UP plans improvements for Mason City, Iowa, line

Robert W. Turner, senior vice president for corporate relations for the Union Pacific in Omaha, said significant improvements are planned for the local rail line, according to The Mason City, Iowa, Globe Gazette. Turner accompanied Gov. Chet Culver Oct 20 on the Iowa Unlimited visit to Mason City and Manly.

"We are a huge player
in your state," Turner said.

Turner said the rail and
energy industries have applied for a $23-million Transportation Investment
Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to make needed improvements. Available
through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act established by President
Barack Obama, the grants are available for capital investment in surface
transportation infrastructure.

Turner talked about
developing the key rail corridor between the Gulf of Mexico and Manly, saying,
"It’ll be great for all the businesses of Iowa."

If just 10 percent of
freight transported through Iowa was delivered by rail, "we could take a
million trucks from the interstate," Turner said.

The Iowa Unlimited carrying
the governor’s entourage was part of a Heritage Fleet of about 50 cars of the
Union Pacific, Turner said. Furnished with carpeting, wood paneling,
upholstered chairs, love seats and swivel chairs in the observation decks, the
cars traveled along smoothly at speeds of up to 47 miles an hour during the
day.

Manly Mayor Tim O’Keefe,
who boarded the train in Iowa Falls, said the sight of the yellow passenger
train with American flag on the engine brought lots of waves and lots of stares
along the route.

"Everybody stops and
gawks," he said.