Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 19, 1993 TAG: 9311190037
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Where else would people clamor for a ride on a train that will haul trash? Dozens of people have called the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority to ask if they can ride on the inaugural trip of the "Wasteline Express."
And Hubbard has given them the bad news.
No, there are no vacant seats available on the train, which will carry trash from the transfer station on Hollins Road in Roanoke to the Smith Gap Landfill in Roanoke County.
Hubbard, chief executive officer of the authority, said about 300 people have been invited for the inaugural trip Dec. 1.
The guest list includes state and local governmental officials, contractors, engineers and others who have worked on the $42 million project. Residents near the transfer station and landfill also have been invited.
"We wish we had the capacity to take everyone along, but we don't," Hubbard said. "I wish we didn't have to turn anyone down."
He said the authority will have open houses later at the transfer station and landfill to give Roanoke Valley residents an opportunity to tour them.
No trash will be hauled on the Wasteline's first trip, which will be part of a daylong celebration for the new waste-disposal facilities.
On the inaugural trip along the 33-mile route from the transfer station to the landfill, the line will have seven passenger cars and an equipment car.
The trash train won't begin operating until later in December because the contractors have not finished all details.
The festivities for the inaugural trip will include speeches, a prize drawing for a model train, entertainment by a barbershop quartet and a barbecue lunch.
Norfolk Southern Corp. will provide the train, servers for appetizers and drinks on the train ride, cups, T-shirts and other items for those invited to the event.
The authority and railroad have a $7,000 budget for the festivities.
"There is nothing elaborate about it. We just want to reward everyone who has worked on the project," Hubbard said.
A barbecue lunch, prepared by the Bradshaw Civic League as a fund-raising project, will be available at the landfill.
The theme for the event will be a historical railroad with emphasis on a first-of-a-kind rail-haul project, community involvement, government cooperation and recycling to save landfill space.
The train ride will take about one hour and 15 minutes each way.
by CNB