State: Rail plan for granite on track
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Two women walk across the train bridge behind Shaws in Montpelier. The pedestrian shortcut could be off limits, along with some parking spaces, if Rock Of Ages reaches a deal to ship its granite waste from Barre by rail through Montpelier. KYLE MARTEL/TIMES ARGUS |
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By David Delcore TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: November 25, 2009
BARRE TOWN – A plan to ramp up rail service in central Vermont to serve the business needs of a local granite company is coming like, well, a freight train, and all the mayoral invective that can be hurled back and forth between Barre and Montpelier isn't going to derail it.
So says Trini Brassard, assistant director of operations for the state Agency of Transportation.
"It's not if, it's when," Brassard said of a newly disclosed plan to revitalize a largely disused train route in order to transport massive granite "grout" piles at Rock of Ages Corp. for construction use.
Brassard said she understands there might be concerns from those who live and work and play along a 13-mile stretch of state-owned railroad, which runs from the hills of Barre Town, through Barre and Berlin all the way to Montpelier Junction.
But she said the concerns are also largely irrelevant because the state owns the tracks and Vermont Rail System leases them and has the right to use them.
Rock of Ages has countless tons of freight it wants to get to market and there is no more economical and environmentally friendly way to do that than by using the railroad that put Barre's granite industry on the map back in 1875.
"From a state perspective, we would much rather see freight move on the rail line than have bumper to bumper trucks," Brassard said, suggesting that the benefits range from reduced carbon emissions to less wear and tear on state and local highways.
The state's preference notwithstanding, Brassard said Vermont Rail was within its rights to operate the rail line and cater to customers like Rock of Ages.
"It's basically a business deal between the two of them," she said.
According to Brassard, the wheels are already turning in order to accommodate an arrangement that will result in increased train traffic on what – at least in recent years – has been a rarely used rail line.
A comprehensive evaluation of the railroad tracks is under way and a consultant is being sought to conduct ultrasonic testing to determine the load-bearing capacity of two pin trestle bridges in Montpelier – one behind Shaw's supermarket and the other near the roundabout at the junction of Routes 2 and 302.
Although Brassard said next April is the earliest Rock of Ages would begin shipping grout – chunks of unusable monument stone that are a byproduct of its massive granite quarrying and manufacturing operation – the agency hopes to have the analysis complete before making its annual budget request for the Legislature early next year.
Under the terms of its lease agreement with Vermont Rail, Brassard said the state is responsible for any major upgrades to the rail line, as well as the structural integrity of all bridges. Vermont Rail, she said, is responsible for operating the railroad and any routine maintenance of the tracks.
If a significant upgrade to the tracks is warranted, Brassard said the state could use 13 miles of rail that will be ripped up as part of a $3.5 million railroad upgrade along the western corridor in the Proctor-Middlebury area. Those tracks are being replaced with continuously welded rail that is more suitable for passenger use, but are in good condition, she said.
Meanwhile, Rock of Ages and representatives of Barre Area Development have pitched the proposal as a way to preserve, if not create, jobs and are hoping to stimulate a public discussion on how best to inform residents of changes that will be needed in and along the railroad rights of way due to the anticipated increase in rail traffic.
BAD Executive Director Darren Winham said that process started quietly late last week at a meeting that included officials from Barre, Barre Town, Montpelier and Berlin.
"The purpose of the meeting was as a courtesy to the four municipalities to inform them that Rock of Ages, in conjunction with a company called Northeast Materials Group, is actively seeking contracts to utilize the excess granite that is waste material from the quarries for projects outside of Vermont," Winham said.
"Although there is no specific project confirmed at this point, the parties involved wanted to make the communities affected by this proposed increased rail activity aware of their intentions," he added.
Montpelier Mayor Mary Hooper's disclosure of the substance of that meeting the following day prompted sharp criticism from Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon and Jeff Blow, chairman of the Barre Town selectboard. Both men claim Hooper violated the spirit of an agreement involving how the project would be presented to the public, an accusation Hooper has vehemently denied, while raising concerns about how the proposal could affect Montpelier.
Based on last week's briefing at Rock of Ages, Winham said Northeast Materials Group is seeking to provide granite for use in large-scale marine structures, such as retaining walls and breakwaters that would be built by the Army Corps of Engineers along the coastal United States using stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
According to Winham, the amount of rail activity will be determined by the volume of granite required to fulfill potential contracts, as well as use by other area businesses.
"Barre Area Development has been contacted by several local businesses that would be interested in rail use should the track be upgraded," he said.
Winham said he expects officials in Barre, Barre Town, Montpelier and Berlin to solicit citizen input in coming weeks as part of a public information campaign.
"We understand it has been some time since there was significant rail traffic on this line, and want to hear from the public about any concerns they may have," he said.
Brassard said that will be a crucial step given widespread encroachment on the railroad right of way over the years.
"It's going to take a huge public awareness campaign," she said. "There are just behaviors that have been learned that haven't been an issue that will need to change."
Some businesses, such as Dente's Market in Barre and M&M Beverage and Redemption Center in Montpelier, will lose parking; one Montpelier bank will lose its drive-through and some popular shortcuts, like the train trestle behind Shaw's in Montpelier and the tracks near Spaulding High School in Barre, will be off limits.
Technically, Brassard said those who cross the trestle are trespassing, though there has been no attempt to enforce that in recent years given the infrequent rail use.
At least initially, Brassard said Rock of Ages hopes to ship between 50,000 and 65,000 tons of grout a year using longer rail cars specifically designed to carry the 100-ton loads. The company's goal, she said, is to ship as much as 500,000 tons a year.
david.delcore@timesargus.com
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