Hiawatha Extension to Madison

[Sawtooth500]

Republican Scott Walker won the Governor position for Wisconsin. I believe that at one time he was quoted saying "I will kill the train" referring to the Madison extension of the Hiawatha. So, now that he's in office, what will practically happen? Or would could possibly happen?

[Dakguy201]

A few days ago the current governor (Doyle?) and the feds signed an agreement intended to "bullet proof" this project from the intentions of the incoming governor.  See the News Wire for November 2nd.     

Offhand, I suspect the courts will have to decide the extent of Wisconsin's purported commitment to the project. 

[Rwulfsberg]

The state Department of Transportation has told contractors on the high-speed rail line between Madison and Milwaukee to stop work on the federally funded project "for a few days," in the wake of rail opponent Scott Walker's victory in the governor's race, Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi said Thursday.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/106705698.html

Edward Kraemer and Sons has the contract for land bridges between Watertown and Waterloo. Some engineering firms are also affected.

Doyle still has eight weeks as governor. Stay tuned...

 

[MJChittick]

From Thursday's Trains Newswire:

Wisconsin temporarily halts Madison passenger train work

Published: November 4, 2010

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin transportation secretary Frank Busalacchi announced today that the state will temporarily suspend work on the project to extend passenger rail service from Milwaukee to Madison. The suspension came at the request of retiring Gov. Jim Doyle, who will be replaced in 2011 by Scott Walker, the Republican gubernatorial candidate who made blocking the rail project a cornerstone of his election campaign. “In light of the election results, our agency will be taking a few days to assess the real world consequences, including the immediate impacts to people and their livelihoods, if this project were to be stopped,” Busalacchi wrote in a statement. Last weekend, the state and federal administrators signed a deal to commit Wisconsin to spending all $810 million of the federal stimulus money allocated to build a high speed Milwaukee-to-Madison passenger train route. Even with the federal government picking up construction costs, Governor-elect Walker stated he did not want the state to spend money on operating subsidies for the line and would rather see the money spent on roads. The Milwaukee-Madison route would operate as an extension of Amtrak’s existing Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha service. Canadian Pacific owns the portion of the route from Milwaukee to Watertown, Wis., where trains would enter state-owned trackage to Madison, presently operated by Wisconsin & Southern. Service is to start in 2013, with six round trips daily at 79 mph, rising to a top speed of 110 mph by 2015. Operating costs are projected at $7.5 million a year, not counting the portion covered by fares.

[Paul Milenkovic]

Dunno, this thing is get curiouser and curiouser with each passing day.

Yes, Governor Elect Scott Walker made a big deal about the train in the election campaign, but there was a general feeling that this was one of those things one makes hay over in the campaign, but once in office, throw up one's hands and say, "Yes, the outgoing administration tied my hands and committed me to this thing", or at least not say much of anything but say "We will review everything happening on this project."  What I am saying is that whatever election wave brought Mr. Walker into office, the train was far down on the list of what people were really worried about, and why should Mr. Walker make this his first act before even being put in office?

But then you have the outgoing administration (Governor Doyle was not running for reelection) "sealing the deal" two days prior to the voting -- that is, not sufficiently in advance of the voting to make this a campaign issue for either side, but not after the voting to at least extend some courtesy of consulting with the incoming Governor about what was going to happen.  It is kind of like Mr. Doyle's people as much as expected an adverse outcome for the train in the election and timed this to tie the hands of the incoming Governor.

Not saying any of this is illegal or unethical, just that it is uncollegial and perhaps in the long run a bad move politically.

And then a Madison TV station (Channel 3 Digital Channel 2, 9 PM News) reported that "300 engineers and technicians were ordered to clear their desks, and their building in Milwaukee is now vacant."  Are these the Talgo America people?

OK, putting on my Near Eastern Everything is a Political Conspiracy Hat, why would WisDOT or anybody from the outgoing administration do any of this.  The committment to spend the ARRA money 2 days before the election they saw their side was going to lose may be hardball politics, but this furious backpedaling, first the WisDOT Secretary announcing this 3-day "suspension", and Channel 3 Madison reporting something more sinister going on with the 300 engineers and technicians seemingly being layed off, this is weird.

Is there a body buried someplace?  Has Mr. Walker caught wise to the executive-decision-outside-the-State-Assembly deal with Talgo is on the bleeding edge of legality?  Have the Governor Doyle people picked up on this and are in Goodfellas fashion working on moving the body to a different New Jersey swamp?

[Rwulfsberg]

Paul Milenkovic

Is there a body buried someplace?  Has Mr. Walker caught wise to the executive-decision-outside-the-State-Assembly deal with Talgo is on the bleeding edge of legality?  Have the Governor Doyle people picked up on this and are in Goodfellas fashion working on moving the body to a different New Jersey swamp?

I haven't heard anything that would put the Talgo deal on hold. The initial two trainsets were ordered to replace the current CHI-MKE equipment, with options to purchase more for the Madison expansion. No noises about any threat to the CHI-MKE service, which just posted a record 780K passengers in the Oct 10-Oct 11 fiscal year.

More developments to follow in the next few days. Wis DOT advertises for the final bid letting of the year next Tuesday. Wonder what will come up, if anything?

[WSOR 3801]

Paul Milenkovic

Is there a body buried someplace?  Has Mr. Walker caught wise to the executive-decision-outside-the-State-Assembly deal with Talgo is on the bleeding edge of legality?  Have the Governor Doyle people picked up on this and are in Goodfellas fashion working on moving the body to a different New Jersey swamp?

There are plenty of swamps along the Bullet train route to dispose things into... Saves money on travel expenses.

Even more on the CP M&P sub, which might be next for the high-speed upgrade dreams (MADison to Portage, then on the old MILW to the Twin Cites)...