Statement
before Glenn A. Walsh
Port Authority Board:
Tax Funds
Spent
On
Construction of Telephone: 412-561-7876
Never Used Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Mid-Day Rail
Yard Internet Web Site: <
http://www.planetarium.cc >
2004
April 23
Good morning. I am Glenn A.
Walsh of
In February, the Federal
Transit Administration (FTA) recommended a Full Funding Grant Agreement for the
proposed North Shore Connector light rail expansion project. However, there is one consequence of this project as
currently proposed, the Port Authority’s proposed abandonment of a never-used rail car storage yard, which would result
in the complete waste of $2 million in taxpayer funds.
With the construction of
maintenance buildings on the former main rail yard at South Hills Junction, the
Port Authority saw the need for a new rail yard to store extra light rail
vehicles, needed only during the rush-hours, in the central city area. As part
of Stage I of the Light Rail Transit project, a seven-track—that is five stub
tracks and a loop track originally designed for PCC streetcars that can now
serve as two additional storage tracks—a seven-track rail car storage yard was built,
just beyond the light rail passenger station at Penn Station.
On April 2, I sent a
Pennsylvania
Right-to-Know Law request to the Port Authority for specific information about
the construction of this rail yard, including the exact cost. According to Paul
Skoutelas and Jason Fincke, it would be difficult to obtain the specifics I
requested, as this information is located in archives off-site. Although I have
not received all of the information I requested, I have received the
approximate cost of construction of this rail yard.
The information provided to
me, mostly from the July 1983 issue of the SIDEWALK
SUPERINTENDENT newsletter issued by the Port Authority to inform the public
of rail construction activities, indicates that the construction of all
trackage from
A small part of the $2 million
contract was used to construct trackage from
Please note that the Massaro
contract did not include the
construction of the passenger platforms at Penn Station or changes to the
tunnel. Nor did this contract include the overhead electrical wiring. So, the
Massaro contract, along with the cost of the overhead electrical wiring, makes
the total cost of this rail yard about $2 million.
Tax Funds Spent on Never-Used Rail Yard 2004 April 23 Page 2 of 4
Now, the problem is this:
This $2 million rail car storage yard has NEVER
been used for its intended purpose. In fact, it has NEVER been used, AT ALL, for the storage of light rail vehicles!
And, the Port Authority now proposes to ABANDON
this rail car storage yard. If this abandonment occurs, it will result
in the complete waste of $2
million in taxpayer money—this is $2 million in 1983 dollars. This would be
the most egregious waste of taxpayer money in the 40 years of Port
Authority Transit history!
And,
this may not the worst of it!
In
the mid-1980s, the Port Authority built several new rail stations along the
Monongahela Valley Commuter Rail Line, the PATrain, using Federal funds.
In the Spring of 1989, the Port Authority shamelessly abandoned the PATrain.
A portion of the Federal funds used to construct the new rail stations had to
be returned to the Federal Government, since these stations had been utilized
for such a short period of time.
Well,
if the Port Authority does abandon the Mid-Day Rail Yard, the Federal
Government will probably ask that all of the money used to build this yard be
returned, considering that the rail yard was never, ever used! And, considering
the current financial plight of the State and County governments, the
Today is not the first time I
have complained about the failure of the Port Authority to take advantage of a
$2 million rail yard they constructed. About two and a half years ago, I
mentioned this matter to Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Skoutelas,
after a Port Authority meeting. Mr. Skoutelas provided no response to this
issue, at that time.
Attached to this statement is
a
copy of the comments I submitted on
I was fully aware of the
proposal to build this Mid-Day Rail Yard in 1983. But, I thought that if the
Port Authority really wanted this yard, it was probably a good idea. I am sure
that the Port Authority Board of Directors, at that time, probably felt the
same way. Who in 1983, in their right
mind, would have thought that the Port Authority would build a $2 million rail
yard—then never use it!!!
Why has this rail yard never been
used? Security of the light rail vehicles in storage could not be a concern,
considering that the Mid-Day Rail Yard is located adjacent to the Port Authority Police Station!
From discussions with Port
Authority staff members over the years, it seems that the staff considers access
to and from this rail yard, via a “pocket track” near
Tax Funds Spent on Never-Used Rail Yard 2004 April 23 Page 3 of 4
Once a vehicle has entered
this “pocket track,” it is no longer in the
Now, in combination with this
movement through the “pocket track,” I would suggest the following supplement
during rush-hours. Most rush-hour passengers board or alight trains at the
Steel Plaza Subway Station. So, during rush hours, the fourth or fifth train in
a series of trains could be designated as being bound for Penn Station, which
would still allow regular stops at Station Square, First Avenue, and Steel
Plaza; these trains would not have to go through the pocket track movement With
this plan, people bound for Wood Street or Gateway Center would not have to
wait long for a train to their destination, if the first train they encountered
was bound for Penn Station.
The storage of extra light
rail vehicles, needed only during the rush hours, in a Downtown rail yard would
have major financial advantages. A great deal less electricity would be
consumed by the stored vehicles. And, there would be less wear-and-tear on vehicles.
Certainly, these were the major reasons for construction of the Mid-Day Rail
Yard!
Yet, since the Port Authority
staff has refused to use this rail yard, for more than fifteen years the Port
Authority has been consuming a great deal more electricity just for the mid-day
warehousing of these vehicles at the main
The Mid-Day Rail Yard should
have been used over the last fifteen years. And, it definitely should be used
now. Later this year, the Port Authority staff may, again, ask this Board to
approve transit fare increases and/or service reductions. There should be no transit fare increases or service reductions
approved, until the Port Authority starts reducing operating costs by using the
Mid-Day Rail Yard for its intended purpose!
The Convention Center Subway
Line, as currently proposed by the Port Authority, would require the
disconnection of the Penn Station Rail Line from the rail system. I have been
told that grading considerations make this disconnection a necessity. Yet, the
Penn Station Line shares the same grade
as
There is no reason the
Convention Center Line cannot connect to the existing Penn Station Line. In
fact, I am suspicious as to why the Port Authority staff is so adamant that the
Convention Center Line and the Penn Station Line cannot coexist. Could it be
that the disconnection of the Penn Station Line, from the rest of the rail
system, was seen as an easy way to rid the Port Authority of the Mid-Day Rail
Yard embarrassment? Yes, it seems that the Port Authority planners purposely
designed the Penn Station Line out of the rail system, so they can pave over
this rail yard, and there would no longer be any evidence of the complete waste
of $2 million of taxpayer money!
Tax Funds Spent on Never-Used Rail Yard 2004 April 23 Page 4 of 4
As many of you know, I have
been a strong advocate of public transportation, and of the Port Authority, for
more than twenty-five years. However, it becomes very frustrating, and difficult,
to support the Port Authority, when there is such clear-cut evidence of waste of taxpayer dollars—money that could have
been used to improve public transportation in
Good
public transit is very important to urban areas such as
However, first, to prevent
the complete waste of $2 million of taxpayer money, the Board of Directors of
the Port Authority of Allegheny County should direct the staff to do the
following:
1)
With the next
Port Authority Transit operator “pick,” the Port Authority should begin using
the Mid-Day Rail Yard for its intended purpose: the storage of extra light rail
vehicles not needed for base-period service. Of course, a side benefit of this
action would be to provide additional light rail passenger service between
2)
Plans for
construction of the Convention Center Subway Line should be modified to allow
continual rail car access to the Mid-Day Rail Yard.
Thank you.
gaw 2004 April 22