County’s railroad proposals stalled by state budget woes

Three railroad proposals in the county, including a possible “rails-to-trails” conversion of the now idle railroad line between Colfax and Pullman are now in limbo and local officials don’t expect the proposal will advance in the coming months, maybe years. The rails-to-trails proposal was linked to other railroad project plans which are also now believed to be dropping down the priority list as the state deals with budget shortages.

Also, the official letter of interest on the rails-to-trails option which was mailed to the Department of Transportation had only four of the six identified entities signing on.

Colfax, which requested more information on the proposal when the topic was brought to the city council, and the Port of Whitman were not among signees when the letter of interest was sent.

The letter, sent to state Department of Transportation officials June 2, stated local entities would be interested in converting the railroad right-of-way to a trail in the event the tracks were eventually pulled. The City of Pullman, Town of Albion, Whitman County and the Pullman Civic Trust, the group which has a major role in developing the Chipman Trail, signed on to the letter.

The letter of interest was sent to Scott Witt, director of the state DOT Rail and Marine office.

Pullman City Supervisor John Sherman said the concept was advanced by Stan Patterson of the Washington & Idaho Railway, Inc., which operates the line on the east side of the county. Patterson suggested rails pulled from the now-idle Colfax line could be used to rebuild the Oakesdale-Thornton link in the north part of the county. Restoration of that line would link the east side rail operation with the west side which ties into the Union Pacific line at Hooper.

One of Patterson’s reason for attempting to revive the former UP Oakesdale-Thornton link was the convenience of shipping to the UP system without having to move loads up the steep grade out of Colfax, Sherman said.

Port Manager Joe Poire said the port opted to pass on the rails-to-trails proposal because the port avoids policy stands which hamper freight mobility. Any stance which could eventually lead to pulling the rails is contrary to the port’s mission.

Sherman said the letter was sent with just four of the six entities signing because state DOT officials were approaching deadlines for budget preparations.

Poire and Sherman both noted the condition of the state’s budget and a transfer of Michael Rowswell to the state’s high speed rail project have handicapped any changes in the status of the county’s rail system.

Both noted the declines in the state budget, with the governor and legislature looking at staff cutbacks to cope with budget deficits, mean proposals for capital rail developments will get bumped down the priority list.

“They really aren’t too concerned about any kind of a railroad project in eastern Washington right now,” Sherman commented.

Both Poire and Sherman pointed out the cost projections for a revival of the Thornton-Oakesdale line will be increased because most of the former line’s right-of-way has returned to private ownership.

Colfax Mayor Norma Becker, who attended one of the proposal meetings in Pullman, said one key improvement for Colfax in the event a rails-to-trails initiative ever became a reality would be a right-of-way along the South Palouse River channel in town. She noted, however, most local officials favored restoration of the railroad service between the two towns.

The fate of the whole concept hinges on whether the state at some point decides to restore the trestle at Risbek which was destroyed in the 2006 fire which also took out the Risbek grain elevator. That decision also would have to be made in the same budget outloook which has probably grounded the Thornton-Oakesdale rail line.