California High-Speed Rail Criticized In Public Hearing
Posted: 16 Nov 2011 06:52 PM PST
A public hearing on the plan to build a high-speed rail line through California was held Tuesday night. If approved, the bullet train would run from San Francisco to Anaheim, stopping at areas in the Central Valley. Officials from the California High-Speed Rail Authority, citizen groups, and business and labor groups all presented during the four-hour public hearing.
Critics of the project voiced concerns over the cost, calling it a job killer with questionable ridership and revenue projections. Estimated to cost $98.5 billion in funding over a 20-year period, the rail line is heavily dependent on federal dollars. Opponents call this plan risky since funding could fluctuate when a new official takes office.
Supporters at the meeting claimed that the cost of construction, although high, is actually less than the cost of maintaining current infrastructure in California. They also said that the construction would give work to hundreds of thousands of people. The jobs would be especially impactful in the construction industry, which is a sector that has been hit hard in the recent years. Cement masons, electricians, and laborers alike could benefit from this investment in these jobs.
Law officials will vote in January on whether or not to sell high-speed rail bonds, so the public still has 60 days to voice complaints or approvals of the rail project.
Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad
Posted: 16 Nov 2011 05:22 PM PST
The Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad was formed in 1982 by the Stephenson County Antique Engine Club, who specialize in antique engines for cars, water pumps, and of course, a steam locomotive. A 1912 Heisler was purchased from the Whitewater Valley Railroad and stored at the Stephenson County Fairgrounds on the south side of Freeport, Illinois. Across Walnut Road ran the Milwaukee Road’s “Southwestern” branch, which ran from Racine, WI to Kittridge, IL. After the Milwaukee abandoned this line, the engine club purchased 1.7 miles of the right-of-way in 1983 between Walnut and Baileyville Roads and re-laid the trackage two years later. The locomotive was moved across the road to a new train shed in 1986, and operations began that year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA_TIdq7gVY
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