Copyright 1999 The Atlanta Constitution
The Atlanta
Journal and Constitution
December 7, 1999, Tuesday, Home Edition
SECTION: Local News; Pg. 3C
LENGTH: 306 words
HEADLINE:
Passenger rail board turns to freight lines
BYLINE: Kelly Simmons, Staff
SOURCE: CONSTITUTION
BODY:
In its first order of business, the oversight board for the Georgia Rail
Passenger Program on Monday told its staff to begin negotiating with
freight carriers CSX and Norfolk Southern to use their rails
for commuter trains.
"We've got to negotiate with the
railroads and find out whether we're going to have to lay track or whether
they'll let us use their track," said Jimmy Lester, who represents the Georgia
Department of Transportation on the Project Management Team for the Georgia Rail
Passenger Program. "We've got to know how we're going to proceed three to four
years down the road," Lester said.
At the team's direction, Chairman
Sonny Deriso directed program managers from the state Department of
Transportation, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the Georgia
Rail Passenger Authority to meet with the two major railroads that run through
metro Atlanta --- CSX and Norfolk Southern. The group hopes to reach an
agreement with the freight carriers to use their tracks for commuter trains
between Atlanta and Macon and Atlanta and Athens.
"I think they
understand we have to have that," said Mather Stapleton, representing the
Georgia Rail Passenger Authority.
CSX spokesman Adam Hollingsworth, who
attended the meeting, said he expected to meet with members of the project
management team later this month, now that "there is a clear direction as to how
this process will work."
The freight company is willing to work with the
board to help accommodate commuter rail, if it doesn't hurt the company's
ability to move cargo through the metro area, Hollingsworth said.
More
than 1 million rail cars --- the equivalent of 3 million tractor- trailer
trucks, he said --- use the rails through Atlanta each year. Monday's meeting
was the first since the management team was appointed in October.
LOAD-DATE: December 7, 1999 
