Save the State Fair Train and any future rail traffic!

[Crusader17]

Fishers and Noblesville want to rip up the Nickle Plate Road and make a trail. Sign the petition and email city officials to make sure they hear from those who oppose another trail. Lots of places have trails, very few have something like the state fair train and the potential for commuter rail to downtown Indy.

https://www.change.org/p/save-the-nickel-plate-road-railroad-from-noblesville-in-to-indianapolis-in

 

[jasonh31]

Will do, never rode the fair train but we shouldn't be ripping up any more railroads.

 

[pute62]

I use to live close to the Nickle Plate tracks North of Noblesville back in the 60's & 70's when the old steam train ran (I believe it was the old 587) and loved the sound of the steam whistle during the night. Lived in Arcadia in the 90's when the Santa train would come to town and my kids loved it. My dad had a coal yard at the intersection of the Nickle Plate & The East/West tracks in Noblesville back when I was a kid. It's a shame that people will vote for a tax increase to upgrade a bus line that can't fund itself but would choose to do away with something that could be upgraded to be a money maker. Tell me again how long I'm going to keep paying for Lucas Oil Stadium?

 

[hoosierdoc]

Do those tracks get used much outside of the fair time? Probably a MUCH better use for the community as trails if not.

 

[phylodog]

There's enough money up there they should just have someone design covers that snap in place and create a smooth surface for biking, walking or jogging. Pull it up during the fair then pay it all back down when the fair is over. Create a job or two in the process.

 

[MCgrease08]

There are two public meetings coming up on this issue next week. Fishers meeting is 3/21. Noblesville is 3/23.

I don't yet have an opinion on this one way or another yet, but considering I live about 100 yards away from the tracks off 126th in Fishers, I will be paying attention closely.

 

[eldirector]

Taxpayer cost of something like $5M to convert to a bike/ped trail. Plus any maintenance after it is built.

Of course, the track also needs about $5M in repairs to keep the Fair Train running.
http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/01/21/new-operators-fair-train-sought/96839360/

Personally, I can think of better uses for 5 million bucks, and that area already has a ton of trails.

 

[hoosierdoc]

But But But, carmel has the monon, fishers must keep up!

 

[MCgrease08]

Taxpayer cost of something like $5M to convert to a bike/ped trail. Plus any maintenance after it is built.

Of course, the track also needs about $5M in repairs to keep the Fair Train running.
New operators of fair train sought

Personally, I can think of better uses for 5 million bucks, and that area already has a ton of trails.

The trail plan is actually estimated at $9 mil.

 

[Trigger Time]

People always eager to build rape and robbery roads. I don't get it

 

[Crusader17]

Both towns have a "long-term" plan to explore light rail/commuter rail to downtown. Yet here they are proposing to dismantle the one rail they have. It could relieve congestion in the area, but for whatever reason, they aren't seeing it from that perspective. And yeah I think it's totally about keeping up with Carmel. I read some fishers official said they had heard some people were thinking of moving because Carmel has more trails. HAHA. some rich snob probably made a comment to a city officials' wife during their weekly kindle skype. (The suburban form of a book club, using as much technology as possible)

 

[Cameramonkey]

Both towns have a "long-term" plan to explore light rail/commuter rail to downtown. Yet here they are proposing to dismantle the one rail they have. It could relieve congestion in the area, but for whatever reason, they aren't seeing it from that perspective. And yeah I think it's totally about keeping up with Carmel. I read some fishers official said they had heard some people were thinking of moving because Carmel has more trails. HAHA. some rich snob probably made a comment to a city officials' wife during their weekly kindle skype. (The suburban form of a book club, using as much technology as possible)

Glad Im not the only one that saw that folly. You are an idiot if you are on one hand actively yearning for a new light rail solution long term while simultaneously pushing to convert a rail system in minor disrepair to go away. Where are you going to put that new rail if you dont follow the current existing RoW? Are there other existing roadbeds that we dont know about?

But as a libertarian, I'd rather see "us" come up with the 5m to fix the rails than .gov to waste 5-9m ripping it up.

 

[jeffjdrn]

As a Noblesville resident, I too can think of a lot better uses.

 

[Crusader17]

Glad Im not the only one that saw that folly. You are an idiot if you are on one hand actively yearning for a new light rail solution long term while simultaneously pushing to convert a rail system in minor disrepair to go away. Where are you going to put that new rail if you dont follow the current existing RoW? Are there other existing roadbeds that we dont know about?

But as a libertarian, I'd rather see "us" come up with the 5m to fix the rails than .gov to waste 5-9m ripping it up.

"They" will cite the "railbanking" procedure where the railroad has a right to come back, but I'm not aware of that ever happening. Seems like they ought to skip the steps of adding and removing a trail and just go right for the commuter rail, be an example for other cities to follow.

 

[Naptown]

<----- Fishers resident for the past 35 years



Personally, I like the idea of the trail. The fair train service was suspended last year due to the poor condition of the tracks. Spend $5M to repair the tracks so a fair train can run 4 weeks out of the year? That's crazy. Spending $9M to use it 52 weeks out of the year makes a lot more sense to me. Getting approval of the rail banking process allows to use the space now and convert back to a rail if the demand / funds ever develop.

For those who think we need high speed rails, what is the cost of that?

For those who can think of "better uses" to spend the $9M, what are they?

 

[dwh79]

Light rail is not high speed and I believe you ar shooting yourself n the foot if you remove the last great rail R/W straight into downtown with a small track realignment at mass and rural approximately. I would love the old interurban line alongside the tracks going to 52 would be reopened so I could take the train to downtown. That's just my opinion though.

 

[Leadeye]

Towns will probably get matching funds from the state DOT which will be flush with new tax money soon, can't spend it with connected contractors fast enough. State DOT needs more connected contractors and more projects so they will need further tax increases for "crumbling infrastructure".

Always follow the money

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Getting approval of the rail banking process allows to use the space now and convert back to a rail if the demand / funds ever develop.

For those who can think of "better uses" to spend the $9M, what are they?

What would be the cost to convert back to rail? I'm guessing well more than the 5 million to repair.

And better use? Don't spend it, give the taxpayers a break.

 

[Indy-Mike]

This is probably DOA if the budget cuts Trump is proposing go through. Both the repair of the track or the conversion to a trail would probably die without federal matching funds

 

[jglevyjr]

How about a company purchases the railroad, makes service ON TIME, EVERY TIME, makes cars look brand new, hires support folks that are Nice to passengers, have a dining car with a section for fast food and another for 1[SUP]st[/SUP] class service with great chef, sells things people want on a train (especially techie stuff), and really puts the government operation in the RED since no one would chose them over the entrepreneur railroad. Uh oh, then they’ll surely raise taxes since, of course, more taxes will fix the problem.