Railroads and the economy

I was directed to a link the other day in relation to transportation issues and found an entry about freight railcars. The author uses another story from much earlier in the year to explain how the railroads are not shipping as much goods as the once did and that thousands of railroad cars are sitting idle somewhere in the wilds of Montana. This is to show that the economy is not as robust as it once was.

As one who tries to keep up with what is going on in railroading, I have seen many posts from others asking about cars that are stored in various places in Kentucky. There times during the year that some autorack cars are stored, for weeks at a time, along the Norfolk-Southern tracks near Waller Ave. I can even recall, when the tobacco industry was strong in Lexington, that Southern used to store boxcars in the fall, in order to be ready to transport the leaf to the cigarette plants elsewhere. It makes good press, to say that approximately 1.5% of a railroads entire fleet is in storage, but I think that it is just standard industry practice.

Hunter Harrison, president and chief executive of Canadian National Railroad, recently in a keynote speech to the third annual Canada Maritime Conference, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, explained his views on the future of American railroading. He sees the need for an expansion of freight rail and the need for moving more freight, from trucks, to rail. Fuel economy and reduced emissions are only a few small points where efficiency may be gained.

• “If only 10 percent of North America’s (road) freight moved to the rails it would save $1 billion in fuel and give a big reduction in emissions,” he said. “Fuel savings, fewer emissions and reduced highway congestion: We are on the right side environmentally.”



• Harrison said rail carriers can move one ton of freight 423 miles on one gallon of fuel. “Imagine your car giving you that kind of performance.”

Harrison and Canadian National have made a big difference in railroading in the last ten or so years, so he may be on to something here.

The second part of this story, is the need to expand our manufacturing base here in America. By making more of our own goods and shipping them by rail, we could reduce our dependence on a global economy and re-localize our lives.

We, as a nation, are doing ourselves no good deal if we import dangerous, possibly lethal goods, pay shipping by inefficient means, then ship back recalled goods and finally, discard or destroy the contaminated refuse at our expense. Is it any wonder that our balance of payments is so out of whack?



Lexington's largest beer wholesaler is in the process of moving to an expanded location, and while they are currently adjacent to a rail line and will be along side the same rail line in their new location, they do not receive any product by rail. It would not be a major undertaking to make a siding at either of these two locations, yet they choose not to. Big Ass Fan Co. could also ship and receive by rail but don't. Should we ask why?

2009 Wishlist

I guess it is time I thought about a list of wishes and desires for next year. There are the old stand by desires of the community--A better economy, the usual mix of development and preservation and a call for better government representation. I have a set of continued desires in my wish list.

1. It is past time for Lexington to start to really plan for a future without abundant fossil fuels. Whether or not we go with mass transit or personal vehicles, they will have to be powered somehow. There are no state or local plans in place to provide either enough electric power or any other alternative fuel systems devised to make that possible. We could rely on private industry to provide the answers, but for the last 40 years that has just led us to the position in which we find ourselves today, with no national or local solution. Our local planning efforts consist of looking at the recent past and trendlining for the next 20 years. I would like to see the LFUCG and the two universities co-operate and plan for some kind of a solution.

2. The continued gentrification of Lexington will not be possible with the proliferation of service economy jobs. With the cost of transportation for goods and travel, Lexington will need to begin producing most of its own supplies. We will need to re-establish a manufacturing base and a re-localized, sustainable agricultural system. PDR is a step in a direction but I feel that the wrong people are receiving the benefits for the wrong reasons. The whole of Central Kentucky is losing land for the manufacturing of goods we will need should the cost of global shipping become untenable. Planning for a manufacturing base is on my list of needs.

3. For our downtown to really work, there needs to be a transit system planned before we become a city with no parking and no transportation for the masses. With continued growth and the increased densification called for in the Comprehensive Plan the land downtown will become too valuable to park cars on for 8-10 hours a day. Other cities already know this and parking spots on some of the major cities are valued in the tens of thousands of dollars. Driving into downtown will be similar to Fayette Mall at holiday time. Planning for a streetcar system is next on my list of wishes.

4. Lastly, Lexington should return to the days when a professional manager would run the day to day business of the government and have the Council set policy and direction. This i feel would go a long way toward the desired transparency the citizens have asked for. Lexington should return the the CAO/City Manager arrangement of the original charter.

So, there you have it, my wish list for the coming year of 2009. Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

Community Facilities

We have known about the planned move of the Central Baptist Hospital to the Hamburg area since about this time last year. We have also seen the continued building of the residences in the Gleneagles and Blackford subdivisions.

So, why is it a surprise to the residents of these areas that, services will follow the people to these new residential parts of the county? I have told many of the posters on the forums that I frequent that retail always follows the people. And services will follow the retail.

The first pioneers did not just travel until they came to a trading post and decide to settle down. I can see it now, Daniel Boone walking into the bluegrass meadow and settling down at a roadside tavern and outlet mall. Today's explorers, the driving tourists or the family out for a Sunday drive(although they are a thing of the past), will stop when Dad sees some interesting countryside and Mom sees the local shopping outlet. They also cannot get out of cell phone service nor the reach of the GPS locater.

This morning, on WKYT, there was a story about a planned KU substation in the Gleneagles subdivision. The neighborhood spokesperson was concerned the the people had not been considered in the planning of the facility. She cited their concern about the environmental and health issues of an electrical facility on the residents and especially the children. Also among their concerns were asthetic and property values being lowered.

I wonder if they even thought about the services that they take for granted every day. How does KU currently supply their power needs? Might they be on the far end of a tenuous thread of the power grid? Will they fight the next cell tower or multi-story building and still need their cell service, because they have no land line? Will they be the first to contest the next residential subdivision because it is in their "lovely view from the porch", though few houses have them.


Typical Gleneagles scene

These are the same people who have no problem with a substation near their office or shopping, but won't have it near where they spend far fewer hours of the day. Has the substation or cell tower in Lansdowne-Merrick Park had a negative effect on health or property values, either when it was built or when it was quadrupled in size about ten years back? Next thing you know they will want a fire station just a little closer to the house, but not so close that you hear sirens all day.

Lexington's Obama stimulus connection

On Tuesday, Business Lexington reported on a conference call between the Obama transition team and our local officials. The incoming administration is seeking to create an economic stimulus package, that nationwide, could reach nearly $800 billion for what are called "shovel ready" projects. Projects that could be completed in one or two years.

Lexington leaders have identified a number of the projects with an estimated cost of $455 million. These projects are ones that are already on the drawing board to repair or replace existing infrastructure that have not found a funding source. The designs are essentially done but there are no scheduled construction dates set.

Should the Obama administration achieve their package and award Lexington with funds, I would hope that we would not just solve the old problems with old solutions. The buzz words of Mayor Newberry's campaign were health care, high tech and horses and I cannot see how, in these brick and morter, shovel ready projects, that horses or health care could fit in. That just leaves the high tech aspect. Each of these projects needs to be re-evaluated for an application of a higher level of technology in their respective solutions before they actually request the funds be spent.

I would like to call on the Lexington leaders to apply the "high tech" litmus test to all new projects under consideration, not just to have whiz bang, bells and whistles as part of the show, but a real use of technology in the solution. I also don't want the city to rely just on technology in all of their dealings as I try to follow Scotty's comment "The more complicated you make the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain". Technology should not be used just for technology's sake.

Staying ahead of the curve

The other day I wrote of the idea put forth by Suzan Tobin about alternative uses of attached garages. Yes, I know that some of you think that I have gone completely batty, but Lexingtonians used to live like this. Having their livelihood on the same property where they lived. And, not just in the country portion on the county, I mean right downtown.

I also recall reading about "front yard farming" back in April. It seems that there are some enterprising urban dwellers who have plowed up their front yard and are raising food. Now, this can't happen in those areas I spoke of then because... there aren't any front yards to speak of, and practically no back yards either. And the former can't happen in the older areas... because the garages are in the rear of the lots.

Now comes, the latest in urban living. Keeping chickens and/or bees. This is just one more part of the urban farming movement or making city more sustainable. All of these part need to work in conjunction with each other for the system to work. In Cleveland, they are trying to change the rules to allow families to raise chickens in residential neighborhoods and allow beekeepers to have hives within 100 feet of a residence. This is taking place in the birthplace of "Euclidian zoning ".

I don't want everyone to think that I want all of our residential streets to have a jumble of tacky junk stores or continuous yard sales(although I think some could try it), but a mix of retail uses at intersections serving approximately a two block radius is not a bad thing. A little something to supplement the income, not a get rich, retire early type situation. A family run service with only one, if that many, positions of hired help. These kind of places have worked for centuries and they can work in the future, if we want them to.

But we, here in Lexington, have rules and laws and regulations to keep these things from happening. While there is no law prohibiting the keeping of chickens, except the noise ordinance, and I found nothing concerning bees, these uses are not done. There is a prohibition on other livestock and the sale thereof. There are also regulations on home occupations which do not include a majority of Suzan Tobin's suggested possible uses. They fall under commercial uses. Yes, we in Lexington have regulated away just about everything that made us a thriving community. Some people want to regulate more and more, taking away more personal freedoms.

We in Lexington used to have common goals and common wishes. Now we have many varied, disparate goals and dreams, with each person trying to join as many factions as meet their wishes(at the time) and push the city in a thousand directions at once. Sadly, people soon find that they cannot be a part of what they want and just simply go along for the ride. Or leave town.

Will Lextran employ Google Transit soon?

Lexington's transit riders will soon be able to use Google Transit to calculate and map their trips via computer. I understand that Lextran is close to going live with the service which allows riders to:

• Get step-by-step transit directions
• Find transit stops in your area
• View station information & schedules

I doubt that it will be by the first of the year but February is not out if the question.

Sometimes you can be ahead of the curve

I was looking at the December issue of Planning, the monthly magazine of the American Planning Association (APA), and saw the article about some alternate uses for the ubiquitous front loading garage. The author is suggesting that they be used for some type of storefront of a home-based business. Shades of Homer Simpson, when he decided to make money by being a marrying preacher, and ran a marriage chapel out of his attached garage. Was Homer ahead of the curve?

The term "bedroom community" has been around for a while now and has been used to refer to smaller suburban town some distance from the main city, but this is the first I've heard of drive-through sleeping quarters. The author implies that a majority of people buy large houses, with big yards (although a lot of them are on postage stamp sized lots), just to spend very few hours in them, mainly just sleeping. The actual living is done elsewhere. There are some families that do not even use their front door. The come home, drive into the garage and shut the automatic door.(Unless the garage becomes the storage space for something other than the car)

Under Suzan Tobin's scenario the garage could become like the old "live above the store" concept that has survived in the rest of the world for centuries. This would just be live beside where you work or walk to work while serving the neighborhood. Its done in many small towns all around the world. A local merchant peddling his wares to his neighbors and buying what he needs from them. One of them a baker, one a candle maker, one who makes soap, etc. Other vendors would also be there with products and services like books cafes and specialty grocers. It sounds a whole lot like some of the self contained Orthodox Jewish communities near New York

This also sounds like a recommendation of my fellow "peak oil" blogger I mentioned earlier this month. Her letter containing the ideas is found here and this would be number 14. By having the goods and services within walking distance the use of fossil fuels is reduced and the community becomes more sustainable. By allowing neighbors to interact in a social setting the community becomes safer. Is my friend also ahead of the curve?

More on RAC's -- Airport style

The Lexington Blue Grass Airport board today heard a presentation, concerning a proposal for some hotels, restaurant and other mixed use development at the entrance to the airport property on Man o' War Blvd. This has not been an unanticipated event. The pressure to expand the RAC's (Rural Activity Center) will do nothing but increase as we get closer to preparing for the next comprehensive plan. The report on Business Lexington has a slick video of the presentation.

This is not the first RAC to have unanticipated changes to the area. I posted on another earlier in the month and detailed some of the thoughts I have on some type of revamping of the RAC's.

I believe that this proposal is related to the decline of traffic at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and the attempt to gain market share for Lexington. Since 2005, the Cincinnati air traffic has fallen by just about half--from 600+ flights a day to just over 300, after the latest cuts take place. Total boardings have fallen from a high of 22 million to a projected 10 million for this year. Things are so bad that an entire concourse will be closed, even though it was recently completed and is still not paid for.

The airfares have risen in the last few years to some of the highest in the country. Even some of the major companies recruited to northern Kentucky, primarily because of the number of flights and ease of travel, are finding alternate locations and airlines in order to save money. I do not have high hopes for the airline industry, as a whole, but this could be good for Lexington in the short run.

The Airport Board will ask the Planning Commission to study the area and create an area plan for their RAC. I would think that the Commission would like to study all the RAC's at the same time rather than piecemeal over several years.

All in all, the wrangling over the RAC situation in the years to come will be very interesting.

Is something happening across from Main & Rose?

I received a call from a lawyer friend today. They were looking into some older property records concerning railroads and street rights of way in the downtown. As always, when they have a sticky question, they call the "old Streetsweeper".

The question started out about Water St and whether it was a State or County street. Some deeds had been traced back which left in doubt if it was either. My first impression was that Water st goes all the way back to the original plat for Lexington in 1792, so named because it fronted along the Town Branch Creek. (We are talking CentrePointe, I said to myself.)

Then came, "Who built and named Water St and did we acquire it from the railroad?" Now I'm out in left field, the railroad came way after the plat of '92. This attorney does good work and follows deed trails well, but when they started speaking of Urban Renewal and service entrances on plats then I know we are not talking the same area. A little more digging and I find that we are behind the Visitors and Convention office, a whole new can of worms.

This the same area that an architect friend and an engineer friend have let me know is in play for development. This the same block that I have discussed on skyscrapercity.com and been told that nothing was doing. The location in question is shown below.



With the location tied down, I could then explain all the history that I knew about the plats and deed descriptions that the attorney already had. I said that there was a proposal to develop the whole block and that there was to be a parking garage built for this project. What I got in return was sharp laugh and a "You did not hear that from me".

Yes, I did not hear that from them but it was a fairly firm confirmation that something is afoot, because I know for whom this person works. I am now positive that the government is in up to the eyeballs and that things are still on track.

What transportation people don't know

I had a fairly animated discussion with a transportation planner today which was a natural extension of the post from yesterday. In my passion about the streetcar topic, I could not help but again ask why the Automated Guideway Transit, (AGT) as they call it, was to be an above ground system and not at street level with the pedestrians. The answer I got was just as passionate, he likes the idea of separating the pedestrians from the vehicular traffic, to eliminate conflicts.

Now, what I can't understand is where this mentality meshes with the recent and currently underway planning efforts in the Downtown Master Plan (Draft), the Lexington Streetscape Master Plan, the Complete Streets efforts of the bicycle/pedestrian plan. Each of these plans or planning efforts have urged the enhancement and expansion of the street level pedestrian experience.

This planning fellow tells me that he "loves" the skywalk system here in Lexington, such that it is, and uses it often to get to a restaurant for lunch, especially in inclement weather. He says that he sees many others using it along with him. I did point out that he has to walk about two blocks just to access the skywalk system, climb stairs and meander another two blocks through office buildings and hallways, desend stairs and enter the dining facility. To get back just reverse the process. He readily admitted that the system was incomplete, apparently expecting additions to it in the future. Nothing has been added in the last 10-15 years and the current bridges are starting to deteriorate. It also seemed to amaze him that other cities had started to dismantle their skywalk systems.

He did try to explain this AGT system in further detail, that this was a "test"phase, if you will, and that later phases would extend for the rest of the people. Now, I pointed out yesterday that they are looking at likely 3 phases currently and they all involved university students/faculty from campus to campus or downtown to campus. How can one measure if it is a success if it does not include everyone?

I was astounded to learn that some of our local transportation personnel are unaware of happenings in cities of the region. Items like the streetcar initiative in Cincinnati, and the aforementioned skywalk removals.

I guess that these ideas go hand in hand with the general public, like the thought that any railroad is ripe to be either removed or commandeered for the purposes of the local government, i.e. the local good. Railroads in this country are already in place and the ones in this area are steadily working to improve service. And the industry, as a whole, is not asking for a Federal bailout.