WTF? Union Pacific plans to fight California high-speed rail plan

[marmar]

via masstransitmag:




Union Pacific Vows to Fight High-Speed Rail

By Mike Rosenberg
San Jose Mercury News (California)


CALIFORNIA - Signaling its most forceful objection yet and perhaps protracted court battles Union Pacific has notified the California high-speed rail authority that it will fight the state's newest plans to run bullet trains from the South Bay to the Central Valley, including along Monterey Highway in San Jose.

The Delaware-based company, which runs late-night freight trains along the Caltrain corridor and south into the Central Valley, says the California High Speed Rail Authority's revised route plans released in March are "not acceptable."

The rail authority needs land owned by Union Pacific south of the San Jose Diridon Station including the property for the Gilroy high-speed rail station and in the Central Valley to build its railroad to Southern California.

But in a recent letter to the authority, Union Pacific rejected a plan to negotiate the sale of the land and vowed to join its freight-shipping customers in warding off the state's attempts to grab their land through eminent domain. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=3&id=11448

[wryter2000]

1. Eff them

Eminent domain their whole effing business and turn everything over to Amtrak. :mad:

[Brickbat]

2. Holding out for serious money and protecting their interests.

Makes sense.

[YOY]

3. I keep telling folks...UP are the assholes of the US train world...

They effing HATE Amtrak.

[KonaKane]

4. How stupid.

"Bring back the buggey whip!" - UP officials

[Huskerchub]

5. Yeah, like I'd trust the "reporting"

of an idiot that states Union Pacific is a "Delaware-based company". UP's headquarters is in Omaha, NE and has been since inception.

[jody]

8. Union Pacific is incorporated in Delaware with headquarters in Nebraska. n/t

[Motown_Johnny]

6. Hmmm..... I wonder exactly how they got that land in the first place

[FBI_Un_Sub]

7. High speed rail is hitting a lot of hiccoughs

Such as:

1. The route "up the peninsula" means a lot of eminent domain in the toniest communities of Northern California (Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton, San Mateo, Belmont, etc). These people can fight all the way up to the Supreme Court.
   
2. The route takes a lot of high value real estate off of the tax rolls.
   
3. For local commuters there is no advantage over the existing CalTrain system.
   
4. The cost has far exceeded projections.
   
5. The cost is far above the amount specified in the bond elections.
   
6. No environmental impact statement for this route.
   
7. The opposition is lawyered up and monied up
   

My prediction -- the East Bay route -- along Interstate 880.

[Blue Owl]

9. Maybe this is a little clue?

[earth mom]

10. So eminent domain is biting big business in the a$$. Sweet poetic justice.

Considering how the law was supposed to only steal land from the little guy.

Suck it up Union Pacific. :nopity: