Long Train Running

TKC comments on The Star's article about BNSF's desire to put a billion dollar freight hub in Gardner. Residents are rightfully nervous about what kind of neighbor a giant freight hub will make. Noise, pollution and property values are all issues that Gardner residents want addressed. The Star points out that railroads in the US have a historical free pass when it comes to development and eminent domain. This goes back to the days of the first transcontinental railroad and the need for rapid expansion of passenger and freight service to the West. Recently Atlantans were unsuccessful in stopping Norfolk Southern from developing a freight center there, but at least were able to secure a few million for soundproofing, parks and other such concessions. I always try to be a glass half-full kind of guy. If we know that BNSF is going to get their freight center no matter what, and we know that recently the railroads have shown a willingness to work with the communities they do business in, why not get creative? Instead of asking for payouts for things like soundproofing and parkland, why doesn't Gardner ask for commuter rail? Have BNSF build them a rail station and a line into Union Station. Who better to build a railroad than a railroad? I guarantee you if BNSF was building the line the cost wouldn't be the millions of dollars per mile that we hear quoted by private consulting firms. A commuter rail line could do many things for Gardner. They would leapfrog over communities like Olathe and Lenexa in drawing upper income commuters who don't want to live "in the city" but work somewhere in the urban core. BNSF would benefit by being able to draw from a larger labor pool to staff their giant freight center as workers could also use the line to commute to Gardner. I'm sure there are many people who will tell me a thousand reasons why this would never work. But you know what? If you don't ask, the answer is always "no."