COMMENT
September 3, 2019
UINTA BASIN RAILWAY PROJECT
To Whom it May Concern:
Rather than a purpose-built 80-mile line that has limited use otherwise and possible relatively-near-term obsolescence due to depletion of the resources given as the sole purpose for construction, a more generally useful option seems appropriate. The proposal below notably lacks the spiral tunneling and switch-backs of the Preferred Option, and has a top-of-rail summit about a thousand feet lower. While it does cross property on which pipelines are present it might be this restriction is a little overly restrictive. The proposal here envisions passenger traffic passing over an existing freight railroad (UP - for 40 miles east of Ogden) and the trackage in question - despite the mountainous terrain - appears well suited for additional tracks, or actually to have been four-tracked at one time. The oft-repeated-in-documentation-of-this-sort assertion about forty-foot-high reinforced concrete walls running the length of mixed-use trackage seems excessively restrictive also, as mixed use has been the norm traditionally, when there was significant risk of explosions not present now, and passenger trains can be reinforced at the ends, as a precaution against a cornfield meet or descending runaway freight train. Naturally - normal, legally required precautions of track maintenance and careful scheduling also apply for mixed usage, and railroads are responsible for the condition of their properties. U.P. is well known for the high standard of condition of their roads, though perhaps a bit NIMBY-ish with regard to passenger trains.
The hope with a private, state-or-federally sponsored passenger service, would be to make the carrier an offer so desirable they cannot refuse - as far as upgrades necessary for a viable passenger service go - however this has never to my knowledge been tried.
TO DUCHESNE, ROOSEVELT AND VERNAL
by way of the
PROVO RIVER
and
COBBLE CREEK PASS,
A 3.95-MILE TUNNEL
(WITH YOUR PERMISSION I WILL INCLUDE IN A FOLLOWING EMAIL FULL-SIZED ATTACHMENTS OF THE PICTURES INCLUDED HERE, AS THEY WILL NOT DISPLAY RELIABLY HERE WITHOUT BEING REDUCED, AND ARE HARD TO READ ANYWAY.)
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