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| Anti-TEA-21 newspiece https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8124 |
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| Author: | Bob Yarger [ Wed Jan 14, 2004 11:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Anti-TEA-21 newspiece |
Questioning the use of gas tax funds for preservation. Anyone else seen similar negative editorials recently? Seems this could mushroom in these tough economic times. http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/news/archive/local_14098767.shtml ryarger@rypn.org |
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| Author: | Art Miller [ Thu Jan 15, 2004 12:49 am ] |
| Post subject: | TEA-21 Abuses |
Like any federal or state give-away program, the final responsibility to keep TEA-21 funds from becoming the subject of scorn and ridicule rests jointly with state program administrators and with those groups and individuals making the requests. No program is forever, just ask the World's Fair crowd that had sway for several decades. The financial shennigans of the Knoxville World's Fair in 1982 (where the general concensus is that far too few people went to jail) and the equally specious activities of the New Orleans fair in 1984 (?) were the final straws. Chicago was next to get the "privilege." They took a look at the dubious benefit:cost analyses of previous Fairs, found they were in for the same sort of shelacking, and backed out. The public trough dried up. The World's Fair movement quietly died. And few miss it, except the Gucci wearing promoters who had gotten rich. Consider the recent hub-bub over the Salt Lake City Olympics. Folks I know out there are saying the same things that were said in Knoxville after the extent of the damage from our 1982 blow-out became apparent -- "too few people are heading to jail." If the past is prologue, I will wager the Olympics as we know them are on life support. But few know it quite yet. Excess kills. Blatantly foolish projects become political liabilities. [TV revenues may save the games. But minimally, there is major change on the horizon.] Those railroad preservation groups interested in TEA-21 grants ought and should be wary of projects built more on dreams and lacking a sound business plan. As I opined in an earlier missive, basic economic laws apply to railroad preservation. While it may be hard to acknowledge, using TEA-21 funds to save one more oh-something-oh incapable of pulling a profitable train in a truly isolated venue does damage to the credibility of economically sound projects created from sound strategic marketing plans. Common sense with TEA-21 applications must prevail. Otherwise, the basic laws of politics also will come into play. amiller@rtms-movietrains.com |
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| Author: | Bob Yarger [ Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:11 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: TEA-21 Abuses |
I agree fully that the projects we submit for TEA-21 must be fully credible and above board. Also, the funds must be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible, which is sometimes difficult with government projects. Such projects must be seen to benefit the general public and not appear to be spent creating a big train set for a few middle aged adolescents. We do have the advantage that many of our members aren't afraid to get dirty - we can sometimes save a lot with volunteer labor. I've never seen many cyclists spreading asphalt to build a rail-trail, but have seen many of us scraping multiple layers of paint down at the old depot. When government regulations prevent us from doing work that is within our capabilities, we can make some noise about how the funds would go farther and be better utilized. These are very tough times for government entities, which now must make difficult choices on where to spend scarce tax dollars. As American CEOs continue to send our good jobs to the slave labor markets of the third world, it will only get worse. It will be very easy for conservative editors to attack programs like TEA-21. However, I think if we make a credible case for what we are trying to preserve, we still have a chance of getting some funding. But we truly do need to use those funds wisely, and make sure the public knows we are doing so. ryarger@rypn.org |
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| Author: | Erik Ledbetter [ Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:04 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: TEA-21 Abuses |
> I've never seen many cyclists spreading > asphalt to build a rail-trail, but have seen > many of us scraping multiple layers of paint > down at the old depot. Spreading asphalt, no--that requires specialized heavy equipment. But volunteers are ubiqitous in clearing trails prior to paving and maintaining them afterward. We may not always agree with their goals, but they have sweat equity in just like we do. Here are a few of many examples: http://www.bikemaine.org/krrt2.htm http://www.arboretum.psu.edu/planning/rail.html http://www.ljworld.com/section/archive/story/157871 http://www.hvrt.org/volunteer.html eledbetter@rypn.org |
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| Author: | Art Miller [ Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:07 am ] |
| Post subject: | RTC Conservancy |
> > > I've never seen many cyclists spreading > asphalt to build a rail-trail, but have seen > many of us scraping multiple layers of paint > down at the old depot. I guess I may be an unusual case -- dedicated to railroad preservation and the proud owner and frequent user of a Canondale H300. Most rail-trails are the results of thousands of hours of volunteer effort, much of it organized by the Rails To Trails Conservancy and local interest groups. I have been an RTC member since 1992 or thereabouts. I have personally worked on three trail development projects, two of which are "in service" today. The third project was abandoned because those involved realized that the project economics were not favorable. The comparisons between trail paving, done best by efficient but fairly low-tech paving contractors, and steam locomotive and car restoration, done best by highly skilled and careful volunteers, is apples and oranges. Clearly, there is room for both interests. Consider that the Rails to Trails program has met with huge successes over the past decade. In fact, they were one of the original proponents of the old ISTEA program. Railroad preservationists discovered the potential ISTEA benefits after the program was a reality. Railroad preservationists might learn a lot from examining the congenial and inclusive nature of Rails to Trails groups. They seem more open than some of the cliquish museums I read about here in RYPN. And they clearly are more politically astute. amiller@rtms-movietrains.com |
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| Author: | Bob Yarger [ Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:31 am ] |
| Post subject: | Definitely more astute |
Rails to Trails definitely has been a more cohesive force than we have, and they are definitely more politically astute. Our only points of conflict are when they advocate the destruction of extant trackage that we'd like to see used again - this has happened many times, unfortunately. ryarger@rypn.org |
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| Author: | Malcolm Campbell [ Thu Jan 15, 2004 11:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Definitely more astute |
> Rails to Trails definitely has been a more > cohesive force than we have, and they are > definitely more politically astute. Our only > points of conflict are when they advocate > the destruction of extant trackage that we'd > like to see used again - this has happened > many times, unfortunately. Rails to Trails has always had a built-in clean and healthy look. Like mom and applie pie, how can anyone possibly complain about any program that promotes exercise, gets people walking and biking instead of running their cars, and supports environmentally sound activities? Any politician who votes against this is gonna get in trouble. Keeping the rails there for potential use doesn't have much sex appeal in the real world where many people think trains are evil (grade crossing accidents, noisy whistles outside your house at 3 a.m., scheduled trains that are never on schedule). Add to that, the notion that the restoration of heavy pacific ### tends to look more like a crazy hobby than a true historical activity, we've got trouble trying to look good when we ask for TEA-21 funds. Personally, I think we need to change the way we ask for money. Those who are dedicated and excited about the prospect of running their heavy pacific again, think THAT is reason enough to get the funds. 99.99% of the public don't agree. If we show that there is truly a historical purpose and an educational purpose for running that old locomotive again, then we are doing something that really can have an impact on the public. --Malcolm malcolmrcampbell@cs.com |
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| Author: | Kevin Gillespie [ Fri Jan 16, 2004 3:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: TEA-21 Abuses |
> These are very tough times for government > entities, which now must make difficult > choices on where to spend scarce tax > dollars. As American CEOs continue to send > our good jobs to the slave labor markets of > the third world, it will only get worse. It > will be very easy for conservative editors > to attack programs like TEA-21. However, I > think if we make a credible case for what we > are trying to preserve, we still have a > chance of getting some funding. But we truly > do need to use those funds wisely, and make > sure the public knows we are doing so. Bob, You are on the right track. As a conservative, I have problems with gas tax revenues being used to restore Old # XXXX. But overall, we waste our tax revenues on far more frivolous endeavors. Yes, I know, one man's pork is another man's treasured project. But, no right thinking American would advocate the demolition of Independence Hall so that it could be developed into an "Independence Square" office park. Nor would anybody in the political arena say that we should cut back on the Navy's budget by ordering the breakup of the USS Constitution, or ordering the Air Force to scrap its museum collection at Wright-Patterson AFB. However, legislation passed by Congress in the early 1950's led to the breakup of the USS Hartford (Admiral Farragut's flagship at Mobile Bay in 1862), and the most decorated warship in US history, the USS Enterprise of World War II fame, to say nothing of all the surviving Pearl Harbor battleships. We have a sense of history when it comes to saving historic homes. Back in 1857, the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association saved Washington's home from oblivion without public funding. Unfortunately, trains, aircraft and ships are considered "boy toys" by the "beautiful people" and not worthy of preservation. As a local example, if the Walters' Art Gallery needs a million or two to buy a new Rembrandt for their collection, every fat cat in town wants to not only contribute, but also be photographed in the Baltimore Sun handing over the check. But as the B&O Museum struggles $100,000 at a time to recover from the events of this past February, we in the preservation community have to figure out a way to make historic preservation an essential part of both public and private funding. The B&O Museum has gotten several grants from both public and private funding in the past year. So maybe the message is getting across. Historic preservation and education of the next generation is at least as importance as providing bicycle paths to yuppies and soccer moms. So while children of the 21st century will never get to ride behind a New York Central Hudson, or walk the flight deck of the USS Enterprise, they can ride behind several 4-8-4's, and walk the decks of Admiral Halsey's other flagship, the USS New Jersey. Perhaps, we should think of taking some of the funding from the Department of Transportation, for TEA-21 and moving it to the Department of Education in a general historic preservation fund. Steamtown is telling the story of steam railroading in the 20th century. We can all probably agree that it was the wrong collection, but it was the basis for an NPS interpretation of the railroad era. The way I see it, the main purpose of historic preservation is helping future generations understand the history of this country. kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net |
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