From the Times Ledger:
State Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) is ratcheting up his charge for Congress — and he’s starting at the local level.
The candidate for the 6th Congressional District stood with residents of Glendale and Middle Village on an overpass overlooking the Fresh Pond freight rail lines, along with the backyards of adjacent homes.
If elected, Lancman intends to enact legislation aimed at protecting the community affected by the environmental problems created by railroad companies that let their trains idle on the tracks outside the rail station.
“For far too long, residents of this area have had to put up with the noise, the smell and the lack of security resulting from rail companies ignoring the community’s concerns and performing railroad yard activities outside the railroad yard,” said Lancman at the gathering Monday. “This legislation would not only put an end to these disturbances by ensuring railroad yard activities actually take place in the railroad yard, but would also give the residents of this community input into the yard’s operation.”
The Neighborhood Rail Improvement Act would specifically prohibit rail companies from performing yard activities on tracks located in residential neighborhoods. These activities include repairs, maintenance, collection, storage and transfer of materials. The legislation would also create a nine-member Regional Community Advisory Board for railroad yards, comprised of residents appointed by the elected officials representing the area.
12 comments:
A Guarantee: If he's elected, You'll never hear from Rory Lancman again unless it's for a photo op. He's one of the most ineffective politicians in Albany (If he shows up)
I think the same could be said for the other 3 candidates as well.
a LOT of what railroads can and can't do can't be regulated by local communities OR the state, a LOT of it is Federal, and the railroad will just ignore them, because they are under Federal rules. Bills like this have been passed in the past, and the railroad just ignores them
BTW - don't mess with railroad police. They may sound like they are 'security guards" in that they work for a private company. They are NOT - they are federal police officers who can cross state lines
He's proposing a federal law. So they can't ignore it.
Yeah good luck with that. RR's have deep pockets, and frankly his proposal makes no sense and will never happen. There are probably hundreds of RR yards around the country that are in 'residential areas'. Sounds like a strange attempt at a land grab if you ask me, conducted by selfish morons who rather see the millions of pounds of goods transported by rail every week shifted to the roads, so we can have more traffic, potholes and pollution.
You obviously need to read the article again. There is no "land grab" nonsense going on here. The legislation says that railroad activities need to be limited to railyards and not take place outside them on the rights of way adjacent to people's homes. What exactly is so horrible about that? Why is it that whenever a railroad is asked to be a good neighbor, the foamers come out of the woodwork to defend bad behavior?
Those defending the railroads' practice of doing this are the selfish morons, not the people working to maintain their quality of life.
If elected, Lancman intends to enact legislation...
I don't think a freshman Congressman - in the minority party - will have much power to do anything. But it's a good photo op.
There are a bunch of railroad groupies here who as little nerd boys were fascinated with playing with their little train sets and when they became adults joined railroad clubs and worship railroad companies. They are still big time nerd geeks.
He's a State Assemblyman, so I don't know how he is proposing a Federal law. As for playing with trains, gave that up 30 years ago, but still remember the rules. Move in next to a railroad, an airport, a highway etc, I have little sympathy for you
Why do I have to repeat this? IF ELECTED TO CONGRESS, he will introduce the legislation. And people moved next to railroad tracks, not railyards. The railroads are supposed to contain their operations within their yards. Idling trains, switching engines, storing garbage, etc, outside their yards is simply unacceptable.
To the first Anonymous- If Rory is ineffective, why didn't the party bosses choose him?
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