Rhythm of rails faces practical realities.

Byline: DIANE DIETZ The Register-Guard

While uncertainty hangs like a February fog over Amtrak runs, the proposed renovation of the Eugene Station appears mired in legal muck.

Nearly a year ago, the city announced that it had a "very strong oral agreement" with station owner Jenova Land Co. - controlled by developers Tom Connor and Don Woolley - to buy the station and surrounding parcels for $1.5 million.

City planners promoted visions of a flowing fountain, gardens and station restored to its original 1907 Romanesque Revival appearance. But a year of negotiations failed to produce a purchase agreement, and it's unclear whether talks are continuing.

City Manager Jim Johnson said he talks with Connor all the time, including discussions about the station. But Conner said, "We're not in negotiations. That's all I can say."

Part of the hang-up is the city's desire to extend Oak Street north across the Oregon Electric Station parking lot to create a loop drive for the station. Connor and Woolley are concerned about the loss of parking, city staff members said.

"They have been good, amicable meetings, but we haven't reached agreement," Johnson said. "At some point, we will agree to disagree and the city will move forward with condemnation."

The city is in a hurry because $1 million of the $4.2 million pledged to build the station comes from Amtrak, which has said it will shelve some station renovations as part of an immediate budget cutting measure. The Eugene plans are so far unaffected, Amtrak West spokeswoman Vernae Graham said.

"We're still committed and moving forward with that pledge at this time," she said. "(But) this is a very fluid situation."

Additionally, the city must commit $2.9 million in federal funds pledged to the project within a year or risk losing the financing, U.S. Rep. DeFazio of Springfield said. "Even then, there's a risk that someone could try and rescind funds that haven't been committed."

But this week could be a watershed for the station renovation, said Russ Mecredy, the city's project manager.

Authorization to buy the property and begin the design work is expected to arrive from the Oregon Department of Transportation, which administers the federal funds.

That will spur the city forward, hopefully to an agreement with the property owners, Mecredy said. `Our preference is to have ... not a friendly take-over but a cordial working arrangement with Connor and Woolley because they are a significant stakeholder,' he said.

In any case, the city will forge ahead with planning and design with an eye to beginning construction in mid-2003 and finishing in spring 2004, Mecredy said.

That's soon enough for Eugene train lovers, such as Eugene resident Patricia Noyes.

"It's taking a long time. Every time we think it's settled, something else comes up," she said. "We're hope the plan will be implemented before the money turns into a pumpkin or something."