INTERMODAL · FREIGHT · PASSENGER · TOURIST
The Freight House, Northfield, NH
Meeting Notices:
June
NHRRA Meeting will be at 7:00 PM on Monday, 25 June, Northfield Freight House.
May 21 Meeting Minutes: The April meeting minutes
were accepted as written. The
Treasurers report was read and accepted at $897.00 in the account with $170.25
to be deposited.
National Corridors
Initiative: Peter thanked the group for
funding his attendance at the Washington, DC meeting. He had discussions with many notables on Amtrak health and
growth, and the advent of High Speed Rail in several areas of the country and
Canada. A clear majority of US Senators
have signed on to the High Speed Rail bill.
Legislative Affairs: George Katsakiores reported the Railroad Trespass Bill was turned
down with a new bill to be drafted for next year. Liability legislation was again turned down. The new legislation regarding access leases
along state owned ROW passed.
Lowell to Manchester MBTA: GRS is now demanding that
NHDOT pay for liability insurance “up front”.
Since the rates are based on the safety record of the Maintenance
Contractor, and the legislature turned down Liability Limitation legislation,
this could be very costly for the State.
J. Monahan, GRS lobbyist, previously suggested a northern New England
(ME,NH,VT) “group” liability insurance approach.
Manchester and Lawrence
Branch: The Londonderry Housing and
Redevelopment Authority is in the act of aquiring another 1000 acres near the
airport, bringing to a total 1,452 acres for industrial development along the
M&L corridor. Pending town council
approval. NHDOT and Guilford are
negotiating for transfer of the remaining ROW in Salem. CLF is expecting an early hearing and
determination by the NH Supreme Court.
Only two (2) senators showed up at the last M&L/Northen Line Task
Force Meeting.
Conway Branch: NHDOT and Guilford are negotiating transfer of the
remaining Conway Branch ROW. Track
removed on the Mountain Division for road construction in North Conway will be
replaced after construction is finished.
Boston to Montreal/Northern
Line: Much is being discussed about Canadian
National interests in this route with NECR interests faltering under
RailAmerica. (Track conditions temporarily
halted “Vermonter” operations at this writing).
Boston to Portland
Amtrak: Speed and platform construction
issues still being dealt with. STB ruling expected by August.
New Hampshire Seacoast Task
Force: Bill Mosher to chair the May
30 meeting in Portsmouth. Report at
next meeting.
Milford and Bennington
Railroad: The GRS portion of the Nashua to Bennington
line is currently held to 5 mph maximum because of track conditions. The New Hampshire owned portion is in
operation at 40 mph.
Stuart Draper and Peter Leishman are
considering running a Tourist/Dinner Train between Wilton and Lindeboro.
Financing: Dave White is looking into obtaining grant money to
support our endeavors.
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The
meeting adjourned at 8:30.
Recorded: Gus Sheedy
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News Notes
Public Transportation Ridership is up: Public Transportation
ridership was up for the fifth straight year, carrying 9.4 billion riders in
2000, a 3.5 percent increase over the previous year. This is the highest number of trips in over 40 years according to
the American Public Transit Association.
Of this, heavy rail was up 7.6 percent, light rail up 5.3 percent, and
commuter rail up 5.2 percent.
Federal
Highway Administration figures revealed highway travel was relatively flat
for the first time in 20 years.
[Paul W Chapman <milepost10@juno.com> Wed 6/20/01 6:05 AM]
