June 2009 Railway Commission Mtg

June 2009 Railway Commission Meeting Looks to Possible August Operations

The meeting was convened at 1501 hrs. in the Sierra Room of the Carson City Community Center on June 8th, 2009.

1. Roll Call. Present were: Secretary/Treasurer Allen, Commissioner Crowell, Vice Chair Flanagan, Chair Hadfield, Commissioner Johnson, Commissioner Millard, Commissioner McPherson, and Commissioner Tyson. Also present were: Chief Engineer Dorr, Legal Counsel Rowe, Coordinator Ray, and Brenda Frank (secretarial services).

2. Agenda. The agenda for this meeting was approved.

3. The minutes of the May meeting were approved, with the exception of a typographical error that was fixed.

4. Public Comment. None.

5. Consent Agenda. No items brought forward.

6. Treasurer's Report. Not covered, since it was the same as presented the previous week to the legislature.

7. Ratification of Bills Paid. A total of $1,212,939.80 was ratified, comprising $1,005,992.10 to Q & D construction, and most of the remainder to Manhard Engineering.

8. Legal Counsel's Report. No new right of way acquisitions are in process at this time.

9. Engineer's Report.

H&H Construction is working on some repairs to the West switch at the Donovan siding.
The road crossing just south of Gold Hill [Crown Point Ravine crossing -- Ed.] will be improved so that a hi-rail vehicle can use it.
Phase IIC is almost complete. The Linehan Road signal and gates are being installed; ECD +30 days. All other Phase IIC track has been installed and surfaced.
NDOT is expected to issue a notice to proceed for Phase IIIA this Thursday. Should cost is around $2.5M. Plan is to build 1.1 miles of track, put an asphalt pad at the East Gate siding for a possible future ADA ramp and restroom, emplace a Carson City waterline to that same site, build a water tower, and repave Highlands Drive after completion of the work. This includes a release of $1.3M in Recovery Act (stimulus) money being released on June 30th.
Specifications and plans for Phase IIIB are being prepared. Ken Dorr would like to take them to the 80% level of completion to support right of way setting for purposes of land acquisition, and to support environmental impact studies.
Phase IIIC plans have also been started.
Phase IV plans (Carson City terminal) have also been started.
The hiring of a track inspector has been deferred until such time as train operations have started.

10. Approval of Amendment #7 to Manhard Engineering Contract. This would authorize engineering work to the end of Phase III, provide the development of a should-cost estimate in preparation for Phase III bids, and accelerate Phase IIIB engineering to the 90% level to support potential future stimulus funding grant applications. It was suggested by Ken Dorr that preliminary engineering for an extension to the stub track at the East Gate siding be drafted for potential location of an interim station there, together with restoration of the balloon track at Merrimac (better known as the hand-gun range by most locals). This would become an interim solution while waiting for more funding to complete the track to Deer Run Road. Chairman Hadfield wants to accelerate design work in order to start the environmental impact studies as early as funding will allow.

Commissioner Tyson disagreed and became the lone dissenting vote for spending money to build an interim depot at Mound House with the engineering funds. Commissioner Allen thought that another $500k of existing stimulus bill money was imminent, and that could be used to construct an interim depot.

11. Disposition of Locomotive #18. The VCCTA and the CCCVB have teamed up to create a Railfest event in August that would operate steam over the line between ends of track or at least through Mound House. Commissioner Millard wanted to know if #18 could be used as a backup to V&TRR #29 for this event. Chris Hart of the Sierra Railroad, current lessee of locomotive #18, provided an estimate of $15,000 to move the locomotive from California plus another $15,000 to fuel it and prepare it for operation. Ron Allen obtained an independent estimate from Taylor Heavyhaul Trucking in the amount of $7,500 for transportation. Ron Allen also found a fabric-composite/ aluminum frame structure design ("sand house" like that used by NDOT at the north end of Washoe Valley on Route 395) that could be used as an interim engine shed. This agenda item was continued to a workshop to be held July 10th.

12. CCCVB Rail Use Agreement. The CCCVB seeks an interim rail use agreement to allow them to operate trains for their planned August Railfest event. The trains would be operated by the V&TRR. The agreement would be valid from the time of the Railfest event through December 31st, 2009. The $5M liability insurance requirements were discussed, and Candace Duncan of the CCCVB agreed that they would provide such insurance. Chris Hart of the Sierra Railroad expressed an objection to this plan in a phone conversation with Dwight Millard. The conclusion is that any operating agreements for 2010 will be zero-baselined, so that an interim agreement or agreements reached in 2009 would not impact the Sierra Railroad's options to be the sole operator after 2009.

Mike Rowe stated that ADA compliance was mandatory. The owner (the Commission) has the ultimate responsibility for ADA compliance. The risk pool manager stated that there is some flexibility for historic venues. [In a side conversation with Lou Murray of Dayton, Mr. Murray stated that waivers of full ADA compliance for historic venues is granted only on a limited-time basis, and one of his restoration projects was denied an extension after the original, interim waiver had expired. -- Ed.]

13. Workshop. A workshop to come up with an operational plan will be open to the public and will be scheduled for 0930 to 1500 hrs on Friday, July 10th. Requests to be put on the distribution list for the agenda should be sent to Kevin Ray at vtproject@aol.com.

14. Election of Officers. The following officers were elected by unanimous vote:

Chair: Dwight Millard

Vice Chair: Bob Crowell

Secretary/Treasurer: Ron Allen

15. V&T Railroad Report.

This is the 34th year of operation.
A film production company is on-site, taking location footage for a feature film
Locomotive #29 has a new paint job. Steam operations started May 23rd.
ADA restroom requirements are explicitly waived on historic railcars
The jitney operations (large golf carts) were shut down this Saturday.
Seats for the coach Silver City should arrive next week
A third car is on its way to VC.
Preparing to support the August Railfest

16. Northern Nevada Railway Foundation report. Has signed up 15 corporate sponsors and are pursuing private grants. They are printing up souvenir T-shirts.

17. Coordinator's Report. Kevin Ray will support the planning for Railfest.

18. Chairman's Comments. Farewell as chairman.

19. Commissioner Comments.

Crowell. Thanks to Hadfield and Flanagan for a job well done.
Johnson. Hopes that the upcoming workshop is open and productive.
Allen. Thanks to Hadfield.
Millard. Hadfield needs to keep lobbying for money.
Tyson. Need to start running trains. Wants to do a video of a hi-rail trip over the line while the Q&D hi-rail vehicle is still available.
McPherson. Reminder that a Carson City Rendevous event is coming up.

20. Next Commission Meeting. Friday, July 10th, 1500 hrs.

21. Adjourn. 1638 hrs.

Last updated 2009_06_12