By the way -- in today's Register, Darrel Rensink of the DOT said he plans to retire this fall. Rensink said one of his biggest accomplishments has been to expand the agency's focus on railroads, airports, rivers and other modes of transportation! That is really news! The amount of money the DOT proposed to spend on passenger rail service in their 25 year plan was a tiny percentage of the total plan. Vilsack said Rensink's successor will need to be someone "who comprehends and understands the totality of transportation," that in addition to highways, it's also rail and air transportation. I guess Vilsack and Pedersen were not only attentive when Sierra Club met with them last week, they were also taking notes. Jane Clark ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send email to [log in to unmask] Make the message text (not the Subject): SIGNOFF IOWA-TOPICS