Rally for Rail 2010 in Fort Wayne

Baker Street Station, January 16, 2010

 

All Photos Copyright © 2010 by Robert E Pence

 

The station was designed by William Price, of Price McLanahan Architects, and built by the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was completed in 1914.

 

 

The clock was on the Calhoun Street facade of the bank that stood on the present site of One Summit Square. Renderings of One Summit Square showed the clock mounted on the side of the building, but it didn't happen. The clock ended up in a warehouse where it was rediscovered a few years ago. It was restored by local artisans and mounted on a structure just west of the Baker Street Station.

 

 

 

Pre-program music was provided by Possum Trot Orchestra.

 

A little bit of Who's Who:

Former City Councilman Dr. Tom Hayhurst, one of the organizers and leaders of NIPRA and Democrat contender for the US Congress seat held by Mark Souder.

 

State Senator Tom Wyss is Chair of the State Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans' Affairs.

 

Geoff Paddock, another NIPRA leader and Master of Ceremonies for the Rally For Rail.

 

Fort Wayne City Councilman Tom Smith, a rail supporter and also an advocate for bicyclists.

 

Win Moses, former mayor of Fort Wayne and now a State Representative.

 

Walter "Skip" Sassmanshausen, retired educator and widely acknowledged as the area's most knowledgeable rail historian.

 

Senator Wyss again.

 

Justin Stalter of the Downtown Improvement District, a strong supporter of NIPRA and provider of technical support.

 

Seats are filling up.

 

 

Nice venue, eh?

 

 

Geoff starts the program on schedule.

 

Fred Lanahan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation (Citilink)

 

 

 

 

Standing room only, full to the doors!

 

Dr. Tom Hayhurst tells how the return of passenger rail will bring jobs to Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana.

 

 

Pam Holocher of the city's Planning and Policy Office, represented Mayor Tom Henry.

 

 

Allen County Commissioner Bill Brown was caught off guard and hadn't expected to be called on to speak, but delivered an effective, concise statement on the benefits of passenger rail for the local economy.

 

 

Fred Warner represented Steel Dynamics, now the only Fortune 500 company based in Fort Wayne. Steel Dynamics has invested heavily in rail production technology, and is developing a facility to manufacture composite crossties with a steel core and concrete body encased in a coating made from recycled rubber and plastic to protect from the elements and lengthen life.

 

State Senator Tom Wyss makes it clear that he understands the importance of passenger rail to Fort Wayne.

 

I didn't get this man's name, but he was here to communicate Senator Evan Bayh's support. Previously, a message from Senator Richard Lugar was read, so Fort Wayne passenger trains have strong bi-partisan support.

 

Congressman Mark Souder spoke.

 

The man everyone wanted to hear, INDOT Deputy Commissioner Leigh Morris. His statement that INDOT has recommended the Fort Wayne - Toledo route for Chicago - Cleveland service brought applause from the audience.

Thanks for the update.  Good job Downtown Fort Wayne.  I wonder why the audience seems to be mostly older white guys.  Also, the only black people there were 1)camera guy, 2)guy from Sen. Bayh's office, 3) and taxi driver.  Fort Wayne has a racial make up similar to that of the US average.  This is a topic for the Whitopia thread anyway.

 

^Excellent mustache!

 

Great photos, good luck.

I love Ft. Wayne. Glad to see that there is support for this rail link and I hope it becomes a reality (I also hope we get word on the 3c funding soon).

 

haha, Ft. Wayne local news cracks me up every time I visit family.

 

I had the opportunity to be in that station for my cousins wedding reception. Absolutely gorgeous building.

 

What a great rail station. And what a treasure that clock is.

  "I wonder why the audience seems to be mostly older white guys."

 

  That's typical for all public meetings.

 

 

Thanks!

... I wonder why the audience seems to be mostly older white guys.  Also, the only black people there were 1)camera guy, 2)guy from Sen. Bayh's office, 3) and taxi driver ...

 

Valid points. In response to your query and Eigth and State's comment:

 

...  That's typical for all public meetings.

 

It's true. How many twenty-somethings will sit indoors and listen to speeches on a Saturday afternoon?

 

Age is relative, and I'm older than all but two of my close relatives. <pause for laughter> :wink: I'm seventy, and although some of the attendees were my age and older, I saw quite a few people in the crowd who probably are in the 35-55 age range. I didn't attempt to take a count, but a lot of women were there, too. Maybe not 50-50, but not far from it IMO.

 

Older people vote and are more likely than younger ones to phone, email, or write their legislators. They're an important demographic and elected officials know this issue matters to them. Congressman Mark Souder previously has danced clumsily around the passenger rail issue, trying to avoid stating his negative position in a sensitive forum, and he delivered a reprise of that awkward performance on Saturday. He wouldn't even have been there except that the man who hopes to unseat him, Dr. Tom Hayhurst, was a there to make a strong case for the benefits.

 

As to the absence of minorities in the crowd, that happens too often. The NIPRA organizers certainly aren't racist by intent, but I don't know if anyone has discussed with them the lack of participation by Fort Wayne's minorities. We have large black and Latino communities and Koreans, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Burmese as well. It's a topic I'll bring up if I get a chance to talk with Geoff Paddock and Dr. Hayhurst.

 

And yeah, Fred Lanahan's mustache is classic. It's not hard to visualize him in a sharply-creased dark blue uniform with gold piping and a stiff cap, collecting fares aboard a turn-of-the-century streetcar.

very heartening to see this public outpouring!

... I wonder why the audience seems to be mostly older white guys. Also, the only black people there were 1)camera guy, 2)guy from Sen. Bayh's office, 3) and taxi driver ...

 

Valid points. In response to your query and Eigth and State's comment:

 

...   That's typical for all public meetings.

 

It's true. How many twenty-somethings will sit indoors and listen to speeches on a Saturday afternoon?

 

Age is relative, and I'm older than all but two of my close relatives. <pause for laughter> :wink: I'm seventy, and although some of the attendees were my age and older, I saw quite a few people in the crowd who probably are in the 35-55 age range. I didn't attempt to take a count, but a lot of women were there, too. Maybe not 50-50, but not far from it IMO.

Well, God bless you Robert and all the others in the crowd for showing up.  I was impressed by the numbers and Fort Wayne's enthusiasm.  I hadn't even heard of NIPRA until this thread.  Maybe the demo is older than usual because they can remember/have experienced rail travel before?  Either way, way to go.

 

As to the absence of minorities in the crowd, that happens too often. The NIPRA organizers certainly aren't racist by intent, but I don't know if anyone has discussed with them the lack of participation by Fort Wayne's minorities. We have large black and Latino communities and Koreans, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Burmese as well. It's a topic I'll bring up if I get a chance to talk with Geoff Paddock and Dr. Hayhurst.

I'm sure it's not intentional of course and I wasn't meaning to disparage the crowd, but the meeting was public and whoever came, came.  But knowing the benefits long-distance mass transit can afford to people from all backgrounds and socioeconomic levels, there should be wider support.  Maybe there is and the crowd is just the biggest supporters.  What's happening in Ft. Wayne is interesting either way.

 

And yeah, Fred Lanahan's mustache is classic. It's not hard to visualize him in a sharply-creased dark blue uniform with gold piping and a stiff cap, collecting fares aboard a turn-of-the-century streetcar.

Every week or so something happens that makes me want to grow a mustache more and more.  Pretty cool.

Thanks for the great pics, Robert.

 

Well, God bless you Robert and all the others in the crowd for showing up. I was impressed by the numbers and Fort Wayne's enthusiasm. I hadn't even heard of NIPRA until this thread.

 

Check out these threads....

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,20921.0.html

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,1414.0.html