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Technical Conference - PNW Rail Corridor - A Private Sector Approach

Can private sector BUSINESSES SOLVE passenger and freight RAIL problems? Find out below..

In Washington State:

Traffic jams waste $3 million business dollars each day.
Traffic in ten years will increase 50%; highway capacity only 2%.
Trucking delays cost us valuable international trade.
Building highways costs 3 to 5 times as much as building rail.

Is Rail the solution? Maybe, but...

Our rail line is already running at full capacity.
Expansion is costly.
Funding and Political Will are in short supply.

The Solution?

A public-private partnership where Business, Government, and Taxpayers ALL WIN:

Join us on OCTOBER 15 to hear the RAIL SOLUTION.

What is the Problem?

Washington is ideally situated as the U.S. port closest to Asia's growing markets: Japan, Korea, Russia. Shipments both to and from our ports save time and money. However, traffic congestion will cause us to lose that advantage. Soon, Los Angeles freight-dedicated Alameda Corridor will negate our time advantage - and reap our profits.

Should taxpayers pay to improve privately owned track?

Washington's current rail facilities are owned and operated by private enterprise. As we look to alleviate automobile and truck congestion, additional track makes sense, but is it reasonable to expect the taxpayer to pay for it.

Who Pays, then?

One possibility is a stakeholder approach. Businesses, governments and organizations invest in - and benefit from - improved and expanded rail infrastructure, with a long-term payback built in. A public-private partnership allows governments to invest, while businesses and passengers benefit from improved traffic flow.

Will it work?

The Northeast Corridor was built 130 years ago by private capital for just the kind of explosive growth that the Pacific Northwest is experiencing today. The lessons are clear: Come hear the experts!

Program
Registration Form

Program

University Plaza Hotel

400 N.E. 45^th St.

Seattle, WA 98105

(206) 634-0100

Prepared by

Hal B. H. Cooper, Jr., Senior Project Engineer, Transystems Corp.

AND

Tony Trifiletti, Outreach Director, Washington Association of Rail Passengers

PROGRAM - October 15, 1998

8:00 AM Registration and Refreshments

8:25 AM Introduction

Chuck Mott, Washington Association of Rail Passengers

8:30 AM Keynote Speaker

D. J. Mitchell, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway

9:00 AM Pacific Northwest Rail Needs

Chairman:Lloyd Flem, Washington Association of Rail Passengers
Rail Capacity Requirements: Ray Stephens, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
Plans and Impacts of State Program: Ken Uznanski, Washington State Department of Transportation
Transit and Facility Needs:David Beal, Sound Transit
Demographic Growth in the Cascadia Corridor:Bruce Agnew, Discovery Institute

10:30 AM Cascadia Corridor Development

Chairman: Michelle Gransgaard, Center for Eco-tourism
Northeast Corridor Analogy: Tony Trifiletti, Washington Association of Rail Passengers
Ridership and Facilities:Gil Mallery, Amtrak West
Cascadia Corridor Development Needs:Tom White, Transit Safety Management
HDR Studies of the Corridor:Dale Muellerleile, HDR Engineering

Noon Lunch: Wallingford Room

Luncheon Speaker: To be determined.

1:30 PM Rail-Port Cargo Interfaces

Chairman: J. Craig Thorpe, Washington Association of Rail Passengers
Duwamish Studies: Mike Mariano, Transystems Corp and Edward Switaj, City of Seattle
Port of Tacoma Rail Infrastructure Needs: Paul Chilcote, Port of Tacoma
Port of Grays Harbor: Leonard Barnes, Port of Grays Harbor
Puget Sound & Pacific Short Line: Tom Foster, Puget Sound & Pacific Railway

3:00 PM Financing Mechanisms and Requirements

Chairman: Jim Slakey, Washington State Department of Transportation
Public-Private Partnerships: Bob Cowan, Washington State Department of Transportation
Alameda Corridor Financing: Sherilyn Anderson, Paine Webber
Hanford Project Site Development: Dick Thompson, Port of Benton County
Overall Financing Mechanisms: Hal Cooper, Transystems Corp.

4:30 PM Conference Summary
Chuck Mott, Washington Association of Rail Passengers

Registration Form

-----------Please Print and Cut Out to Register--------------------------

Please reserve space for ____ attendees. I enclose payment of $30 per person, which includes the conference attendance fees, lunch and desert, as selected below.

PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT:

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Luncheon Menu: (Circle One)