Union Pacific Courts City of Eagle Pass Regarding Expansion of Railroad Facilities Within City Limits
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council heard a presentation by Union Pacific Railroad Public Affairs Director Ivan Jaime regarding a proposed Letter of Understanding (Agreement) of Quiet Zones, Proposed Underpass, TxDOT contributions, Fence-UP and Replica/Main Street Investment referencing a property in the downtown area between the two entities at their regular meeting held on Tuesday, August 1, 2017.
The August 1st Eagle Pass City Council Agenda Item No. 9 called for presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a Letter of Understanding (Agreement) between the two entities concerning Union Pacific Railroad’s intent and plans to expand their single railroad line into two lines coming into the City limits of Eagle Pass sometime during early 2018, according to the presentation made in open session by Union Pacific’s Ivan Jaime.
During his open session presentation, Union Pacific spokesperson Ivan Jaime stated that since 2008 to today Union Pacific’s business has increased by 500% through Eagle Pass. Jaime stated that in 2008 Union Pacific was crossing 500 railroad cars per day through Eagle Pass to today’s 2,000 railroad cars per day. Jaime noted that the Eagle Pass Port of Entry has become the Number 1 rail port for Union Pacific. Jaime added that Union Pacific has made a significant investment of over $100 Million since 2009 to their facilities between Eagle Pass and Spofford, Texas in order to make their railroad traffic movements more fluid.
Union Pacific representative Ivan Jaime told City Council that Union Pacific has expanded its “Clark’s Park Yard” off of FM 1588, also known as Thompson Road, by doubling its rail yard capacity from three double 15,000 feet lines to 40,000 feet. Jaime added that Union Pacific plans to increase its Clark’s Park Yard to eight double 80,000 feet lines. In addition, Jaime added that Union Pacific had built its “South Lot” with two (double) railroad lines up to the U.S. Highway 277 Overpass (Veterans Boulevard), but is currently stopped there. Union Pacific plans to build double lines into the City limits of Eagle Pass in order to accommodate its growth and future business plans, thus the reason for a proposed agreement with the City of Eagle Pass. In other words, Eagle Pass citizens will see a significant and material increase in Union Pacific railroad traffic through the City limits and more blockage of city intersections in the future. According to a local source, Union Pacific seeks to double the number of railroad cars passing through Eagle Pass into Mexico and vice-versa, noting that Ferromex Railroad is already constructing double railroad lines within the City limits of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico-Eagle Pass’ sister city on the United States- Mexico border.
Union Pacific Public Affairs Director Ivan Jaime told City Council that Union Pacific had written a Letter of Understanding (Agreement) for the City of Eagle Pass consideration and possible action concerning several issues related to the expansion of Union Pacific’s railroad lines and business within the City limits, hoping that Union Pacific and the City of Eagle Pass could reach a “Win, Win” agreement that would benefit both Union Pacific and Eagle Pass. Jaime told City Council that Union Pacific would like to have a formal response (and agreement) from the City of Eagle Pass by the “end of this year or no later than early next year” so that their railroad engineers could design their expansion into the City limits and related projects. Jaime appeared to speak more on the proposed “Letter of Understanding” submitted to the City of Eagle Pass on behalf of Union Pacific, but Mayor Ramsey English Cantu interjected that the matters stated within the agreement be discussed in Executive Session since one of the items involved a real property-denying Eagle Pass citizens the opportunity to be publicly informed of the details of the proposed “Letter of Understanding” agreement being negotiated between Union Pacific and the City of Eagle Pass. The City Council approved to take into Executive Session for discussion the proposed Union Pacific Letter of Understanding Agreement.
As of today, the citizens of Eagle Pass have not been given public notice of the details of Union Pacific’s proposed railroad expansion into the City limits, what the agreement entails, and how this significant increase of railroad cars traffic might affect their public health, families, children, work, travel, property, mental health, and the environmental impact on the citizens and community.
What little is known is that the proposed agreement between Union Pacific and the City of Eagle Pass is that it involves the establishment of “Quiet Zones,” the possible closing of one or two City streets that cross the railroad line such as Rio. Grande and Williams Streets, the construction of an underpass at an unknown public street, some contributions from the Texas Department of Public Safety, some fence being built at an unknown public location, and a replica Main Street investment to a property in the downtown area.
One Eagle Pass citizen who requested anonymity stated that the citizens of Eagle Pass, all 26,00 plus, are entitled to know the details of Union Pacific’s expansion plans within the City limits and their potential benefits and disadvantages before the City Council takes any action to approve or disapprove the proposed agreement. Another Eagle Pass taxpayer suggested that the citizens of Eagle Pass should be allowed to approve or disapprove the proposed expansion of the railroad within the City limits through a referendum election. A third Eagle Pass taxpayer recommended that the Eagle Pass City Council should hold community public hearings to inform its citizens and request an environmental assessment study from Union Pacific.
Time will tell if Eagle Pass citizens will be given an opportunity to be publicly informed of Union Pacific’s expansion plans within the City limits and what the City Council decides to do about it.
