Meetings begin over proposed rail line through Yuma, Calif. Area

Meetings begin over proposed rail line through Yuma, Calif. Area More than forty representatives of government, military, the agriculture industry and others met this week with Union Pacific Railroad officials to begin discussing a proposed rail line through the Yuma area of southeastern California.
   Actual freight shipments over the proposed rail line would not begin until 2012. However, economic development officials say it is possible that the city of Yuma would need to decide where it stands on the rail line within the next 90 days.
   A Union Pacific spokesperson said the railroad is among a group of companies considering opportunities with the development of a super port in Baja California.
   If Union Pacific wins the bid, it would need to build 200 miles of rail in Mexico as well as 16 to 30 miles of new track in the Yuma area.
   Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corp., with a rail network linking 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country.