click either image to enlarge.
Tim Himmer of the City of Ramsey Engineering Department took time to show the plan book and download a rendering of the proposed Northstar Commuter Rail stop in Ramsey, which would be similar to the Coon Rapids Riverdale stop. The book's about three quarters of an inch thick, and Tim made copies of two of the more illustrative pages.
When I get a chance to use the home network scanner in the next several days, I shall update the post with the pages (as best as I can fit the 14" x 11" page onto the smaller scanner bed).
For now the two opening images will do, first, a rendering of the Coon Rapids stop from the Ramsey Engineering Department, and the Wiki page, here, of that stop.
Ramsey for fourteen million dollars can get about that, across the street from the ramp and hence diagonally adjacent to City Hall.
BNSF was in extended negotiation over past years (plus months) with Clifford Greene of the Greene, Espel firm representing Northstar Corridor Development Authority, over negotiating the general pricing and purchase from BNSF of the base Northstar rights. But that was for opening ante. Now the lion's share of new money goes to old money. As it ever was.
As planning yields more stops, such as what Ramsey desires, the present-day corporate pirate spawn of J.J. Hill will extort yet more.
Private enterprise, which got where it is based on taxpayer subsidized right-of-way, land grants, and such in the nation's past, (see, e.g., here, here, here) has paid back present-day taxpayers, via wholesale over-a-barrel extortion.
But they ARE a railroad.
What else would you expect? Fairness? Decency?
Get real.
Commodore Vanderbilt would be proud of the BNSF negotiators of today. The pirate Commodore, the rail cartel mogul. Also, the Hill House mansion was not built from picking pennies and dimes off the sidewalk.
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Finally, how can the politicians tell us that the $13.7 million figure is anything but reading tea leaves, unless and until the amount of THE BURLINGTON BITE is known as a certainty. It's fantasy and mirrors, until then, unless they meet budget if the BITE is bigger by building the two towers and letting the central span wait until later. So, what's it ultimately to cost; and when the dust's settled and the air's cleared, who will have paid how much, locally, i.e., what's the hit on Ramsey citizens, and would a referendum make more sense when real numbers finally exist?
BOTTOM LINE: Do we want the damned thing, or not? We know the politicians want a cram down. But unless there is a referendum, how can we have a say over what we want, or not? One answer about what we want: Ask the politicians if they care.
______UPDATE_______
If you want to see it on the ground as it will be in Ramsey, the Coon Rapids Northdale stop is (or was, with present site being presumed the same) on Northdale Blvd., south of the Main St. intersection, before the road curves heading south to parallel the tracks. Find it. Have a look. Be impressed.
Fourteen mil., tax dollars shook out of several money trees, for the same thing in Ramsey. Zilch increase to the tax base because it's government land.
If you curve on Northdale and parallel the tracks, you missed it.
Backtrack.
_______FURTHER UPDATE_______
Additional images, Coon Rapids Northdale stop, preconstruction, opening, etc.
Here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here.
The image below shows where Google Maps puts it, south of the Riverdale Shopping Center. If the new structure is at a new location, it's news to me. Reader help per an email would help, if the site is different. (click the image to enlarge and read street names)
Note: Per the update to this link, I speculate the Burlington Bite could be over seven million whereas the mayor, in a closer position to things, believes the access rights can be purchased from BNSF for substantially less. It would be better for the project's chance to happen the lower the cost, so I am sure many in Ramsey are hoping the mayor's instincts and view proves true and that two to two and a half million dollars will buy track access rights.