Lolz.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/ind ... l#commentsSince April, a line of tank cars on the Ann Arbor Railroad line that runs through Pittsfield Township and Saline has gradually grown, and in some areas it now cuts within 100 feet of schools, playgrounds, homes and other developments.
The line, which is mostly only broken up by road crossings, now extends for several miles, and a company official told The Ann Arbor News it's composed of 237 tank cars that are built to haul petroleum.
The length of time the cars have sat and their proximity to homes and schools is generating some concern about safety, environmental issues, and visual blight from residents, local officials and a developer.
Steve Schafer is moving forward with plans for a large residential and commercial development on a property at State and Textile roads that's bisected by the line of tank cars. He is among those who want to know why the cars are stored in residential areas and wants them moved.
"I'm hesitant to invest a bunch of money in a subdivision with a bunch of tanker cars running through it," Schafer said. "You wouldn't want to look out the back of your home and see tanker cars."
Several residents who spoke with The Ann Arbor News said they feared a potential environmental disaster and said the train cars are a dangerous attraction for kids in the nearby schools and subdivisions.
Tracie VanBecelaere, a spokesperson with Watco, the Kansas-based rail company that owns the Ann Arbor Railroad, offered good and bad news.
The good news: The tank cars sitting in Pittsfield and Saline are brand new. That means they never carried any kind of petroleum or chemicals and don't pose any serious environmental threat.
The bad news: The tank cars likely aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and there doesn't appear to be much local officials or residents can do about that.
VanBecelaere explained to The Ann Arbor News that another company is paying Watco to store the tank cars on Watco's underused rail lines. The cars were ordered and built when oil prices were higher. Oil prices dropped, that caused a production to dip, and with it the need to transport oil disappeared.
Until oil prices increase and domestic production is back up, companies need to stash their unused tank cars somewhere. And Watco has underutilized lines in places like Saline and Pittsfield that are becoming long-term parking lots that provide extra revenue for the company.
"Basically, we have to do this in order to keep in business. We have to be profitable, and that's what we do with that line when it isn't in use," VanBecelaere said. "We have to be able to pay our taxes to keep people working in the area.
"The cars have to go somewhere."
Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal said the rail companies have jurisdiction over the tracks and there's little her office can do except to work with them as much as possible. Watco did agree to move some cars that were stored in close proximity to some homes, but it won't take any further action, Grewal said.
"Unfortunately they're really taking away from the township's visual aesthetic. We would hope that these companies would look more at partnering with local communities ... and how they detract from quality of life and cause safety issues," she said.
Pittsfield and Saline aren't alone. National Public Radio reported that tank cars are being stored on underutilized tracks around the country. But many of those stored elsewhere are "dirty" tank cars that carried petroleum. Those are now being decommissioned and stored until they can be pulled off the tracks, cleaned and recycled.
Schafer added that he has been in touch with state legislators and representatives in Congress, as well as the US Department of Transportation, which didn't return calls from The Ann Arbor News. But it's not totally clear what action, if any, is possible at the state and federal level.
An official from Gov. Rick Snyder's office told Schafer they were too busy to look into the issue.
Schafer, who said he also called Watco and didn't get much help, questioned why the company needs to store the tank cars near homes and schools.
"They shouldn't be there. There's a rail yard where they could go. I can understand if they're in an industrial area, but not around a residential zone," he said.
It's not possible to store the cars elsewhere, says VanBecelaere. Watco operates around 4,700 miles of tracks nationally. Their tracks are called short lines and are typically smaller regional tracks that feed larger interstate lines. Many of the local tracks that cut through residential areas aren't in use.
Additionally, the tracks in the industrial areas and rail yards remain in use, and Watco has to be able to switch lines and move cars without obstruction, VanBecelaere said.
"Obviously we don't people to be unhappy, but it's one of those things where we have to do what we have to do to keep investing in the community," she said.
