Increased rail traffic topic at chamber: Ritzville leaders, residents are encouraged to be proactive

Patrick Boss served as the guest speaker at the monthly general membership meeting of the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, July 9. Boss is a logistics and marketing consultant, and has been involved as a railroad consultant as well.

As a member of QUADCO Transportation Board, Northern Corridor Rail Coalition and Adams County Development Council, Boss has extensive experience and knowledge of the continual railway growth throughout the area.

The main purpose of his speech was to caution residents of the potential issues caused by the double tracking that is going to occur within the city, and to encourage leaders and residents to speak up and become proactive.

Boss explained the railway is becoming increasingly crowded as more products are being shipped via rail. Because BNSF owns the rights to the local railway, agricultural commodities and other products are being delayed due to the increased rail traffic.

A main contributor to the steady increase in rail traffic is the coal and oil trains coming from North Dakota to the west. The trains are unable to cross Stevens Pass and instead must travel down to Pasco before traveling west to the coast, Boss said.

With the demand to have more trains hauling coal and oil, a double tracking project is underway, as the daily increase of train traffic is expected to be 20-30 trains. Boss said a single rail line currently exists between Seattle and Chicago, and the effort is underway to double track from Washington to Illinois.

Boss said Adams County has the unique distinction of being one of the only counties in the state with two Class One railroads passing through it. Union Pacific and BNSF operate the Class One lines.

While the double tracking project is ongoing, Boss said residents have already seen an increase in train traffic, and it is going to continue to grow. The second track is being used to alleviate some congestion, but he said towns like Ritzville and Lind are going to be congestion points.

The good news of the double tracking, Boss said, is it creates opportunities for jobs and energy at the local level. Ritzville is unlike any other town in the fact is has a Claas One railway, and also has two major interstates.

Boss said he believed Ritzville could develop distribution centers or storage facilities because of the prime location, and companies are interested in cities such as Ritzville when the infrastructure is in place.

The bad news, Boss continued, is the congestion coming from the additional 20-30 trains per day. While long-haul truck driving used to be the norm, he said more truck cargo is being hauled on trains because of the increase in truck driving regulations and the decrease of interest in the career field.

“BNSF is putting a lot of money into the project, and so are communities,” Boss said.

Since BNSF owns the right-of-way at all crossings on the line, it remains the responsibility of the cities and towns located along the line to improve infrastructure under the crossings prior to the double tracking project.

“Ritzville is an important spot, don’t underestimate yourselves,” Boss said. “You have to play to your strengths.”

Boss emphasized it is crucial for every community to make sure they are talking to BNSF and expressing the concerns of the specific area. Boss said Ritzville is in need of people to step up and be more proactive, especially considering the city is not listed as a congestion point on BNSF documents.

The primary concern for those attending the meeting downtown was trains being stopped on the rail and potentially blocking access to downtown for a significant amount of time. Even with current rail traffic, trains stop for a limited amount of time blocking the crossings, and with two tracks through the city, Boss said it could be a common and reoccurring issue.

He encouraged those in attendance to bring those tourism and accessibility concerns to BNSF to make them aware of the effect on the community.

Boss stressed the importance of working with BNSF in a non-confrontational manner, and also talking with state leaders to gain support on preserving the accessibility of the downtown area in Ritzville.

He said local leaders have to begin a dialogue with BNSF with the intent to install an overpass or underpass to still allow access to downtown, even in the midst of heavy rail traffic.

Boss said finding a compromise, such as closing two intersections for the installation of an unimpeded crossing, could be a good step to take in the discussions. He also encouraged those in attendance to speak to QUADCO and Senator Mark Schoesler about the city’s concerns.

“The congestion is going to get worse, you have to get ahead of it,” Boss said.

Mayor Linda Kadlec announced at the Ritzville City Council meeting on July 15 that Sen. Schoesler has pledged full support and the city is also contacting Congressman Doc Hastings.