Western Railroad Discussion > Pro Rail IMBYS!

Over the last year or so there has been sporadic discussion of the Phillips 66 Santa Maria Rail Project. Like all environmentally sensitive endeavors it has its critics, which in this case have been helped substantially by a number of disastrous derailments of trains transporting crude oil.

Zipping down a small hill about a mile from my house afternoon I encountered several of these signs. I couldn't help but be amused by the colors (The Central Coast of California still has it's blue skies but alas, much of the green has been lost to the drought) and the size of the lead-in text, its visceral appeal not withstanding, is overwhelming the primary message on a sign intended to be read from a rapidly moving vehicle.

Regardless of the final outcome, it seems the project does have supporters In My Back Yard!

Cheers,
Jack

 

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Those against the project have been much more vocal that those for the project, no surprise, although recently there has been some real mud-slingging on both sides.   While I don't think the current plan is going to pass the SLO Planning Commission I highly doubt P66 gives up on this project, not with the current high refining margins, which will likely continue for the foreseeable future.   I think a smaller project with fewer trains per week (no more than 3) would squeak through...

The best chance of this passing in the projects current form is with the commission suggesting use restrictions, possibly severe, using the strongest legal language they have available, something P66 might go along with.  In other words UP and P66 would have to prove the entire operation is as safe as possible before restrictions were eased.  

I do think there is a lot going on behind the scenes we don't know about.  P66 has been quiet about the project recently...


Allen

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/15 19:19 by bradleymckay.

It seems to me that San Luis Obispo would want the high paying jobs found at the refinery.   Someone has to make good money to pay for the high priced houses in San Luis Obispo.  Today in checking out the south end yard at SLO to see if the empty auto racks were there (they were) I pickup a flyer for a house for sale in the nice neighborhood west of tracks.  The asking price for a 4 bedroom, three bath, and three car garage was $862,500.  That is a lot of money for an area far from the beach with only major employer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

The California Mens Colony or CMC, County of San Luis Obispo, Strassbaugh, Level Studios, and several other Tech industries are also big employers around SLO, not just Cal Poly.

DWGOLDE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It seems to me that San Luis Obispo would want the
> high paying jobs found at the refinery.   Someone
> has to make good money to pay for the high priced
> houses in San Luis Obispo.  Today in checking out
> the south end yard at SLO to see if the empty auto
> racks were there (they were) I pickup a flyer for
> a house for sale in the nice neighborhood west of
> tracks.  The asking price for a 4 bedroom, three
> bath, and three car garage was $862,500.  That is
> a lot of money for an area far from the beach with
> only major employer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

IF the drought continues to decimate the snowpack in the sierras and lake mead's water level keeps decreasing,  it will be interesting to see what happens to california's housing market...........

66 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/15 07:52 by goneon66.

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DWGOLDE Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It seems to me that San Luis Obispo would want
> the
> > high paying jobs found at the refinery.  
> Someone
> > has to make good money to pay for the high
> priced
> > houses in San Luis Obispo.  Today in checking
> out
> > the south end yard at SLO to see if the empty
> auto
> > racks were there (they were) I pickup a flyer
> for
> > a house for sale in the nice neighborhood west
> of
> > tracks.  The asking price for a 4 bedroom,
> three
> > bath, and three car garage was $862,500.  That
> is
> > a lot of money for an area far from the beach
> with
> > only major employer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
>
> IF the drought continues to decimate the snowpack
> in the sierras and lake mead's water level keeps
> decreasing,  it will be interesting to see what
> happens to california's housing
> market...........
>
> 66 

Nothing.  The prices will still raise.