Yuma hearing to consider rail safety

Even though the Union Pacific Railroad is no longer seeking to build a new rail line through the Yuma area, the Arizona Corporation Commission will be here gathering public comment on railroads Thursday.

The meeting, at 1:30 p.m. in city council chambers at City Hall, One City Plaza, is the first of two to be held in Yuma on railroad safety. Union Pacific's multimillion-dollar plan to "double-track" the Sunset Route through Yuma is expected to be a main topic of discussion.

"The Punta Colonet line is likely to come up even though Union Pacific has backed away from bidding on the contract," said ACC spokeswoman Heather Murphy.

In August, Union Pacific announced that it expected to bid on a project that would have built a new rail line from Yuma into Mexico to a planned megaport in Punta Colonet, Baja Calif.

The announcement caused mixed reactions among Yuma's officials. The company announced on May 1 that it would no longer bid on the proposed project for "strategic reasons," as previously reported in The Sun.

The ACC has no authority to tell railroads where they can and cannot build track. But the commission, through a relationship with the Federal Railroad Administration, oversees safe operation and maintenance of crossings, signals, track and cargo containers.

At the meeting, staff from the commission's Railroad Safety Section will make a brief presentation, and UP representatives will also attend.

Murphy said UP's plan for double tracks through the state is an important change, so the ACC wants to hear public input. The commission has already held meetings in Willcox, Eloy and Tucson on the project. "It is a major development for Arizona," she said.

The Sunset Route runs from Los Angeles to El Paso, Texas, and UP says it plans to have a double line along the entire length. This would allow a higher number of trains to travel along the route each day.

The second ACC meeting in Yuma is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 12 in council chambers. Murphy said the goal is for all five commissioners to attend both meetings. The commissioners are Kristin Mayes, William Mundell, Jeff Hatch-Miller, Gary Pierce and Chairman Mike Gleason.