Railway needs to talk to neighbors

Inter Lake editorial

For well over a century, the railroad has been a lifeline pulsing through Whitefish, providing good jobs, bringing visitors and commerce to town and bolstering every crevice of the local economy.

Of course BNSF Railway Co. is still very important to Whitefish, but as with many longtime neighbors, there are also some concerns that need to be discussed. Lingering pollution in the rail yard is worrisome. So is BNSF's recent mysterious pursuit to buy up property in the up-and-coming Railway District.

Property owners are being approached to sell, but the railroad won't say if the area is contaminated by underground petroleum or why exactly it wants to buy this land. We suspect it has much to do with a 2006 Montana Supreme Court ruling that required an oil company to pay for the cleanup of contaminated land, even if that restoration costs far more than the property is worth.

If it's true that BNSF could be responsible for say, a million-dollar cleanup on a $100,000 piece of property, then it's understandable the company would want to lessen that liability.

It's the "not knowing" that's frustrating Railway District residents and business owners. Millions of dollars have been poured into the historic neighborhood over the past few years and it's just now coming into its own as a vibrant extension of Whitefish's downtown district.

Dealing with the railroad has been a challenge for city leaders throughout history. Even in the very beginning, the railroad hasn't been exactly forthcoming to its Flathead Valley neighbors.

Back in 1902, when there was talk that the main line would switch from Kalispell to Whitefish, the Inter Lake reported that "absolutely nothing is known of what the railroad intends to do and all the reports sent to the outside of proposed railroad building are mere guess work…"

Sound familiar?

We encourage Whitefish to find a way to create a dialog with BNSF. Maybe there's a way the company could own the land and lease it back to residents and business owners.

It would be a shame to see all of the new and improved buildings in the Railway District standing empty. That may lessen the railroad giant's liability, but it certainly doesn't do Whitefish a bit of good.