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Keep Washington Competitive opposed to Spokane ballot measure
Keep Washington Competitive, a coalition of representatives from trade organizations, wrote an open letter explaining why they are opposed to a ballot measure that the Spokane City Council just approved for the fall election. Below are portions of that letter and we encourage you to read the full article linked below:
Contrary to federal law and ignoring the advice of two different legal and policy advisers, the Spokane City Council moved forward with a controversial ballot measure banning the transport of coal and oil by rail through the city.
By a vote of 5-1, the council moved for the measure to be placed on the Nov. 7 general election ballot. Both the city’s mayor and county sheriff joined the city’s legal advisors in warning the council the proposal would be problematic, if ultimately approved by voters.
“It’s unenforceable, and that’s going to create some real problems for the city,” added Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, who has openly opposed the measure. “This measure has been deemed unconstitutional and is politically driven. It will force the city to spend millions to defend it in losing cause; that’s money that could be better spent on vital public needs like more policing, fire protection and road repairs,” he said.
The measure seeks to amend the Spokane Municipal Code to make it a class 1 civil infraction for any person or entity to allow a rail car it owns to ship uncontained coal and some types of oil by rail through the downtown Spokane corridor, or within 2,000 feet of a school, hospital or the Spokane River. The measure would impose a civil fine of $261 per car on the owners of the railcars shipping the prohibited fossil fuels through the city limits.
Michael Cathcart, executive director of Better Spokane, said the council is being irresponsible by ignoring the advice of its own legal and policy advisers.
Keep Washington Competitive works to promote bi-lateral trade growth in Washington state through sound state policies and fostering a regulatory environment that encourages investment in our state trade industries.
Read the full letter written by
Keep Washington Competitive here
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Spotlight: Oregon
BNSF RAILWAY IN OREGON
Total Employees
– 362
Combined Payroll
– $26,305,905
BNSF Foundation Giving
– $91,140
Lines Operated
- Route miles owned: 226
- Route miles trackage rights: 182
Carloadings
- Originated: 84,166
- Handled within state: 317,270
- Terminated: 150,309
MAJOR FACILITIES IN OREGON
Rail Yards
– Bend, Klamath Falls, Portland
Intermodal Facilities –
Portland
EVERYTHING WE DO STARTS WITH SAFETY
Freight rail is already the safest mode of ground transportation, and we’re always working to improve it.
We continue to invest across our network to make the transportation of crude oil and other hazardous materials even safer.
- $4.1 billion invested in technology, infrastructure, and equipment in 2016
- $200 million invested in the implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology since 2016
- 11,000 first responders trained in 2016
- 250 of our own responders and specialized equipment prepared to deploy at 60 locations along our routes
- More than $1 billion devoted to rail bridge capital investments since 2006
- Our bridge inspectors conducted more than 61,000 bridge inspections in 2016
- 2,000+ trackside detectors deployed across the BNSF Railway network
- 650+ inspectors visually inspect more than 10 million miles of track every year
MOVING TOWARD A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT
BNSF is proud to be an industry leader in protecting the environment. Our fleet of locomotives is already the newest and cleanest-burning in the industry, and we continue to upgrade with new and more efficient engines.
CAPITAL COMMITMENTS
In 2017, BNSF plans to invest approximately $3.4 billion in capital expansion and maintenance across its system. The largest component of the plan will be to replace and maintain BNSF’s core network and related assets to ensure BNSF continues to operate a safe and reliable network. In addition, the plan includes investing in expansion projects, continuing implementation of positive train control (PTC), and acquiring new locomotives, freight cars, and other equipment. Over the last two years, BNSF has invested more than $30 million in Oregon.
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BNSF helping farmers and families
BNSF employees are dedicated to
the success of our agricultural customers. Katie Hofmann, market manager, Feed and Grain, grew up on a ranch in southeast Montana where her family raised cattle and grew wheat, oats and barley. “I have family as well as friends that are still in the industry,” says Hofmann, “and so for me, coming to work every day is not only for the success of BNSF but also the success of my family and friends.”
Click the video on the left to learn more.
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Washington State Department of Transportation’s train safety tips
Can you tell how fast a train is traveling by looking at it?
No. Because of the size of a train, it appears to be traveling much slower than you think, making the train appear to be farther away than it is. It is impossible to judge the speed of a train under these conditions.
What are grade crossings and grade separations?
- A railroad grade crossing is an intersection where a rail line and a roadway (or pathway) cross one another at the same level.
- A grade separation is created when a bridge or tunnel is built to allow the roadway to pass over or under the rail line, completely separating automobiles and other traffic from train traffic.
To learn more about train safety click
here for more WSDOT safety info
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BNSF Railway Foundation supports Frontier Days at High Desert Museum
The BNSF Railway Foundation donated to the High Desert Museum to support their Frontier Days program. This program provides cultural experiences to underserved youth in Oregon. For five days in April, Frontier Days engaged 1,280 fourth grade students in life on the Oregon Trail and 19th century Oregon, increasing their understanding of the history of the American West.
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BNSF Railway Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club team up for a day of fun
BNSF Railway Foundation teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club and the Tacoma Rainiers to bring Field Day to the kids in South Puget Sound. This event allowed kids to spend an afternoon playing on the field of the Tacoma Rainiers alongside the actual players. Thank you to the Boys and Girls Club for allowing BNSF to be a part of this amazing event.
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BNSF sustainability recognition
BNSF is proud to be featured in Inbound Logistics Magazine’s annual G75 list. This list is made up of the top 75 logistics companies that go above and beyond in sustainability efforts.
Among BNSFs many green achievements, Inbound Logistics Magazine called out BNSFs efforts in:
CURRENT GREEN INITIATIVES
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Use alternative fuel/energy sources
- Reduce energy usage
- Install energy-efficient lighting
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT
Over the past 10 years, BNSF has cut average locomotive particulate matter emissions nearly in half.
Read more by clicking
HERE
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Emergencies – Call 800-832-5452
To report a vehicle stalled on a crossing, suspicious circumstances, malfunctioning crossing gates and lights or any other emergency, call 800-832-5452 immediately.
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Have a Question for Us?
Do you have a question about BNSF or rail in the Pacific Northwest that you would like addressed in future issues of Inside Track? Send them to
[email protected].
We welcome your feedback and ideas!
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