all the way to the VFW, the backyards are not too far from the tracks themselves. I just don’t see any way in God’s creation that such a set-up could be done SAFELY. Certainly nothing like the links that SA put up.
So what if portions of the hiking trail are more narrow than what would be considered perfect? It’s not like the trains will be running 60+mph like they do around Chicago, nor will there be trains every couple of minutes. Work-arounds can (and will have to be) made. Look at every small town on the existing portions of the Rock Island Trail. The trail uses actual streets (can you believe this?) for the hikers/bikers. Where are the protestors?
Personaly, I would not walk/bike the Kellar Branch. There are way too many unsavory areas that it passes thru. I use the existing Rock Island Trail; a lot.
I think it would be nice for people to have a convenient, safe place to run, jog and bike on a decent surface (not concrete for the runners). If it can have nice scenery so much the better. But this should not be provided at the expense of commerce. I don’t know why a trail has to be totally continuous if traffic on it can be diverted along side streets or in other ways for the portions for which there isn’t room alongside the tracks. Seems a shame the experts can’t get together to figure out a solution that works for everyone.
1. I live on Mossville Rd by the Methodist Church. A stone’s throw from Rt 29. I have timed my drive to work at Bradley many times. Absolutely no less than 22 minutes. I have also timed the drive to BU on Rt 6, the end of which is about the same 1-mile distance from my house as Rt 29. That drive takes no less than 20 minutes. I can’t imagine what the drive is like for folks in Dunlap/Edelstein/Alta, etc – who live further from either route than I do. They are driving no less than 20 minutes, I would bet $100 on it. Some 15 minute city.
2. The trains that run on the Kellar branch will be going slow, 10-20 mph, especially the heavy freight. Anybody ever walked beside a slow freight train? Having done this, not too scary, IMHO. Dude, bikers will be passing the freight cars at this speed. As long as there’s no high voltage third rail, I really don’t see a need for hyperconcern.
MDD and CGiselle, even if the trains are standing still, if someone gets hurt on one of them, and there is no effective barrier, be it fence or shrubbery between the trains and the path, there WILL be a lawsuit (and a darned good one). No question about it. I don’t think the Park District, the City, the Village, whomever will open up that can of worms. I wish it COULD happen, because it would be the best of both worlds, but in this day and age, your statement of : “So what if portions of the hiking trail are more narrow than what would be considered perfect?” would have plaintiff attorneys salivating.
Once again, you need a 5 foot chain link fence 15 feet out from center of track to seperate the trail. Also, to be frank, we would have to take into account the speed of a future commuter train because that’s what we eventually see there.
The PJSEB misses tha point (big surprise).
SO WHAT if commuter rail doesn’t make sense TODAY.
We’re thinking about THE FUTURE!!
D U H!!!!
Also, I’ve heard the proposed bridge and approaches over Knoxville will cost as much as 4 million. What do you think a tunnel under War Dr would cost?
freight trains on the Kellar Branch go no more than 10 mph and are infrequent and short. Even if they derail, they just drop on the ground. The chances of interference with the trail are extremely slim. Look at how close the trail is to the tracks down by the RiverStation.
WHAT trail? That’s a SIDEWALK, for cryin’ out loud! Trail… sidewalk… trail… sidewalk… two different things. Trail invites people to stay on it for a loooooooong time. Sidewalk invites you to go, say a couple hundred feet to get to the Antique Mall or something. And, what happens if that slow-moving freight train derails on top of a Boy Scout troop? Even if there’s a .0098 chance of it happening, well, insurance companies LOOK at that stuff.
That’s great news, Prego Man! The park district’s whole reason for tearing out the Kellar Branch and turning it into a trail was so they could connect the Rock Island Trail to the Pimiteoui Trail, which runs along the riverfront there, making one contiguous trail from Toulon to Morton. If, as you say, that’s not a trail, but a sidewalk, and the two are mutually exclusive, then it looks like connecting the two trails is impossible! Since you’ve destroyed the whole premise of their reasoning, it looks like we can save a lot of money and hassle by just scrapping the trail plans altogether and selling the Kellar line for freight rail traffic alone. You’ve solved the problem!
C.J., there are two sets of train tracks down along Water St. I assumed the writer was talking about the set up between the River Station and Water St. THAT is a sidewalk. I had no idea that there was even a trail down by the river. I’ve looked over that area many times down by the Post Office, and have never seen anything that looked like a trail. Apparently, I misunderstood where the trail is or is supposed to be.
Thank goodness I’ve been enlightened. Hallelujah!
Its interesting all the things that have been posted about the width of the trail and track and not being wide enough in certain places. This is true, but alternative routes can be found for the trail in these areas if the trail proponents are willing to look and discuss them. As for the bridges over Knoxville, they are going to have to do that whether there is a train there or not. This is going to be a very long bridge because it has to be ADA compliant. Also with heavy traffic running under it on a daily basis it is going to have to be maintained and who is going to do that and who is going to pay for it? As for the tunnel at War Memorial Drive that is there business but have any of you been through the one in Alta? That one would scare you to death. Visit it before you condone a tunnel under the road.
As for rickety old track, that track is in better shape than some of the freight trackage running right now in the area of Peoria. And if Pioneer buys it they will upgrade to handle the trolley and freight at their own expense. We can have the trail and freight, park n ride, tourism and commerce all along the same route and benefit many more residents and visitors than just the trail alone.
There is going to be a feasibility study done, the people and businesses along the track are going to be talked to and given a chance to put their opinion in on this matter.
Also those that wish to ride or walk downhill on their bikes, etc., will have the opportunity to ride back up on the trolley and it will carry bike racks much like the local City Link carries. This again benefits more than just a few. Also those that wish to go out to the north/west areas to ride or hike and take the trolley part way. And as for the unsavory areas along the track they will be much safer with the trolley and regular freight runs to defray those that want to do harm to a hiker or biker because someone from one of the railroad vehicles will be looking at them. So this benefits the trail users also.
There are so many plusses for both sides that it is ridiculous to do all this standing up and screaming instead of sitting down and working the details out between all parties concerned.
The trail proponents have been touting “for the greater good” so lets do what is for the “greater good”. Sit down and talk and work it out.
Sharon Deckard IPRRF