Dear Fellow aSa Member,
We have just received updated information regarding Union Pacific Railroad’s (UPRR) fence project from the BLM. As many of you might already be aware, UPRR has been installing a fence just inside their property line which extends 100’ from the centerline of the rail road tracks and encompasses essentially all of Wash Road. This project started in mid-November and will extend from approximately Highway 78 to the south; ending-point unknown at this time.

Until recently, UPRR was honoring a commitment made to the BLM to continue to allow public access down Wash Road, leaving an opening at each wash to allow for vehicular access; some openings being narrower than others and some openings more accessible than others, depending on the flow of the wash. To minimize the impact of these restricted openings to thousands of ISDRA visitors, the BLM has begun the necessary environmental procedures to be able to grade some of these openings to allow for better access into various wash openings.

After this past weekend, it was brought to our attention that it appeared that UPRR was changing their plans and access was becoming more and more limited along Wash Road. BLM met with UPRR representatives on February 4th to discuss their project and their prior agreement to continue to allow access, only to find out that they had changed their position and will close the road to all public traffic at some point in the future.
At the urging of the local BLM office, UPRR has agreed to allow the use of this road, hopefully, for the rest of this dune season but in all likelihood will restrict access for the 2009-2010 season.

Again at the request of the BLM, the contractor will be enlarging some of the openings in the fence to allow for access during the upcoming Presidents’ Day holiday weekend. This improved access may, at some locations, not accommodate large motor homes or extremely long trailers.
The BLM has identified locations that they have prioritized for grading to remove berms to help improve access.

This is not the result that we hoped for but it is what we know at this point.

The ASA has been conferring with the BLM, our legislative contacts and our legal team to see what if anything can be done to allow continued use of UPRR’s right of way. We will also be working to see what it will take to have a new access road constructed on the BLM land to allow access to these traditional camping areas. The construction of a new access road is a long term solution to this problem.

The ASA has sent a letter to the UPRR management to express our concerns about the closing of this road to the public and the loss of access to recreation camping areas. This letter can viewed here:Letter to UP Railroad

In closing, please watch for updates via emails and/or the ASA's Bulletin Board as new information becomes available.

From the UPRR site

http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/media_kit/regional/western/glamis.shtml

Union Pacific Glamis Fencing Project
Union Pacific will finish constructing a fence along its property in the coming weeks in the Glamis, Calif. area. The fence is being installed due to the accumulation of an excessive amount of sand on the tracks which causes excessive wear and tear. This wear and tear could lead to weakening of the track structure which could be attributable to derailments.

“Wash Road” is a private road on Union Pacific property used for railroad maintenance; it is not a public road. It was never intended to serve as access for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recreational area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a fence being built in Glamis?
The fence is being installed due to the accumulation of an excessive amount of sand on the tracks which causes excessive wear and tear on the tracks. This wear and tear could lead to weakening of the track structure which could be attributable to derailments.
Does this mean the Glamis recreational area is closed?
No. This simply means that the private railroad property is off limits. Individuals should make plans to start using alternate routes.
How should we access the Imperial Valley Recreational area?
Please contact the BLM for information on how access the area.
Will there be some access to Wash Road?
The fence is expected to be completed in the next couple of weeks. Please start making alternate route plans now.
Why is the fence being placed only where the current camping areas are located?
The fence is being placed at this location because this is the area of highest sand accumulation. We are not experiencing sand issues on the track where OHVs are restricted. It is at the areas where camping is allowed, and most of the OHV activity takes place, that we are having these issues because OHVs kick up the sand that then is deposited on railroad tracks.
How long will this fence be there?
The fence will be a permanent fixture for the track erosion issues that have been mentioned. If at some point, the BLM decides to return this land back to its original state, we would be able to remove the fence.
How will this fence stop sand from getting on the tracks? Should it be placed closer to the tracks?
The placement of the fence will result in a deposit of sand immediately downwind from the fence. Placing the fence any closer would result in sand accumulating on the track itself causing a safety problem.
Has there ever been an accident in this area caused by sand accumulation on railroad tracks?
There have not been any derailments caused by sand in the area because of our Company’s diligence in maintaining the track consistently. However, because of the excessive accumulation of sand, we have decided to take this additional step.

Our track is inspected twice each week and when conditions are found that would result in a derailment, they are repaired. Fouled ballast is a Federal Railroad Administration track safety defect.

This from the ASA board

The BLM has just released the Environmental Assessment required for construction of a new Wash Road. You can view this document at: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/%20...%20009_64.pdf

This document shows an intent to build a access road to Wash 25

The ASA has not analyzed this document yet, but we will very soon.

I wanted to get the report circulated and some feedback back to the ASA.