[Vision2020] transportation opportunity--light railbetween Pullman and Moscow

[Art Deco]

This is not an answer to the questions asked.

Again, most of us are sympathetic to workable alternate transportation 
plans, regardless of political affiliation.  However,
if you wish to present or develop a proposal likely to be supported, please 
give practical information.  Start with the questions asked below.

No one is going to buy a pig in a poke.


Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jerry Weitz" <gweitz at moscow.com>
To: "Art Deco" <deco at moscow.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 8:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] transportation opportunity--light railbetween 
Pullman and Moscow


> Years ago there was daily service from Lewiston, through Kendrick, Troy, 
> Moscow,Palouse, Garfield, Oakesdale, Rosalia, Spangle, terminating in 
> Spokane and then back.  It consisted of a single engine/car combination 
> and was called the bug.  The last time I rode the bug was in 1965. 
> Members of my wife's family rode the bug many times.  It did not stop in 
> Colfax.  I am not a expert on the financial/management of the concept.
>
> It is a given that rural rail lines suffer from the lack of profit and are 
> abandoned.  It is also given that fossil fuel dependancy is problematic 
> for our economy.  When I studied in Germany in the mid sixties, the rail 
> was electrified for the most part.  The system was efficient and fast. 
> This concept may be a great way to insure that the present owners can 
> remain profitable and provide a great service for the both Universities 
> and both Cities.  jerry
>
>
> At 11:40 AM 5/20/06, Art Deco wrote:
>>Weitz writes in part of a proposed rail line between Pullman and Moscow:
>>
>>"...can be much faster, cheaper..."
>>
>>While most of us would love to support faster, cheaper public 
>>transportation as an alternative to individual motorized vehicles, we need 
>>facts upon which to base our judgments of such proposals.
>>
>>How much will it take to capitalize and operate such a rail system?
>>
>>What are the all the critical assumptions that underlie such a proposal?
>>
>>How many vehicular trips will be replaced that are not now being replaced 
>>by current public transportation?
>>
>>
>>It is important to discuss this proposal, but we need facts and details.
>>
>>W.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Jerry Weitz" <gweitz at moscow.com>
>>To: "Bill London" <london at moscow.com>; <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>>Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 11:38 AM
>>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] transportation opportunity--light railbetween 
>>Pullman and Moscow
>>
>>
>>>Good question.  The rail line is in place and can be much faster, 
>>>cheaper, cleaner-greener, more reliable, and have the effect eliminating 
>>>traffic conjestion on the highway. Plus many Universities in close 
>>>proximity are consolidating programs and redirecting the funds (which are 
>>>declining) from the savings into other programs.  Yesterday, for example, 
>>>I was in Salt Lake with Oregon Health Science,  U of Wash, NIHealth 
>>>working on joint research protocols.  Universities will be working 
>>>together more, (really nothing new.)  For example, ny son (Rocky) is back 
>>>in Cambridge Mass. and uses similar transportation.  He also was/is the 
>>>recipient of a dual insititution program Fletcher-Tufts-Harvard 
>>>Law-Harvard Business School.    jerry
>>>
>>>
>>>At 11:47 AM 5/19/06, Bill London wrote:
>>>>J-
>>>>Why would the expense of a light rail system be justified when there is 
>>>>a
>>>>bus system in place now that, with a much smaller investment of public
>>>>money, could fully meet these transportation needs?
>>>>BL
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: "Jerry Weitz" <gweitz at moscow.com>
>>>>To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>>>>Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 9:40 PM
>>>>Subject: [Vision2020] transportation opportunity--light rail between 
>>>>Pullman
>>>>and Moscow
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> >    I believe the use of the railroad (light rail) between Moscow and
>>>> > Pullman would provide for efficient and rapid movement of
>>>> > students/staff/faculty between our Universities.  There are a number 
>>>> > of
>>>> > collaborative degree programs already and a potential for a lot
>>>> > more.  Could be expanded to folks who work at Schweitzer
>>>> Engineering > and
>>>> > live in Moscow, etc. And there is a potential of restarting the
>>>> > collaborative voc/tech/pro/tech programs that once existed between
>>>> MSD > and
>>>> > PHS.  Many other potential implications that could prove to be far
>>>> > reaching.  jerry
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > _____________________________________________________
>>>> >  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>>>> >  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>>>> >                http://www.fsr.net
>>>> >           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>>>> > ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_____________________________________________________
>>>List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the 
>>>communities of the Palouse since 1994.   http://www.fsr.net 
>>>mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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>>>
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