The Place of Railroads in the Regional Transportation Plan
By Robert Pinoli, President and CEO, Mendocino Railway
Peter McNamee recently submitted a letter to the Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) regarding the draft Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). While Mr. McNamee raises concerns about the inclusion of rail, his conclusions overlook key facts, mischaracterize the role of Mendocino Railway, and risk narrowing the county’s transportation vision at a time when flexibility, sustainability, and long-term resilience are more important than ever.
Mendocino Railway is a federally recognized Class III common carrier.
MCOG’s RTP continues to mischaracterize Mendocino Railway and its operations. Since 2004, Mendocino Railway has operated under Surface Transportation Board (STB) jurisdiction as a legitimate Class III common carrier railroad. A recent STB Declaratory Order reaffirmed this status, underscoring its legal standing and potential to serve public transportation and freight needs—not merely as an “amusement ride,” as Mr. McNamee suggests.
Rail is among the most environmentally efficient modes of land transport.
Mr. McNamee’s dismissal of rail’s environmental value is at odds with decades of data. Freight rail emits up to 75% less greenhouse gas per ton-mile than trucks. Mr. McNamee’s narrowly focused “point-to-point” fixation is the exact type of thinking that has caused our world’s emission problems.
Low-emission Mendocino Railway locomotives. Mr. McNamee wrote regarding Mendocino Railway’s Skunk Train, “The Skunk train relies upon the worst-polluting, most industry-inefficient fossil fueled locomotives in the rail industry.“ Mr. McNamee seems focused on our efforts to preserve historic steam locomotives. Had he researched this topic, he would have learned that we only use historic steam locomotives, however, on approximately 3% of our trips! And while our other locomotives are superior to most other forms of transportation, Mendocino Railway is now upgrading our three primary locomotives to Tier IV – the lowest emission in the nation for fuel-based locomotives! Rather than Mr. McNamee’s naïve characterization, Mendocino Railway is at our industry’s forefront of mixing economic efficiency with environmental sensitivity.
Rail supports economic diversification and rural resilience.
While current ridership and freight volumes may be modest, the infrastructure itself is a long-term asset. Rail corridors can support commerce, tourism, emergency logistics, and future opportunities—especially as fuel prices, climate mandates, and supply chain vulnerabilities evolve. Dismissing rail in a 20-year long-range planning document based on present-day usage ignores its strategic potential and speaks to Mr. McNamee’s agenda-driven shortsightedness
Environmental concerns are being addressed through modernization.
The Skunk Train’s legacy equipment is being phased out in favor of cleaner, more efficient technology. Moreover, railroads are subject to federal environmental oversight, and Mendocino Railway has initiated remediation and infrastructure upgrades to address any past impacts. These efforts deserve recognition, not blanket condemnation.
Multimodal planning is not contradictory, it’s essential.
The draft plan’s inclusion of rail does not undermine its broader goals. On the contrary, a resilient transportation network must include multiple modes—especially in a geographically diverse county like Mendocino. Railway, walking, biking, buses, and cars each serve different needs. Mendocino Railway is working to provide transloads facilities that would facilitate the exchange of goods between trucks and trains, achieving the best advantages of each type of transportation. Excluding rail would artificially constrain future options and contradict the plan’s stated commitment to equity, sustainability, and access.
Road Crossings. Mr. McNamee complains about railroad crossing delays. Is he concerned that the daily fleet of Amazon delivery trucks will be delayed getting to his house on the coast? He also writes about life threatening delays, but doesn’t substantiate this claim. Our trains do not simultaneously shut down all crossings in town at the same time and we are not aware of any noteworthy delays.
Economic Benefit of the Skunk Train. Mendocino Railway’s Skunk Train is one of the region’s top economic drivers. While Mr. McNamee may be irritated at being delayed occasionally by one of our trains, please know that on average, that train delaying him is bringing $63,000 in local spending to our community.
Regional Success of Railroads. It does not require much effort to see the potential benefits of railroads. The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) railroad in neighboring Sonoma offers freight service and passenger service with record ridership. The demand for their service has motivated them to extend to Healdsburg in 2028 and then to Cloverdale, on the doorstep of Mendocino County. While our county has challenges, we hope regional success of railroads show MCOG the potential for rail in Mendocino County.
In closing, I urge MCOG to maintain a balanced, forward-looking approach. Mendocino County deserves a transportation plan that accurately reflects both current realities and future possibilities. MCOG’s Vision states, “Effective regional governance is about helping every community become more prosperous, equitable, and environmentally sustainable.” We believe Mendocino Railway is at the forefront on delivering on your vision. Rail is part of that vision—not as a nostalgic relic, but as a strategic tool for environmental stewardship, economic vitality, and regional connectivity.