Todd Tiahrt: “There is justifiable fear, I believe, in my district that the Union Pacific will significantly increase the number of…”

“There is justifiable fear, I believe, in my district that the Union Pacific will significantly increase the number of trains traveling through Wichita after the Surface Transportation's 5-year review period. The board has taken the Union Pacific at its word and adjusted, although not yet officially, the amount of mitigation necessary for Wichita. I am concerned that the Union Pacific will not be able to increase the speed of its trains to 30 miles per hour or will significantly increase the number of trains traveling through Wichita after the 5-year period of the Surface Transportation Board review. Increasing the speed of trains going through Wichita will be extremely difficult even under ideal conditions, and with the breakup of Conrail, train traffic going through Kansas City will probably increase. This will put further pressure on Union Pacific to route more trains through Wichita. Mr. Chairman, the report language included in this bill is designed to give the citizens of Wichita an avenue to redress in case Union Pacific decides to significantly increase the number of trains traveling through Wichita or if the Union Pacific does not increase the speeds of its trains as they promised.”