City shouldn’t spend money to silence train whistles

I am very happy to see that Mayor Kerry McQuisten’s preference, concerning the train whistle, is to put the issue on the May 2022 ballot. My main concern is in using city taxpayer dollars for a project that 82% of the residents opposed in 2002. Years ago I had to pay a “sidewalk” fee so I could help my neighbors replace their sidewalks. Then I had to pay a “safety” fee so we could hire more police officers to protect the town. Now, I don’t want the opportunity to pay a “quiet” fee to stop something I enjoy listening to. If the Neighbors for a Safer, Quieter and Healthier Baker City (NSQHBC) want to spend their own money quieting the horns, then that’s a different story. That would only be about $1,000 per person that signed the petition. The analysis for this project would not be free. It would cost another $30,000 to have the analysis completed.

Has anyone talked to the people/city council in La Grande to find out public feedback from their $200,000 spent silencing of the train whistle? Has anyone actually looked at the concrete barriers installed at the train crossings in La Grande, were you impressed? They are pathetic, six-inch-high strips of concrete with tubes of PVC pipe sticking out of them. Some contractor made a killing on that contract with the city.

Can someone fact check Bev Calder’s memory about the crossing improvements estimate in 2001 (it was actually 2002) being around $500,000? As I recall the maximum, luxury estimate was $500,000. The minimum improvements option with concrete barriers for two of the five crossings was $100,000.

As I recall (because I was there), the NSQHBC had an open house at city hall in late 2019. They had stations set up showing their proposals for each of the railroad crossings. Dozens of people showed up for those presentations.

The South Baker Intermediate School is a very concerning situation. The school was built in the mid-1950s. The train was already going by then, just saying. Years ago, I attended a Red Cross hazard awareness meeting. People discussed various hazardous situations that would be devastating to the people of Baker City. Finally an Oregon State Highway trooper got up and told people, Baker City has two disastrous scenarios that would affect people. Number one would be a train derailment in town. A couple years ago, the paper published a picture of the little kids playing outside while the train was going by, now picture little children running from a derailing train. Nobody ever talks about extra rail inspection for the tracks within city limits. Don’t think it can happen? Just ask the folks of Mosier, Oregon.

I have lived in Baker County since 1982 and actually lived in Baker City since 2002. When I was looking to buy a house it seemed like a no brainer not to buy next to the railroad tracks.

I have washed my car at the car wash at Broadway and 10th when the train came by, blowing its horn. I remembered hoping that my heart would start again. But then I remembered that very site was where a Baker Hotel used to stand, accommodating guests from the train station.

Roger LeMaster

Baker City