Union Pacific Community Advisory Panel of Central Arkansas

Minutes of Meeting July 17, 2008

The Union Pacific Community Advisory Panel of Central Arkansas met on July 17, 2008, at Union Pacific’s Jenks Shop in North Little Rock.

Present
Community Representatives

Faye Brown (NLR Police); Tom Brown (Brown’s Auto Upholstery); Steve Canady (NLR School District’s Safe Schools); Don Chambers (Argenta Downtown Council); Alesia Ferguson (UAMS College of Public Health); James Firestone (LR Port Authority); Carla Grayson (NLR Health Department); Jean Kalb (Baptist Health Medical Center); Carol Langston (Pulaski Tech); Cindy Milazzo (UALR); Emma Jane Ohnemus; John Ohnemus; Steve Sparr; Jon Wolfe (UAMS College of Pharmacy)

Union Pacific Representatives: Gene Delahunt, John Stewart

Guests: Robert Barton, NLR Fire Dept. (for Bob Mauldin); Bobby Graham, Ashland Chemical (for John Ferrell); Renee Preslar, ADEM (for David Maxwell)

Facilitator: Kathryn Matchett

Absent
Representatives of:

City of NLR; Conway Fire Dept.; Friday, Eldredge & Clark; Grainger Industrial Supply; LR Fire; LR Police; MEMS; National Disaster Medical System; NLR Chamber of Commerce; NLR Mayor’s Youth Council; NLR Office of Emergency Services; Pulaski County OEM; Pulaski County Sherriff’s Office; UAMS Research/Sponsored Programs; U.S. Environmental Services

Community at Large Members:

Gary Franklin, Bonna Johnson, Charley Johnson, Peggy West, Dianne Williams

Announcements/Introductions

Welcome

Kathryn Matchett, Facilitator, welcomed the group.

Announcements

  • Kathryn gave updates on Peggy West and Charley Johnson. Kathryn reported that Peggy inquired about the train whistle that goes off very loudly in front of her house each night. One of the members said her house is near a crossing. Kathryn will find out and try to get an official response from UP.
  • Kathryn gave membership updates:
    • Bill Temple (FBI) and Steve Sparr (UP) have retired and both will remain on the UPCAP panel in the “community at large” category. Bill will help us find a representative from the FBI to be on the panel.
    • David Bunning, Bud Harper and John Beatty have resigned from the panel because they are not able to attend meetings.
    • Kathryn is following up on a suggestion to invite representatives of neighborhood associations (near train tracks) to join the panel.

Upcoming Programs:

Sept. 18: Steve McLaws, Director, Industrial Development, Union Pacific
Mr. McLaws is in charge of the installation of new facilities (customers) on the UP line. Some are single track projects while others involve a whole new yard, take years to develop and cost millions of dollars. He can address intermodalism, which was a topic suggested by UPCAP members last spring.(What intermodalism is, the cost of an intermodal facility, developing a feasibility study for an intermodal railport, the facility at Marion and any future move UP would consider in the Central Arkansas area).

Nov. 20: We will get to know each other; reflect on the year; and discuss what changes should be made for 2009.

Possible programs for 2009:

  • Pandemic planning - Brig. Gen, Schatz (LRAFB);
  • Train ride - Drew Tessier, Director, Public Affairs, UP

UP Minute

Gene Delahunt, Manager, Maintenance Operations, Locomotive Department

Gene spoke about the locomotives they are overhauling.  These SD70 EMD locomotives are about six years old and are reaching the end of their life at 800,000 miles. Once they leave the Jenks Shop, they are good for another 1,000,000 miles. They are overhauling 48 this year and 280 next year.

There were several questions from the panel about the life of a locomotive. Gene said some locomotives built in 1978 still are around and had been overhauled a couple of times. Freight locomotives travel 100,000 miles/year over all kinds of terrain. 

Gene said they just hired five new electricians and 7-8 machinists to help with the overhaul of these engines. This is in addition to hirings due to attrition. A panel member asked about the backgrounds of those being hired. Gene said that some have diesel mechanic experience; some are from the military; some are electricians from the local 295 construction. Steve Sparr mentioned the good relationship that UP has with Pulaski Tech, which provides training in many areas for welders, electricians, machinists. The average age at UP is 48 and the average pay is $22/hour.

John Stewart, Manager, Environmental Operations

John explained that the flooding in Iowa disturbed traffic patterns and caused detours through this area. On July 4th there were twice the number of cars in the rail yard than they had planned for. He mentioned that lumber and building were down, agriculture volume was up and that an earnings announcement would be released next week.

Program

Riverfront Baring Cross Neighborhood Renewal Organization

Lisa Ferrell, President of the newly-formed non-profit, Riverfront Baring Cross Neighborhood Renewal Organization, spoke to the group about a "Gateway Beautification Plan" that includes lower Pike Avenue, West Broadway and the riverfront area near the landing of the Baring Cross Bridge. 

Some points from Lisa’s presentation include:

  • Baring Cross is the area between the Arkansas River (south) and 15th Street (north) and between Pike (east) to Crest (west). It used to be its own incorporated city. It was named after the bank that financed the construction of the Baring Cross Bridge.
  • The small houses in the area were called “call out” houses. Railroad men lived in them because they needed to be close to UP when they were “called out” to work. (UPCAP member Jonathan Wolfe said he had been told that the whole area used to be a swamp and that it was built on cypress pilings. He also had the idea of doing title searches on the call out houses that are still standing and putting a plaque on them indicating which rail workers lived there.) 
  • There are plans to build a roundabout to relieve traffic congestion – 28,000 cars travel down Pike Avenue every day. (There was discussion about the roundabout needing to be wide enough. There is one in Conway that is too small and does not work well.)
  • There are many efforts to beautify Baring Cross – murals; green space beautification (evergreen shrubs, ground cover, flowering trees); using signs with historical character; putting faux rock under the bridge; making cosmetic improvements to the Broadway underpass; restoration of historic homes. The NLR History Commission has found a technique for displaying a historic photo on a sign in a way in which it can be seen from both sides and is weather resistant.
  • There are several initiatives in which they would like UP to take part: painting the UP storage tanks; rail yard landscaping along fence lines; berm beautification - planting greenery; embracing the history of the railroad with historic signage; river and rail history exhibits along Broadway fence line or in median
  • An impetus for renewing the Baring Cross neighborhood is that demographics are changing. Today only 21% of U.S. households have a mom, dad and kids. There are many one- and two-person households. The rate of out-migration from Little Rock/North Little Rock has slowed and more are moving back to the city. They are looking for shorter commutes; attractive downtown areas (arts, ballpark, restaurants); active lifestyles.
  • The Riverfront Baring Cross Neighborhood Association is in need of corporate and individuals sponsorships. There are many volunteer opportunities. Lisa Ferrell’s phone number is 221-3730. The Web site is: www.baringcross.org. 
  • Kathryn will contact Machelle Steward-Brown, of the Baring Cross Neighborhood Association, about having representation on the UPCAP panel. (This is a follow-up action to the UPCAP Membership Committee’s decision to invite representatives of neighborhoods through which the railroad runs.)

Featured Five

Two prizes were given to members for correctly identifying all of the “featured five.”  This meeting’s featured five were:

  • James Firestone, Director of Operations, LR Port Authority (Serves on: Vilonia City Council, Vilonia School Board; Enjoys woodworking, ornamental iron work with hammer and anvil; Does races, martial arts and boxing with 9-year-old granddaughter)
  • Faye Brown, Executive Secretary, NLR Police (Solo intro to senior class musical, “Babes in Toyland;” hoed and picked cotton as a youth; had no indoor plumbing or electricity for a number of years)
  • Gene Delahunt, Manager, Maintenance Operations, Locomotive Dept, UP (Occasionally teaches industrial engineering technology courses at LRAFB as adjunct professor at Southern Illinois University; serves on finance committee at church; spouse has painting on display at Governor’s Mansion – Mrs. Beebe’s favorite
  • Jon Wolfe, Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy, UAMS (wrote book about German Catholic immigration to AR – settling a land grant belonging to Fort Smith and Western Railroad (later part of MoPac); collects toy trains; makes excellent pie crusts
  • Emma Jane Ohnemus (Serves on LRAFB Community Relations Council; used to do state revenue forecasting)