HB372 would let Salt Lake County shift $3.5 million of transit taxes from highways to a $50 million pot to realign Union Pacific railroad's Grant Tower - a curve near The Gateway. That fix, in turn, would lead UP to abandon its line on 900 South, where trains travel within 40 feet of some homes, rattling foundations and, say unhappy residents, ruining property values.

House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, was going to sponsor the bill, but instead asked Rep. Ben Ferry, R-Corinne, to do it as an "independent party," Ferry said.

Ferry - whose northern Utah hometown used to be a railroad hub - outlined the other sources of money for the Grant Tower project:

* UP and Utah Transit Authority would pay $15 million each.

* Salt Lake City would kick in $11 million.

* The federal government would offer $5 million.

That leaves a $4 million gap that HB372 would help fill. (UTA is willing to give money because it will be doing work in the area as it builds commuter rail between Salt Lake City and Pleasant View, north of Ogden.)

Besides aiding Salt Lake City's west-side neighborhoods, HB372 would benefit UP, whose trains are slowed to 10 mph while traveling through Grant Tower, named for a building that once controlled trains moving through the bottleneck.

With the realignment, trains could travel up to around 35 mph.

That could help UP maintain its business, since shippers could be tempted - without the increased rail speed - to use highways to get their wares across the country.

"I'm trying to wrestle with helping the railroad. This is an additional public handout," said Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara, who ended up voting for the bill as it passed the House Transportation Committee, 14-0.

Ferry argued the fix will help the region because it will make Salt Lake City a more-efficient railroad hub. Figures from 2004 show that 100 million tons of freight comes through the city's terminal area each year. Grant Tower, receiving 50 trains a day, is the Intermountain West's busiest railroad junction, according to a report from the state.

Built in 1909, the 900 South rail line went unused for a time, but was re-activated in 2001 to allow about a dozen trains to bypass Grant Tower. Once abandoned, 900 South could become a trail.

Ferry sponsored the bill, but former state Sen. James Evans will get the credit. An amendment calls the county's share of the money the "Evans Allocation."

Evans, a Republican, represented west-side neighborhoods, but lost a 2004 re-election bid to Democrat Fred Fife. Evans, who helped Ferry pitch the bill Monday, wants his name attached to the bill since he helped make it happen.

"Am I pleased my name is associated with the bill? Yes," Evans said after the meeting.

Other bill supporters say that while Evans does deserve credit, so do others - from UP officials to Salt Lake City leaders.