Comments on: Speeder Raises Rail Concerns – August 19, 2010

By: Cesare Caligari

Cesare Caligari — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:19:46 +0000

“EPIC” in a never ending quest to extort protection money from anybody who they disagree with tends to first make unfounded claims, then build future attacks on those unfounded claims as if they were well known facts.

In the mean time, where people have been allowed to tresspass on the privately owned railroad property we have homeless camps full of trash and filth as well as crime hot spots.

If anybody would bother to check the actual agreement that NCRA has with the Timber Heritage folks, they will see that THA is allowed to use the tracks from Samoa to Eureka. Unfortunately, the City of Arcata has torn out a section of track (and been told by the Federal Rail Authoruty that they must restore it), sold off the rails and the workwrs took the ties home. So even local government seems to feel that their wishes are above the law.

I’m all in fgavor of the living histort preservation efforts of THA.

I also want to see a hike and bike trail built along with an interurban trolley system, right down the center of Highway 101 where it won’t lead to bigger homeless camps and ready-made ambush sites.

By: Joshua Woods

Joshua Woods — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:57:35 +0000

Stupid complainers who don’t ever want the railroad to operate again… People discust me…

By: Cesare Caligari

Cesare Caligari — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:03:04 +0000

I believe that the crux of the matter is an association of interests that believe they could profit greatly by selling off the tracks and ties that some folks want removed. A great deal of profit could come to s few local and not so local folks.

One thing that is usually overlooked is that the railroads in this end of the State are not abandonned. They are temporarily out of service. And the distinction is a matter of Federal jurisdiction. Where rails and ties have been stolen, those respopsible appear to be guilty of rather serious crimes.

Using fictious environmental and safety “concerns” in order to cause real damage for profit is not a new thing. But it is still a shameful thing.

By: Alfred Doten

Alfred Doten — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:29:54 +0000

The detail these signatories resorted to in order to kill what little fun in the fog there is these days in Humboldt County is what angers me. For the love of pavement and internal combustion what do these wackos think they are going to accomplish by sandbagging any rail revival north of the Golden Gate? In a region dominated by Indian Casinos, unemployment, tourism and dope…..is that it??????
ARD

By: kevpod

kevpod — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:32:00 +0000

"Only in Arcata, could environmental extremists twist something like a fun little train ride for the kids into a political uproar!" "Please get the facts straight..." The four signatories to the letter protesting rail use and the Speeder were people in Redway, Eureka, Eureka and Sausalito.

By: Theodor Woodings

Theodor Woodings — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:19:35 +0000

Only in Arcata, could environmental extremists twist something like a fun little train ride for the kids into a political uproar! Further, the facts of the matter were twisted to fit their agenda, The wash-out at Bracut had nothing to do with the slight movement of gravel that happened 300 yds further down the line. The volunteers only spread out gravel (that was already there) from one inside of a rail to the other. The wash-out was NOT filled!!!
The folks giving the train rides are doing just that, offering train rides! They have no hidden agenda. They are just a nonprofit. Their flyers and website clearly state that the tickets are a “Suggested Donation” I took my family on one of those rides and they even offered Partial refunds of the donations because, all this only resulted in a shorter ride. I asked the gentleman if anyone asked for their donation refund and he answered that only one person out of 300 asked and was given their money back. People love these rides!
These train rides have nothing to do with the fight between the railroad and the environmentalists. Please get the facts straight before crying wolf and trying to shut down a family friendly activity in our community.

By: Jim Lohse

Jim Lohse — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:48:26 +0000

Just my two cents, first this article reminds me of the V&T Reconstruction Commission, for the politics involved in the project. Luckily, since the land between Carson City and Virginia City is already an environmental wasteland, no such lawsuits over EIRs and FONSI approvals have happened here. And despite Harry’s Reid’s famous quote, “oil is killing us,” he still supported the use of smoke-belching oil-burning locomotives. We are lucky, indeed.

But my point really, Mike Pechner, excellent comment, just one point: the idea that federal law always trumps state law is certainly not true in practice. For example, CA sued the EPA to be allowed to set more stringent emission standards and won in a high court. Similarly, Raich v. Gonzales (nee Ashcroft) was decided in a way that let the conflict live on.

The Feds can raid dispensaries, but the court DID NOT strike down the state law. Since Wickard v. Filburn is used as precedent in these kinds of cases, it’s nice to see the states given some authority over their own affairs — as long as it doesn’t stop THA. Now if they’d just get those birdcages out of Portola!

By: Mike Pechner

Mike Pechner — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 01:56:56 +0000

Just can’t understand what all of the hullabaloo is from EPIC and friends. Legally, the NCRA can authorize THA to run anything or do anything as long as the NCRA Board of Directors concur. The line has never been “officially” abandoned despite that it has dormant since 1998 thus NCRA or anyone else doesn’t have to have an EIR or anything else. Furthermore, lets say Port of Oakland wanted to rebuild the line to Eureka to run intermodal or containers. FRA says as long as they stay within the right of way, they can proceed without an EIR or anything else. Law says they (EPIC) or anyone else can not stop Interstate commerce. Last time I checked Federal law trumps State laws. EPIC can rattle their oars but there is not much they can do except do what they are doing and that is lying.