Everett, Wash.
Published: Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Snohomish-Renton rail link takes shape

The county inks a deal with a private company to use land at the end of the line in the city of Snohomish

By Jeff Switzer
Herald Writer

 EVERETT -- Commuter trains are expected to shuttle workers from Snohomish to Bellevue by 2013 under a deal just signed by Snohomish County.

Tom Payne and his company, GNP Railway, were granted the exclusive right to use a football-field-sized piece of county land in downtown Snohomish.

Over time, the company hopes to spend as much as $150 million to $200 million to rehabilitate miles of tracks, build five train stations, a 12-foot-wide trail and buy locomotives and passenger cars. Payne hopes six morning trains and six evening trains will operate 30 minutes apart.

He estimates carrying 10,000 riders a day within five years -- which rivals the 9,300 riders carried a day by Sound Transit's Sounder trains.

The company -- not the county -- will pay for the commuter train system, said Peter Camp, county executive director and adviser to County Executive Aaron Reardon.

"Our hope and expectation is for this to be a springboard to jump-start commuter rail service in Snohomish County," Camp said. "We're not paying them a dime. If they bust their pick on this, the county is not out a red cent."

It's far from a done deal.

To make a commuter system work, Payne's company wants access to most of the 42 miles of railroad property from Snoho­mish to Renton owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

The Port of Seattle is in the process of buying the land for $107 million, and might ask federal regulators permission to discontinue freight train service between Woodinville and Ren­ton. Freight service is expected to continue between Snoho­mish and Woodinville.

Payne plans to file paperwork with federal railroad regulators to keep the rail line operational all the way to Bellevue, where high-tech employers want Payne to offer commuter service.

The agreement between the county and GNP is "the starting block, the agreement we needed to enable us to start work" with federal regulators, Payne said.

Payne is founder of RaiLink Ltd., Canada's third largest railway. The company later was bought by RailAmerica.

The county can pull the plug on the deal unless progress is made within two years and trains are running within five years, Camp said.

There's another twist in the tracks. The Port of Seattle is buying railroad tracks only as far north as Cady Park, including the trestle across the Snohomish River.

That leaves an eight-block gap between the county land and the tracks the Port of Seattle is in the process of buying, said Charla Skaggs, port spokeswoman.

Burlington Northern still owns that land and is tearing out and salvaging tracks through there even as it talks to city of Snohomish officials over a possible deal, Payne said.

The city of Snohomish made an offer two years ago to buy the land for a trail for $1.2 million, city manager Larry Bauman said. That deal is pending, he said.

Running commuter trains downtown would create traffic and noise problems with neighbors. He said he views the deal between the county and GNP Railway as more about leverage with federal regulators than actually putting trains downtown.

"We do believe we have a role, what role is not clear," Bauman said. "A lot more analysis needs to be done."

Port officials are reviewing the Snohomish County-GNP agreement, Skaggs said, and plan to work closely with the County Council later in the year when deciding the future uses of the railroad route.

As part of the county's deal with GNP, signed Friday, the company agreed to pay the county 50 cents for every mile a rail car travels over the county's 350 feet of land.

The deal also encourages, but doesn't require, the company to use a kind of self-powered commuter train passenger car.

"This allows them to run a railroad, it does not attempt to dictate how to run a railroad," Camp said.

The deal with GNP is for 31 years because financing for locomotives and passenger cars last 30 years, Camp said.

The company is updating cost and ridership estimates, and $4 a gallon gas prices are making them look more promising, Payne said.

"We're happy with what we're finding out, I can say that," Payne said. "The numbers are getting better."



Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.

Advisory group takes shape

For information on joining a city of Snohomish rails and trails advisory committee, go to www.ci.snohomish.wa.us. Applications are due June 6.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA