A million dollars in the Grain Train reserve fund

Farm and Ranch March 30, 2009 Use of the Washington Grain Train has grown from about 500carloads in 1995 to over 25-hundred as of 2007. Those numbers are in a report from the Washington State Department of Transportation, which oversees the fleet of 89 hopper cars. The Grain Train was started in the 1990's to help address a national rail car shortage. Glen Squires, vice president of the Washington Wheat Commission, says the Grain Train is self sustaining through the fees it charges. He explains what the increasing use of the program's cars means. Squires: "And that has translated into a growing reserve fund for the Grain Train. That reserve fund for these state owned grain cars is essentially funds to rehabilitate, provide maintenance to the current cars, as well as provide a revenue source for the purchase of new cars. So that Grain Train reserve fund, it appears to be just over a million dollars now." Squires says that should be enough funds for the state to add more cars. Squires: "If we can use some more then we will provide that input and DOT will make the determination of whether they buy cars. You know they may decide to lease cars but it seems purchasing cars would be an option as well." In addition to the Department of Transportation, the Port of Walla Walla, the Port of Moses Lake and the Port of Whitman County all manage the Washington Grain Train. I'm Bob Hoff and that's Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.