What's New?
New Phillip Longman Article in Washington Monthly
07/09/11
Several years ago Washington Monthly featured a ground-breaking article by NewAmerica Foundation's Phillip Longman about the potential of rail to relieve truck congestion on Interstate 81. Now in the latest issue of the magazine, Longman's article "The Case for Not-Quite-So-High-Speed-Rail" makes the case for rail infrastructure investment in America that can support both passenger and freight new capacity, an approach very congruent with RAIL Solution's Steel Interstate advocacy.
Read the article here.
News Articles Feature RAIL Solution's Work on Steel Interstate
07/09/11
Recent articles in DailyKos and in Cumberland County, PA Sentinal mention our advocacy work on the Steel Interstate. Read the articles here:
Daily Kos (7/3/2011)
Sentinel (7/9/2011)
Memphis Voted as Revised Western Terminus for Steel Interstate Prototype Project
05/05/11
After much discussion RAIL Solution’s Board recently voted to switch the Western terminus of the proposed Steel Interstate demonstration from Knoxville to Memphis, TN. The Eastern end remains at Harrisburg, PA, for a distance of almost 1,000 miles in the I-81/I-40 Corridor (see map).Use of the Memphis gateway anchors the pilot project at an important, high volume shipping hub. Tennessee faces the same issues of high truck density on I-40 that Virginia faces on I-81, so the expanded corridor will address the same freight flows. It is also congruent with Norfolk Southern’s Crescent Corridor project area. Recognition of commonality of freight problems in both the I-81 and I-40 corridors has led to recent efforts by RAIL Solution to view these key areas as one for future planning. Three of the group’s new Board members are from Tennessee (see Board list) Future pilot project references on this website and in printed materials will reflect the new broadened I-81/I-40 definition. Expanded efforts will be undertaken to secure resolutions of local government support in TN.
RAIL Solution Holds First Board Meeting on November 14, 2010
11/24/10
One of our goals for 2010 was to reform the RAIL Solution governance structure. On Nov. 14 the Steering Committee, which has overseen operations since founding in 2003, met, approved changes in Constitution and By-laws, dissolved itself, and turned control over to the new Board of Directors. Both meetings were held in Hagerstown, MD in conjunction with the I-81 Corridor Coalition annual conference. The purpose of this organizational change is to broaden the professional and geographical diversity of our governing body. Click here to meet the new Board of Directors and Officers.
Sneak Preview of Alan Drake's An American Citizen’s Guide to an Oil-Free Economy
10/26/10
Energy researcher Alan Drake is working on a new "How-to" treatise aimed at weaning the U.S. from its dependency on oil. Organizations ranging from Sierra Club to RAIL Solution support this goal. Here is an advance look at Chapter 1 - Rail Electrification Can Reduce U.S. Oil Dependency. This is the first chapter, he says, because it's the most important thing we can do as a nation. He welcomes feedback and can be reached at alan_drake at juno dott conn (adjust to normal e-mail address format).
Work Continues on a National Steel Insterstate Coalition
05/01/10
At the top of RAIL Solution's goal for 2010 is formation of a Steel Interstate Coalition. We have revised and updated our briefing paper. We have produced two new fliers for use at conferences, fairs, and conventions. Copies of these three items can be downloaded by clicking here:
Steel Interstate White Paper
National and I-81 Corridor Vision Flier
90-sec Overview Flier
Meanwhile work continues on the development of a Steel Interstate website. The finished product will not be available until late June, but you are invited to view a place-holder site while work is in progress: www.steelinterstate.org
RAIL Solution Comments to FRA on National Rail Plan
04/15/10
The Federal Railroad Administration has issued a draft National Rail Plan and has opened a docket for public comment: FRA-2010-0020-0001. The Plan and the Federal Register notice containing full instructions for response are available through the FRA website. RAIL Solution has submitted our Steel Insterstate paper as well as responses to the ten specific questions / issues posed by the FRA.
RAIL Solution participates in Chicago Transportation Forum
04/10/10
RAIL Solution menbers participated in the April 10 Chicago forum -- Transportation, Community and Climate Change: Seizing the Opportunities, presenting our vision for the Steel Interstate in the future of transportation in America.
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RAIL Solution and other groups criticize I-81 Freight Rail Study
02/15/10
On January 14, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation issued the long-awaited Draft Final Report of the I-81 Freight Rail Study. It suffers from nearly all the shortcomings detailed in the Nov. 18 posting below, and completely ignores the comprehensive scope of work detailed in HB-1581. Below you can find comments on the Freight Rail Study by RAIL Solution and other interested parties.
RAIL Solution
Rockbridge Area Conservation Council
Shenandoah Valley Network
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation
Sierra Club of Virginia
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Virginia Organizing Project
I-81 Freight Rail Study issued. Please comment by Feb 10, 2010
02/05/10
On January 14, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation issued the long-awaited Draft Final Report of the I-81 Freight Rail Study. It suffers from nearly all the shortcomings detailed in the Nov. 18 posting below, and completely ignores the comprehensive scope of work detailed in HB-1581. Please comment to DRPT during the public response window. Click here for bullet points to guide your comments. The report can be read and downloaded from: http://www.drpt.virginia.gov/studies/files/Draft%20final%20report.pdf
Comments need to go to: drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov, or write to Public Information Office, DRPT, 600 E. Main St., Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219.
RAIL Solution Comments on Draft Final Report of I-81 Truck to Rail Freight Diversion Study
11/18/09
In this paper we critique the October 27, 2009 Draft Final Report entitled Feasibility Plan for Maximum Truck to Rail Diversion in Virginia's I-81 Corridor. Instead of adhering to the scope of work set out in the original enabling legislation in 2006 (HB-1581), the Study has wandered off course to become little more than a validation of Norfolk Southern's Crescent Corridor proposal. Other rail-to-truck concepts are introduced, but not studied with similar intensity. Though some have the potential to divert more trucks from I-81 than Crescent Corridor, it is the only concept found to be "feasible". The "open intermodal" concepts, that can carry all trucks, not just containers, are all found to be of "potential" or "unknown" feasibility.
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