Rail bypass effort chugging along, not up to steam yet
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

Rerouting the returning Kansas City Southern rail line around El Campo remains a possibility and could serve as a model for new state planning.

As KCS continues its efforts to restore track and traffic on the Rosenberg to Victoria corridor, the Texas Department of Transportation and other governmental entities are exploring efforts to keep trains out of the heart of El Campo as well as other communities.

Monday, the Gulf Coast Rural Rail Transportation District, a quasi-governmental entity created by Wharton and Jackson county's commissioners court, unanimously approved a resolution celebrating the return of rail, but asking that efforts be made to circumnavigate Gulf Coast communities.

"This may be a benchmark type of project for what we tried to explain and did so poorly at," TxDOT Yoakum District Engineer Lonnie Gregorcyk told rail district leaders.

Although not part of any Trans- Texas Corridor planning, the possibility of relocating the rail line to the U.S. 59 corridor would embrace the idea of united transportation areas.

The problem, so far, is finding financing.

The state, Gregorcyk said, may be able to serve as the facilitator of that effort, but it would have to be open to all and address the issue on a large scale.

"Everybody is in agreement that this is a good deal to work for. Of course, the devil's in the details," he said. "But nothing is off the table and we're moving as aggressively as we can."

KCS has told TxDOT that they would pursue the rail project from both ends - Rosenberg to Kendleton and Victoria to Jackson County - to allow more time for El Campo to develop a viable bypass solution, Gregorcyk told rail district leaders.

District President Cecil Davis commended El Campo Mayor Phillip Spenrath on his efforts to pursue a viable bypass.

Meetings have been held with KCS as well as state legislators and transportation of- ficials.

TxDOT is committed to trying to make the goal a reality, Gregorcyk said, adding it has drawn the attention and efforts of state transportation commissioner Ted Houghton.

The parameters of the solution, he said, must be economically appealing to the rail company, have financial backing and meet legal requirements such as an environmental study and Surface Transportation Board route approval.

But what the solution is - that's still unknown, Gregorcyk said.

"I don't have the answers," he said, but added this effort started with a community concern.

Rail service itself has changed since the early 1990s when the district formed in an effort to preserve the abandoned Southern Pacific corridor - one which outdates the formation of Texas as a republic.

Now, Davis said, the milelong trains won't stop in town. Instead, a service engine will make the local rounds to pick up freight and transport it to a Kendleton switch yard. From there, the individual local cars will be linked into a large through train.

While El Campo may have been first in requesting a bypass, it is hardly the only municipality which doesn't want local traffic and locomotives interacting.

Wharton wants an overpass at FM 102, Director Dr. Frank Mann of Wharton said.

Edna and Ganado would like to see elevated crossovers as well - if not routes bypassing the cities, Jackson Council representatives Buddy Brock and Roy Griffin said.

"I doubt seriously that Jackson County commissioners would support rail through Edna," Brock said.

One issue with rerouting, Gregorcyk warned, was the potential of a damming effect. A route along El Campo's U.S. 59 corridor, for example, would eliminate access points for businesses.

"That's essentially a wall," he told directors, adding it could create issues related to land value and inverse condemnations where a governmental entity is forced to purchase land.

But if we do nothing, rail is coming back (to the previous corridor)," Griffin said.

Gregorcyk agreed.

"Rail has every right to be there. But if there's a solution, that's what we are trying to work for," he said.