I’ve heard from reliable sources that RTD and Warren Buffett will be holding a joint news conference today to make a monumental announcement related to “FasTracks.” Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway owns BNSF railroad. As you may or may not know, a major issue causing the delay in RTD building our rail service has been costs for the Northwest Corridor rail have exploded. Originally anticipated to cost about $900 million, that ballooned to at least $1.4 billion after a review by the BNSF railroad — and mandate by the rail company that RTD pay $250 million up front to buy “operating windows” on the line in perpetuity, rather than pay a smaller amount on an annual basis. BNSF also now insists that the existing track be re-built and that a second track be built along the whole route to Longmont, as well as additional sidetracks and sophisticated signal systems. BNSF maintains that these additional improvements are required by new federal regulations which were required due to the fairly recent crash of a commuter train in Los Angeles. My source tells me that Buffett received and was so moved by the following letter from six year old Timmy Tuqute who attends Mountain View Elementary school in Longmont, that he has decided to help make commuter rail service a reality for us and will announce that today.

Dear Mr. Warren –

How are you? I am fine? My name is Timmy Tuqute. I am six years old and live in Longmont, Colorado. Denver is our capital. I go to school at Mountain View Elementary and am in the Kindergarden grade. My teacher is Ms. Summer Fields. Ms. Fields told us earlier in the year that someday we would be able to ride a train from Longmont to Boulder to Denver and we would be helping to save the “vironment.” I was excited to heard this, since I have a pet frog named “Warts” and he has never been anywhere but Longmont. On the train I could take “Warts” in his mobile condo box to the Denver Zoo to see his relatives and the train would help me get around since I can’t drive a car yet like my older brother Bobby, but you can call him by my nickname for him which is “Snot.” I’m writing this letter to see if you could help us get the train in Longmont. My Dad Stu says the rail line to Longmont is “hosed” because the RTB couldn’t manage a lemonade stand and you own the BNSF railroad and tracks where our train would run. He said you have more money than God, (I thought God had all the money) and want to give more of your money to someone called “Uncle Sam” anyway. My Dad Stu said you need to put your money where you mouth is, I put a penny in my mouth once and it tasted yucky, worse than the pebbles I used to put in my mouth. Maybe you would want to help us out so we could get our railroad line and I could take “Warts” to the Denver Zoo. My Mom Pam tells my Dad Stu to get a life and quit listening to someone call “Rush Limburger.” Anyway, Mr. Warren, all the other kids in my class thought it would be cool to ride the train, except for my girlfriend “Iget Notius.” If you want to help, I’ll let you pet “Warts” and will tell my Dad Stu to apologize for calling you the “Orifice from Omaha.”

Your Friend,

Timmy

Out of the mouths of babes, maybe we need to appeal to Warren Buffett to be a a philanthropist in the mode of a Carnegie or Rockefeller to help us realize the dream of rail service from Longmont. He holds the strings to BNSF. Who know maybe there’s a “Timmy Tuqute” out their that could strike an emotional cord with him. Anyway, Happy April 1st!