Railroad plans to resume Tanana levee work in March
The railroad said the Salcha levee construction is expected to be complete on the north bank in July. The on-site work to produce piling and fabricate girders is expected to start in March.
An ice bridge is to be built to get equipment to the south side to clear trees before spring.
About 2,500 feet of levee construction was completed in the last quarter of 2011 and rip rap has been stockpiled. The trees on the north side have been cleared to allow construction to proceed.
The substructure and super structure of the bridge are scheduled to be installed by March 2014, with project completion due by the end of that summer.
The railroad says that of the $188 million designated for the job, it has spent nearly $29 million of the $76 million in federal funds and $2 million of the $82 million in state funds appropriated for the project.
Meanwhile, the state-owned railroad is predicting a spike in passenger traffic this summer, with ridership expected to increase from 412,000 to about 450,000.
The train operations of the railroad may show a profit for 2011, which would be the first time since 2005. The railroad has been losing money on trains in recent years, while making money on real estate.
According to unaudited numbers, freight revenue in 2011 was $98 million, up from $87 million in 2010, while passenger revenue was $22.4 million, up from $20.8 million.
About 30 percent of its freight revenue is from shipping petroleum products, while coal exports are 16 percent and in-state coal transportation is 8 percent. Gravel is 7 percent.
Coal exports to Chile, Japan and Korea from Healy are expected to total 1.2 million metric tons, which is more than double the rate five years ago. About 800,000 short tons of coal are expected to be moved to Clear, UAF, Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright and Eielson.
The number of railcars going to and from the Flint Hills Refinery is expected to be about the same as last year, which is still down considerably from 2003. Petroleum shipments topped 800 million gallons that year, while they are expected to be about 400 million this year.
The railroad says its financial situation is "still fragile," and while revenues are expected to climb, there is market uncertainty and pressure on expenses. One of the big uncertainties is federal railroad funding.
About $36 million a year is at risk and "draconian changes" will be necessary if certain proposals in Congress are approved.
Federal funds are a key source for keeping the railroad going in its current form.
I just thought I'd help everyone notice that last line.
How much money do we (Alaska) have in the bank? And, how much of the federal funds are we borrowing from the Chinese?
Where are all the anti-gubment whiners this morning?
Q:
Jon Spring of Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions said his group estimated more than $3 billion in projects that Anchorage needs. Alaska Railroad Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Aadnesen said there are projects ahead that will be impossible for the railroad to fund on its own. The Tanana River Bridge and Port MacKenzie are examples.
“State funding will play a larger role going forward for building Alaska’s transportation infrastructure in light of decreased federal resources and we feel that every day at the railroad corporation,” he said. “Planning ahead for large infrastructure investments, prioritizing them and providing for a steady state-funding source are all great worthy goals of this legislation.”
/Q
Keep in mind that the Army didn't ask for a railroad in the first place; only a BRIDGE.