WHAT RE-TRAC DOESN’T WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW
City Council On Track to Increase Casino Revenues at Taxpayers’ Expense
(Note 1: "ReTRAC" is Reno city hall's name for the Railroad Trench Scheme.)
(Note 2: Martin Crowley spent a sizeable amount of his own $$money to have this exposé printed
in the Reno Gazette.)
By Martin Crowley, candidate for Reno city council
In the face of what appears to be an overwhelming lack of public support for a downtown train trench, the City has been tenacious in its efforts to proceed with the project.
Over time, proponents of the trench have cited several arguments in defense of this quarter billion dollar project. Proponents argued that the trench was needed to eliminate safety issues, emergency vehicle impedance and traffic congestion.
While considering these arguments, it occurred to me that no mention has been made of the opinions held by those who actually drive the trains down the tracks.
Consequently, I contacted Mr. Mike Kemper, a local engineer with the Union Pacific Railroad, who has been employed in the railroad industry for the last 30 years. Given his extensive experience, I was anxious to sit down with him and obtain information directly from “the horse’s mouth.”
During our discussion, Mr. Kemper stated that he and his co-workers are adamantly opposed to the train trench. When asked why, he stated that aside from the apparent reason that the trench is being promoted at the behest of the downtown casinos, the trench poses extreme safety issues. In this respect, Mr. Kemper cited reduced access during emergency situations such as fire and spillage. As he explained, these situations are much more difficult to contain in a trench, particularly one that’s covered, and thus more likely to spread and contaminate resulting in potential for greater loss of lives. Therefore, the propensity for a bad situation to magnify and cause harm is vastly increased.
I was reminded of an incident that occurred in Baltimore last year. There, a train caught fire while below ground. Due to it’s lack of accessibility, the fire raged for days before it was extinguished causing several city blocks to be evacuated and the postponement of several Orioles’ games at Camden Yards. A similar railroad accident occurred recently in Switzerland requiring several months of restoration work before the train tunnel could be reopened.
According to Mr. Kemper, trains have transported munitions, atomic energy commission warheads, cyanide, hydrochloric acid, anhydrous ammonia, chlorine, fertilizer, fuel and other hazardous and volatile materials. Since propane gas is denser than air, such a leak from a rail tank would settle around the bottom of a train eventually filling a trench with no place to dissipate, just waiting for a spark of opportunity. Under certain circumstances, a disabled train in a trench can become a lethal bomb capable of leveling several city blocks. This becomes even more of a possibility considering that a high pressure 12" liquid fuel main pipeline runs underground parallel to Reno’s downtown tracks. If this weren’t enough, consider that a major earthquake fault lies beneath the Reno area and that during an earthquake a train below ground will be affected more than one above.
Given this scenario, you have now created a recipe for disaster.
While discussing the trench, a question arose whether an alternate route for the tracks is federally mandated for national security reasons and whether such an alternate route has been appropriately implemented in RE-TRAC’s plans.
Mr. Kemper went on to explain to me how even the grading of the tracks for the proposed trench would create safety issues. In this regard, he stated that there is already a steep decline into Reno which will become even steeper with the lowering of the tracks. Trains are not “roller coaster rides” and cannot absorb drastic variances in elevations without difficulties. In fact, variances cause problems with braking and can lead to a train splitting apart and derailing.
Mr. Kemper said that if the tracks were REALLY in need of relocation, a more efficient plan would be to elevate the tracks through downtown. Not only would this level out the tracks coming into Reno, it would give better accessibility to rescue crews in case of emergency.
The proposed lowering of the tracks brought another question to mind. How will vehicles get over the descending tracks? Will the numerous intersecting streets along the 2.1 mile trench way require a series of overpasses and underpasses to be built? Or, will the City simply abandon these streets at their points of intersection? As I recall, the City had previously discarded an alternate proposal to construct a series of overpasses and underpasses in lieu of the trench as a means to resolve the arguments brought forward by trench proponents.
After speaking with Mr. Kemper, I solicited the opinions of John Ryczkowski, a captain with the Reno Fire Department. In addition to his employment, Captain Ryczkowski is a train enthusiast and a member of Operation Lifesavers, a national railroad and highway crossing safety group. As a member of Lifesavers, Captain Ryczkowski stated that, contrary to proponent’s propaganda, Reno’s railways have had a “tremendous safety record.”
As a local firefighter for 30 years, Captain Ryczkowski echoed Mr. Kemper’s opinion that reduced access caused by the proposed trench would magnify difficulties in containing accidents and saving lives.
Concerning the issue of emergency vehicle impedance, Captain Ryczkowski said that in his 30 years with the R.F.D. he has never been impacted by a train while responding to emergency situations. According to Ryczkowski, trains have never been a concern to fire personnel in relation to emergency vehicle impedance. In this regard, he pointed out that fire stations and hospitals are located on both sides of the tracks and that in the event of an approaching train, personnel from the Evans Avenue Station simply take the Wells avenue overpass to avoid delays if responding to incidents on the tracks’ northside. Captain Ryczkowski reasoned that if the tracks truly presented an impedance problem as trench proponents argue, the City never would have taken the Sutro Street ladder truck out of commission in the early nineties. At the time, this was the only ladder truck on the tracks’ north side. Furthermore, Ryczkowski said that the City is considering closing the Ralston fire station in light of the fact that this station is the closest station on the north side of the tracks to the downtown area.
Captain Ryczkowski went on to say that the closing of Virginia Street for downtown events has a far greater impact upon emergency vehicle progress than train traffic. He stated that during certain downtown events, fire equipment and personnel have been positioned west of Virginia Street because of difficulties getting through the event area in case of emergency.
The desperate extremes to which proponents will go to deceive the public is exemplified in the following incident: Nearly one year ago, the City attempted to film a commercial depicting the alleged obstacle the tracks currently posed to the R.F.D. In this regard, at the behest of the City, personnel from the Evans Avenue Station were filmed with arms raised in helpless despair as bloodied mock accident victims lay dying on the opposite side of the tracks while a train passed in between. Obviously, in such a situation, R.F.D. would simply access the other side by virtue of the Wells Avenue overpass. This unethical and fraudulent portrayal of R.F.D. personnel, however, did not go without protest. The firefighters’ union filed a grievance against the City and, as a result, R.F.D. personnel were eventually edited from the commercial.
Captain Ryczkowski stated that the mere suggestion that R.F.D. would be hamstrung by a train passing through Reno is an insult to the entire department.
He does agree, however, that construction of the trench would cause a major impedance problem for vehicles responding to emergencies. Aside from this, numerous downtown businesses would be forced to close, never to open their doors again. It seems to me that if impedance was a genuine concern of the trench proponents, the proposal to close the Second Street/Dickerson Road underpass, R.F.D.’s nearest western route to bypass the train tracks, would never be considered.
In relation to train traffic, I learned that fewer trains are actually passing through Reno now than in the past. As Captain Ryczkowski pointed out, the “Overland Route, “which runs through Reno, is not the only East-West route available for train traffic. The “Sunset Route,” located to our south and passing through California, Arizona, and New Mexico, also provides a corridor for trains traveling east and west. Most importantly, the Sunset Route is viewed as more efficient than the Overland Route because it passes over a much more level course and does not encounter the harsh weather conditions posed with traveling over the Donner pass. In fact, contrary to the Overland Route, the Union Pacific has recently poured enormous amounts of money into upgrading the Sunset Route.
Contrary to RE-TRAC’s ads, the trains are not “coming.” The contract to ship from the Port of Oakland was awarded to Burlington Northern, not Union Pacific.
Furthermore, Burlington Northern will be transporting “double stack” containers which the tunnels on the Overland Route cannot accommodate due to their lack of ceiling height. Therefore, these “double stack” containers will be transported north of Reno over the Feather River Route.
In summation, Captain Ryczkowski sees no reason for the construction of a downtown trench.
In regard to the alleged traffic congestion caused by the current track location, this too, seems to be deceitful. If traffic congestion was a genuine concern of trench proponents, the City would not have abandoned a section of Mill Street for use as Siena’s parking lot nor would they now consider reducing Wells Avenue, R.F.D.’s eastern route over the tracks, from four lanes to two.
In relation to the funding of the trench, the City has told us that bonds issued for the project will be paid off through room tax revenues. However, the Gazette Journal recently reported that First Quarter room tax revenues have fallen 5.9% and that the area’s passenger count has fallen 15.4%. With the proliferation of gaming beyond our state’s borders, it’s realistic to expect room tax revenues to continue to decline in future years. If that occurs, will sufficient room tax revenues exist to pay off the bonds or will that “bottomless pit” known as the local taxpayers’ pockets once again be called upon to subsidize an unsound project?
Why has the trench project proceeded so tenaciously? It’s not due to the alleged safety concerns, emergency vehicle impedance or traffic congestion. Instead, quite simply, as Mr. Kemper pointed out, it’s due to downtown casino interests, mainly those who recently filed suit to invalidate the trench petition, Harrahs, Silver Legacy, and Eldorado.
These three properties have future plans for Virginia Street and the railroad tracks pose an obstacle to those plans. These three chose to build near the tracks in order to take advantage of the modest price of land. Now, they have used their influence to have the tracks removed at the taxpayers’ expense. Only through underground relocation will these properties financially benefit by the unobstructed land then provided through track removal. Once the tracks are removed, plans for a downtown events center linking Harrahs, Silver Legacy and Eldorado can proceed unimpeded.
What unscrupulous move will trench proponents implement next? It appears that, once the bids are reviewed, the City Council will then award contracts. Once the contracts are awarded, proponents will then attempt to dissuade the trench opponents from casting their votes against the project in the September primary elections. Proponents will cite that contracts have already been awarded and in the event the voters turn down the trench proposal at the polls, the City will be faced with several lawsuits seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Proponents will argue at least if the trench is built, taxpayers will have something to show for their money. Obviously, it would be prudent for the City Council to postpone the awarding of contracts until after the petition vote is resolved. However, without contracts in place, proponents of the trench cannot twist the arms of the voting public.
Should our elected officials continue to ignore the wishes of the public, a recall petition is our rightful recourse.
Martin Crowley, Esq. is the owner of American Legal Services
and a candidate for City Council Ward Four
(To discuss this and any other issues facing our city, call Martin at 337-8683.)
ReTRAC WEBSITE FALLACIOUS - STADIUM FUNDS MISSING
(Note: "ReTRAC" is Reno city hall's name for the Railroad Trench Scheme.)
Joe Panicaro
The May 31, 2002 article entitled “WHAT RE-TRAC DOESN’T WANT THE PUBLICTO KNOW” prompted me to undertake further investigation. Consequently, I solicited the expertise of local residents Mike Kemper and John Ryczkowski. Captain Ryczkowski, a thirty year veteran with R.F.D., has studied trains throughout his life and has authored a published book on the subject. Mike Kemper, a thirty year veteran of the railroad industry, has held such positions as engineer, supervisor and assistant train master and has authored a train operation
manual currently in use.
Together, the three of us reviewed the information posted on ReTRAC’s website and found it to be fallacious and misleading. For instance, a 13 mile gap of tracks exists over Donner Summit not a “6.5 mile gap” reported by ReTRAC. ReTRAC implies that replacement of this “gap” will result in the doubling of rail traffic. However, ReTRAC fails to state that the two sets of rails passing through Reno converge into a single set east of Reno at Vista. Therefore, rail traffic will remain restricted regardless of any replacement over Donner Summit. At its approximate price of $1,000,000 per mile, any track laid would have to justify it’s costs.
The website suggests that because the average number of trains passing through Arizona and Texas “averages 40-50" per day, Reno could expect the same. Such a comparison is inappropriate because the Arizona route is more efficient and economical due to better track and terrain conditions which is why trains choose to use this route instead of the Donner route.
In relation to “double stack freight”, ReTRAC states that only the “newer” “high cubes” cannot pass through the “snow sheds” but these are “a smaller percentage”. ReTRAC fails to state that due to their economic advantage, these larger capacity containers are the wave of the future. ReTRAC states that plans are in place to modify these “sheds” to allow “high cube” passage. However, it fails to mention that among the approximate twenty tunnels and sheds
located along the Donner route, UP has attempted to modify only one such passageway, although work was abandoned prior to completion.
ReTRAC neglects to state that shipping by truck is becoming more favorable than by rail due to efficiency and economics. For example the 115 mile distance from Reno to Roseville requires 6-11 hours by rail and the 135 mile distance between Reno and Hawthorne requires 8-10.
In fact, trucking has taken over the shipping of certain goods altogether.
ReTRAC fails to mention plans to widen the Panama Canal allowing for the passage of larger vessels which would reduce transcontinental shipping significantly.
Aside from rail traffic, suspicions over actual trench costs are also well justified.
According to an April 14, 1997 memo from Special Projects Inspector Robert Krum, $17,132,693.00 in construction costs of our National Bowling Stadium went unaccounted for.
In retrospect, one must question what incentive Council members have been given to force such a frivolous project on an unwilling public.

Joe Panicaro is 43-year Reno resident who is employed in the legal profession.
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