UP: Rockview project not tied to track swap

ROCKVIEW, Mo. -- For months Rockview residents have been watching the railroad improvement work going on outside their homes -- some of them wondering if the work is part of a plan bigger than the new curve in the track beside their town.

Since spring 2005 Union Pacific Railroad has been working on a $4.2 million project to install a new connector track on the edge of the town -- work that is now in its final stages.

The project is a mixed blessing. Drainage problems that have long plagued Rockview have largely been alleviated. At the same time, some residents see the work as indicative of UP's belief that its track swap will surely go through. The work on the connector started around the same time UP filed for approval of the track swap.

"You can come down here and look. It's all being laid out and being done. Signed, sealed and delivered," said Rosalie Haney, a Rockview resident.

For its part, UP denies that the improvements are in anticipation of the swap.

The new connector is a curved track that links UP's current east-west line to Burlington Northern Santa Fe's north-south line. UP is currently trying to acquire rights to the full use of BNSF's line to begin directional running of trains from Rockview to Sikeston. The proposal is awaiting the results of an environmental review by the federal Surface Transportation Board, the body that regulates rail traffic. It's unknown when that process will be complete.

The proposal has major opposition in Sikeston, Rockview and other towns throughout Scott County.

Federal and state representatives have written to UP and the Surface Transportation Board opposing the swap in its current form and encouraging consideration of the "northern option" of double tracking existing line from Rockview to Dexter.

Recently a petition drive in the affected areas gathered about 2,000 signatures from people opposing the swap.

Municipal and county governments in the area affected have nearly all spoken out against the proposal that will run at least 10 extra trains per day over the track, possibly more in the future.

UP spokesman James Barnes said the work in Rockview is actually being done to increase efficiency of a single coal train that runs along the line daily. The new connecting curve allows that train to run more quickly and with fewer stops, he said.

He said the work would be done regardless of the track swap.

Barnes said UP is running the coal train over the Rockview-to-Sikeston line to serve a power plant in New Madrid. UP is in the process of abandoning track the train used to run on from Lilbourn to New Madrid.

Some Rockview residents say the work is all part of a larger plan to prepare for the approval of the swap.

"You don't know who to believe," said Rockview resident Les Glastetter, who has been involved in personal lawsuits against UP on other issues.

Glastetter said he feels like he gets different signals from UP and the feds when he asks about the status of the swap.

Barnes said UP is optimistic the swap will be approved. In June the Surface Transportation Board approved a transaction that gave BNSF rights to UP line in Colorado. That swap is one-half of an agreement between the two companies. The other half is the exchange of the Rockview-to-Sikeston line.

He said UP is committed to working with local governments to improve safety at crossings should the swap be approved.

But it is still unknown when the environmental review process will be complete. Until then, residents around the county have pledged to oppose the plan to the end.

Residents of Rockview, Chaffee and Oran have been meeting regularly to plan strategy to oppose the swap. They'll meet again Wednesday night at St. Ambrose School in Chaffee.

"As soon as they started working we knew," said Haney. "We've really been concerned about this for a long time, and we're going to keep telling UP and BNSF that this can't fly."

msanders@semissourian.com

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