Railroad presents track realignment options

MAT-SU -- The Alaska Railroad Corporation held its first public meeting on the south Wasilla track realignment plan last Wednesday, kicking off the environmental assessment process for the realignment.

About 20 Valley residents came and listened as members from the Alaska Railroad and HDR, a consultant company hired for this project, discussed the three options for the track from mileposts 154 to 158, beginning near Nelson Road and ending behind Wal-Mart.

HDR senior planner John McPherson explained that the south Wasilla section of track has many dangerous curves that could possibly cause train derailment. Sections where the track and road jointly meet, called at-grade crossings, also are cause for concern. The windy track also slows the trains down to 25 mph, instead of the preferred 50 mph that trains normally travel at.

"If you are trying to run commuter trains to Anchorage, it adds a lot of time," McPherson said.

The railroad has not made any decisions yet on which alternative they prefer. The difference in cost between alternatives two and three have not been determined. Alternative three will result in more people's property being acquired.

"We haven't determined how much impact [there will be] on the right-of-way, but we know [alternative] three will acquire more," McPherson said.

Alternative three is thought to be the faster construction of the two action alternatives.