FAMILIES UNDER THE RAIL
Donation protected
Families Under The Rail is a 501c(3) founded by citizens and families of western Hanover County, Virginia, engaged and aggressively committed in opposition of new railroads through our bucolic community.
FUTR includes citizens, private property owners, business owners and elected officials who share our core belief of combating eminent domain for private use, and our opposition to any tax-subsidized railway. We are families being thrown under the rail.
The Department of Rail and Public Transportation has teamed with CSX with planning to provide an alternate track route bypassing Ashland, Virginia's existing tracks and station through the town with an alternate route known now as the Western Bypass. Surveying for this route has already begun. You can find maps and project details here: http://dc2rvarail.com/
This new railway will destroy historic family homes, churches, family cemeteries, divide working farms in half, place families who have lived here for generations on opposite sides of a needless railway track with 6' fences. The plan includes the elimination of some country roads completely, with others becoming dead end roads with no access to the opposite side of the tracks. Cattle farmers, crop farmers, school buses, emergency vehicles will have to travel for miles just to access land and roads divided by the track. To top it off, the train will no longer stop in Ashland and all freight -- up to 400% more -- will all be shoved to this western bypass, instead of using existing tracks to the east of town.
Currently all the railway route options are undesirable, unsupportable, unfeasible and will have a major negative impact to our entire community. The citizens and families of Western Hanover County were not well represented by our elected officials who were aware of the plans but did not take the time to involve the community for our opinions. The town of Ashland acted in a similar manner.
WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH YOUR DONATIONS
We will use your donations to secure the best legal representation available, create an informative interactive news and media website to oppose these plans. We will show how your life is now without the train, we will tell personal stories and we will bring to light how these high speed trains have failed across the country. We need this funding now to continue.
On behalf of the citizens and families of Hanover County and the town of Ashland who oppose the plans for the bypass, we thank you in advance for your support no matter how small it may be.
Sincerely,
Families Under The Rail
FUTR includes citizens, private property owners, business owners and elected officials who share our core belief of combating eminent domain for private use, and our opposition to any tax-subsidized railway. We are families being thrown under the rail.
The Department of Rail and Public Transportation has teamed with CSX with planning to provide an alternate track route bypassing Ashland, Virginia's existing tracks and station through the town with an alternate route known now as the Western Bypass. Surveying for this route has already begun. You can find maps and project details here: http://dc2rvarail.com/
This new railway will destroy historic family homes, churches, family cemeteries, divide working farms in half, place families who have lived here for generations on opposite sides of a needless railway track with 6' fences. The plan includes the elimination of some country roads completely, with others becoming dead end roads with no access to the opposite side of the tracks. Cattle farmers, crop farmers, school buses, emergency vehicles will have to travel for miles just to access land and roads divided by the track. To top it off, the train will no longer stop in Ashland and all freight -- up to 400% more -- will all be shoved to this western bypass, instead of using existing tracks to the east of town.
Currently all the railway route options are undesirable, unsupportable, unfeasible and will have a major negative impact to our entire community. The citizens and families of Western Hanover County were not well represented by our elected officials who were aware of the plans but did not take the time to involve the community for our opinions. The town of Ashland acted in a similar manner.
WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH YOUR DONATIONS
We will use your donations to secure the best legal representation available, create an informative interactive news and media website to oppose these plans. We will show how your life is now without the train, we will tell personal stories and we will bring to light how these high speed trains have failed across the country. We need this funding now to continue.
On behalf of the citizens and families of Hanover County and the town of Ashland who oppose the plans for the bypass, we thank you in advance for your support no matter how small it may be.
Sincerely,
Families Under The Rail
Organizer
Mike Valentine
Organizer
