Railroad tracks an important part of Palmer

We don't really know why the city of Palmer ripped up the railroad tracks. We do know it was underhanded and contrary to promises and contrary to the will of most of the city council, then-mayor John Combs and certainly the city's residents. Three times over the years the people of Palmer have voted for train service.

We know that destroying the tracks served no purpose other than to deny city businesses revenue. Not one thing other than a mud puddle in the middle of town has come of it, not even the nefarious schemes: MEA's gulag pipeline, the developer's grand office building, the half-mile of parking lots seen on one city plan. There has been nothing gained from this.

Even the "trails" people, who consistently lied as well and told all kinds of bull-pucky about how the rail had to go for a trail to be built, can be satisfied with what happened. They must look at the airport spur and see the great trail - 18 feet off the tracks running from the fairgrounds. It hurts me to see the lies they were fed.

The day before the tracks were lifted, Alaska Railroad had provided a very reasonable estimate for refurbishing the track into town. In fact, at Alaska Railroad board meetings, the board (other than Steve Menard, then on the board representing Palmer/Wasilla) seemed most reasonable and willing to work with the city. The city represented at that time by city manager Bill Allen and known to the railroad board as "mayor," Allen intimated that the people of Palmer wanted the tracks gone.

It wasn't true.

Since then the railroad has wisely said that it wants a clear resolution as to what the people of Palmer want. I know what I want. I want trains and the prosperity they bring.

The Colony Christmas train alone was a symbol, a very special symbol, of Palmer. It brought us lots of revenue. How about the Art Train? And how many more specialty trains, like HarvestTrain, SkiTrain or a Gold-Miner History Train. The possibilities and the money are endless.

Then there is railroad history. Railroad buffs come from around the world for rail history. Carson City, Nev., makes millions of dollars a year off its McKeen Car. It's just like the one that used to serve Palmer, the one rotting away in Anchorage. I dream of a McKeen Car bringing Alaska State Fair goers into Palmer four or five times a day with bicyclists and families enjoying the trail alongside.

The benefits include clean revenue for the city and its businesses, jobs, money and no stinking dust.

But what if we are forced to have the evil of coal mining in our community? (I refuse to mince words about my feelings on this subject!) Build them a track, I'd say. Next to burning coal, the handling of coal is the prime cause of coal pollution.

Between the new gravel mining ordnance and dumping and reloading coal at the elevator, the future of south Palmer is bleak. If this comes to pass without a train, I sure wouldn't want to be a resident of Sky Ranch.

But dollar for dollar, it would be a lot cheaper subsidy to build Usibelli a track than to maintain the highway between Sutton and south Palmer. And, it would take hundreds of trucks off the road - trucks that every day endanger our children and elderly. (I, for one, know my mother-in-law walks from the Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home to McDonald's, and an 87-year-old versus a speeding 50-ton truck? Yes, it's personal!). They also will choke our air with noxious fumes. What could be more enhancing to our community?

Train tracks mean real jobs, real revenue, real pride, real prosperity.

Greg Gusse is a Palmer businessman.