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14
day.
Double track may be built in B-CS
ba
racking down a solution
BY AMANDA SMITH
The Battalion
Eddy Handley, assistant vice president of Union Pacific Railroad,
TT city officials, retailers and residents of the Bryan-College Sta-
IV [ion community to prepare for an increase in train traffic.
“We are going to run more trains,” Handley said.
“We are looking about five years down the road, and there are
lltfl S°i n 8 to be a lot more trains. 1 am not advocating one route over
*ifj another, but it is preferable for us to relocate, and 1 am willing to
er'si'lgo anywhere you [as a community] can go.”
Handley said Union Pacific Railroad’s consideration to build a
loltifBsecond track would double the number of trains daily. Trains trav-
itthel: eling along the Union Pacific line average 20 mph, in comparison
iScte to some trains averaging 60 mph along rural routes.
Double tracking does not raise the speed limit, but it does in
crease the capacity of Union Pacific,” Handley said.
“I don’t know who will be here in 2025, but Union Pacific will
be here. We are going to be the strongest and the best railroad in
the country.”
In response to the increased traffic in the community, the Bryan-
College Station Municipal Planning Organization fBCSMPO),
formed of the Cities of Bryan and College Station, Brazos County
and Texas A&M, approved a partnership study with the Texas
oreto 1 Transportation Institute (TTI) to determine pros and cons of the
existing railroad, BCSMPO director Michael Parks said.
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JR BEATO/The Battalion
Parks said Union Pacific has committed $100,000 to TTI for the
study.
BCSMPO began researching the possible relocation of the rail
line in February 1998.
Presently, 24 trains travel along the railroad parallel to Wellborn
Road.
Citizens of the Bryan-College Station community interested in
participating in a five-member oversight committee in considera
tion of the possible relocation of Union Pacific rail lines can con
tact the BCSMPO at (409) 260-5298.
with
Student Senate
rejects garage
BY CARRIE BENNETT
The Battalion
The Student Senate passed a bill re
jecting the proposed West Campus
Parking Garage, which had been ap
proved by the senators four years ago,
and will send the recommendation to
the Texas A&M University System
Board of Regents.
The proposed garage would in
crease parking from the 932 spaces
available at Parking Area 56 to 3,781
spaces with 50-percent visitor spaces
and 50-percent contract spaces.
Senator Lauren M. Guerra, a
sophomore speech communications
major, said the senators approved the
parking garage under the impression
that the fee increase implemented four
years ago would pay for the garage,
and there would not be another fee in
crease to support the garage in the fu
ture.
Guerra, a co-chairs of the parking
committee and one of the seven au
thors of the West Campus Parking
Garage bill, said she is not against the
parking garage or the location of the
proposed garage, but more research
needs to be conducted to determine
whether or not the proposed site is the
optimum location.
“The location of the garage needs
to be looked at further,” Guerra said.
“The possibility of double tracking the
railroad and the relocation of vehicles
during the construction of the garage
needs to be considered.”
She said the committee wants to
make sure there will be an adequate
number of spaces if the garage is built.
Guerra said other proposed loca
tions were rejected because of utiliza
tion.
“One site mainly catered to the aca
demic traffic from 10 [a.m.] until 4
[p.m.], and the use of the site would
not be feasible,” Guerra said. “Anoth
er site was rejected because there is an
endangered flower blooming in the
ravine.
SEE GARAGE ON PAGE 2.
hem
first
ight ei
Airmei
Recruitment committee
bases
i hit R
rtingin
inniiil
o host potential students
Role model
BY RICHARD PADDACK
The Battalion
1 llllll'w
i three f
/hid f
i a hit® The Aggie Recruitment Committee
i-4) gfRC) will host its third annual
iersiif»hoopin’ Weekend Thursday through
h innifunday with 249 prospective A&M stu-
•nts participating from high schools
, Iroughout Texas.
__^Jrhe conference will target high
]§ii%hool sophomores, juniors and seniors
terested in attending A&M. It will also
^gfocus on students who have been ac-
^Jjepted to A&M.
u A press release said the main objec-
ve of the weekend is to allow the stu-
ents who attend to become better ac-
[uainted with college life, particularly
at A&M, by having them participate in
d iollege activities and traditions. Activi-
ies will include a Midnight Yell Prac-
ice, a morning class with their confer-
nce discussion group leaders, dinner
at Sbisa Dining Hall, a tour of the
teorge Bush Library and a mixer.
■ Thirty of the visitors will stay with
tudents in dorms on the quadrangle,
nd the others will stay in various
orms on campus.
Beth Ableson, ARC chair and a ju
nior elementary education major, said
the weekend will be a good opportuni
ty to demonstrate programs and tradi
tions A&M offers students.
Ableson said this year will be ARC’S
fourth year to host a recruiting confer
ence, but the first year it was called
Howdy Weekend. Howdy Weekend
hosted 25 high school students, and
Whoopin’ Weekend caters to 250 stu
dents.
Marc Wolf, activities sub-chair and a
junior finance major, said conference
attendance is on a first-come-first-serve
basis, and there is a 250-student cap for
participation.
Elizabeth Ortiz, Whoopin’ Weekend
co-chair and a senior biomedical sci
ence major, said conference recruit
ment begins during each winter break.
ARC members return to their high
schools to share information about
A&M.
“This weekend enables prospective
freshmen the opportunity to experience
what Aggieland is all about first hand,”
Ortiz said, “There’s no better recruiter
for A&M than the University itself.”
Michael Hodnett, a junior biology major, sculpts a
Sul Ross so that he may win the right to reproduce
model of Sul Ross Wednesday,
the statue.
SALLIE TURNER/The Baitalion
Hodnett said he is practicing sculpting
sc international Bufifet
raws hundreds
BY EMILY R. SNOOKS
The Battalion
Tventy-eight cultural student or-
tizations served a variety of eth-
foods to a packed house at the In
national Buffet last night at the
K
Eager patrons were waiting at
?ry entrance when the doors
lened at 7 p.m.
I Hundreds of students, faculty,
Iff and families enjoyed food from
■oughout the globe. Students from
jJch organization prepared and
ved traditional dishes from their
live countries. Students decorated
ir booths and dressed in clothing
resenting various cultures.
Entertainment was provided with
Iturally diverse performances by
mentary, high school and college
dents from the Bryan-College Sta-
n area.
Daniel Ramirez, a member of the
Puerto Rican Student Association
and a senior biology major, said he
has participated in the International
Buffet for the past three years.
Ramirez said the event usually pro
duces a large turnout.
“This year the buffet was defi
nitely talked about more,” he said.
“Every year, it’s like a big culture
shock for all those who come.”
Popular items among the crowd
included Indonesian skewed chick
en, Panamanian empanadas and
Japanese green tea ice cream.
Lisa Carter, a member of the
Caribbean Student Association and
a senior economics major, said her
group’s seasoned beef patties were
its most popular items and all were
eaten 45 minutes after the doors
opened.
Before the event, the students and
their food were judged based on pre-
Renovation ‘rocks’
Reed McDonald
BY RACHEL HOLLAND
The Battalion
MIKE FUENTES/The Battalion
Sidney Liang, a senior manage
ment information systems major,
serves Hong Kong fruit salad at the
International Buffet Wednesday.
sentation, taste, hospitality and dec
oration.
Dona Hafil, director of judging
and awards, said the winners will be
announced at the International
Week closing ceremony and party
Friday night. Awards will also be giv
en to winners of the cultural display
and Friday night’s talent show.
Reed McDonald is under
going cosmetic surgery, hav
ing the red-coated, rock trim
replaced with brown paint.
The renovation, which be
gan in December, is funded
through deferred mainte
nance for 1999 and involves
removing the rocks and sand
ing the surface for the new
coating.
Melissa McConnell, plan
ner estimator with Physical
Plant, said the renovation is
necessary because the original
coating was falling off and
peeling.
McConnell said a brown
coating was selected because
it would make the building
more attractive.
“We selected a color slight
ly darker than the bricks on
Reed McDonald,” she said.
“It also matches the other
buildings on campus.”
McConnell said the
$185,000 project is being con
ducted by Mid-Continental
Restoration Company and
should be completed by June.
“They are probably 75-per
cent done with the work,” she
said. “With the progress that
has been made, it will proba
bly be done sooner than
June.”
Timothy Donathen, assistant
vice chancellor for Facilities
Planning and Construction,
said the red coating and rocks
were implemented as part of
the original construction of
Reed McDonald. The construc
tion, costing $1,460,000, was
completed in 1967, making the
red coating 32 years old.
GUY ROGERS/The Batt alion
Ron Webb, an employee with Mid-Continen
tal Restoration Company, prepares the sur
face of the Reed McDonald building for
painting.