Background

Thanks to Fresno Area Residents for Rail Consolidation (FARRC), the public has become increasingly aware of problems associated with the BNSF rail line that runs through the heart of Fresno. Trains rumbling through mid-town encounter increasing population growth and traffic congestion. For decades the community has recognized the need to relocate the mid-town tracks to the edge of town — ideally alongside Union Pacific Railroad’s right-of-way parallel to Hwy 99. In fits and starts, public officials have addressed the issue. In the early 1990’s, a coalition of city and county agencies sponsored a feasibility and study by HDR Engineering on the latest version of the Rail Consolidation Project. That report was updated in 2001. Under the current engineering proposal, a new alternative three track configuration that would be shared by both railroads.  There is also a four track proposal allowing each railroad it's own separate set of double tracking for the 15 mile length of the corridor.  The update calls for fourteen new over or underpasses along the corridor in addition to those already in place.  there would also be an 8000' "flyover" at the south end of the corridor to allow the Union Pacific traffic to cross over the BNSF traffic.  Currently the two railroads share a grade level "diamond" crossing in Calwa causing long delays to both railroads.

Organized only three years ago, FARRC quickly gained recognition as the independent information source on the project. FARRC conducts an aggressive outreach program to present carefully researched information in lay terms — meeting with community groups, the media, public officials and agency staff to be sure everyone understands the project’s status and benefits. FARRC’s educational efforts have placed the Rail Consolidation Project on the public agenda, obtaining official support at many levels.

 In October 2002, the San Joaquin Valley Clean Air Cities Coalition posted a story on how FARRC was founded, saying in part:

"Galvanized by the1999 derailment, John Ferdinandi, Jr. organized concerned residents to demand that the City and the railroads take action to protect Fresno against future rail problems. They began to gather information on problems associated with in-town surface rail lines —  train wrecks, traffic impacts, public safety, freight cargos, economic disruptions and unnecessary air pollution. They soon delved into the complexities of the issue and learned of the already-proposed Rail Consolidation Public Works Project."

Because railroads are regulated industries, any effort to relocate rail lines must be blessed by scores of agencies at city, state, regional and federal levels, as well as by the affected Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads. That time-consuming process spans many years. Historically, interest in the project has ebbed and flowed, depending on who was in office or held key agency staff positions.  
 

FARRC recognized the need for a consistent and independent organization to follow the latest Rail Consolidation developments and to gather public support to “move-the-tracks”. They realized that each new round of elected officials needed to be educated on the topic, as would new personnel rotating through the bureaucracy.

This concept of an independent information-based support group was easy to sell. Fresno Area Residents for Rail Consolidation was the result — organized as to facilitate public interest in the Rail Consolidation Project. In the first two years, FARRC operated as an association, and then incorporated in March 2002 as a public benefit corporation with 501-c-4 tax status. Paper work has been started to add 501-c-3 charitable tax status.

FARRC quickly and effectively positioned itself as an important player in the Central Valley’s railroad issues — a credit to John Ferdinandi’s leadership and the dedication of FARRC’s board. Tom Bailey brought his computer and marketing expertise to the organization, setting up its web site and managing its large database as well as putting together public presentations utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint software. Dennis Manning, a retired CalTrans engineer, stepped in to do research. Within a year, they had made their presence known and presented a petition of more than 4,000 signatures to City and County officials. Before long, The City showed their support by approving $10,000 as seed money in 2000 (funded in 2001), followed by another $25,000 in 2001. The County also gave $20,000 in 2001. FARRC was off and running, to bring educational materials to an ever-widening circle of organizations.

At the state level, California Assemblyman Michael Briggs wrote in his March 17, 2001 newsletter: “Rail consolidation in Fresno will be one of my top priorities during the current legislative Session. My AB 1094 seeks funding form a variety of sate sources to pay for the consolidation project. A number of studies completed by CalTrans show that congestion and traffic delay is the number one problem identified by motorists in California. A 1993 study estimated that the number of Fresno vehicles delayed by trains was 5.6 million in 1991.”

That bill included an appropriation of $100,000 in operating funds for FARRC’s outreach and educational efforts. The money was channeled through the Council of Fresno County Governments and administered by CalTrans. That state funding contract became effective in 2002, but was cancelled before year-end due budget cuts mandated by Governor Gray Davis — withdrawing $40,000 from FARRC’s operating budget.