Letter: ‘Why can we no longer jump on a train?’

May 6, 2022

How wonderful it would be to be able to hop on a train and travel to Portland or San Francisco. How can it be that in this time of too many cars on the road, climate concerns, and a host of other reasons, which would include convenience and safety — why, why, why can we no longer jump on a train?

I was involved with a group several years ago trying to figure out why this apparently “can’t” happen. Money, of course. It was because although the train tracks are there — they are not up to the standards for passenger trains.

It just seems like a win-win deal to have trains running once more. We can celebrate that the “Connections” were made and thank those who made it so — but we would honor their efforts even more by making it accessible to passengers once again.

Why is this not a plan? We know it is possible — but apparently not profitable — so it may never happen in my lifetime. Or ever. Or will it?

What do you think?

Annette Baker

Ashland

Picture of Bert Etling

Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at [email protected].
Ashland Soroptimist Club Dream Builders Luncheon First United Methodist Ashland Oregon

Related Posts...

Our Sponsors

Conscious Design Build Ashland Oregon
Pronto Printing Ashland Medford Oregon

Latest posts

Sleeping at the shelter: ‘Sorry you came on a quiet night’

Editor’s note: Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne covers city government, including its ongoing efforts to find ways to shape policies around homelessness. For better insight into the issue, Rothborne spent a night in early December in the shelter when it was operated by Jobs with Justice in Calvin Hall at First Presbyterian Church of Ashland.

Read More >

Child exploitation search warrant served in Ashland

An Ashland man was arrested after an ongoing investigation “into child exploitation and internet crimes against children” led to execution of a search warrant on Alida Street early Tuesday, according to a news release from the Ashland Police Department.

Read More >

Our Sponsors

City of Ashland Public Notice Ashland Oregon
Ashland Parks and Recreation Ashland Oregon
Ashland.news House Ad

Explore More...

Editor's note: Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne covers city government, including its ongoing efforts to find ways to shape policies around homelessness. For better insight into the issue, Rothborne spent a night in early December in the shelter when it was operated by Jobs with Justice in Calvin Hall at First Presbyterian Church of Ashland.
Reader Photo: Mary Piper took this photo of Emigrant Lake recently. As of Jan. 12, the lake was 39% full, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
Curtain Call: Popular orchestra conductor Martin Majkut has added another gig to his already busy schedule. Majkut, the music director of the Rogue Valley Symphony and the Queens Symphony Orchestra in New York, has been appointed the new music director of the Oregon Coast Music Association’s festival orchestra.
An audit found “significant deficiencies" in the Ashland School District’s 2023 budget, such as failing to properly account for $677,841 in a contingency fund. The corrected budget issues don’t affect the district’s budget shortfall issues, which will require cutting school days this year and other measures.
Nearly 5,000 Providence Health & Systems nurses and other professionals walked off their jobs Friday in the largest strike by health workers in state history — and the first involving unionized doctors.
ashland.news logo

Subscribe to the newsletter and get local news sent directly to your inbox.

(It’s free)

Don't Miss Our Top Stories

Get our newsletter delivered to your inbox three times a week.
It’s FREE and you can cancel anytime.