All too often, government agencies linger long after their useful life has ended. Government must evolve to function efficiently.

That's the philosophy behind the push for local government consolidation, which has languished in the Indiana General Assembly.

But there's good news in Northwest Indiana, where the Four City Consortium is apparently being euthanized.

The consortium was created in 1997 by the mayors of Gary, Hammond, East Chicago and Whiting to work with the railroads on train stoppages and congestion relief.

But East Chicago and Hammond have pulled out of the group, and the group's demise seems imminent.

"With Hammond and East Chicago no longer being members, there's no way to have a quorum, so the group is likely to disband, and I would likely favor that," Whiting Mayor Joe Stahura said.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said the effort hasn't been fruitful. "We've spent a lot of money on it with really very little to show for it," he said.

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority also are working on similar issues. The RDA didn't exist when the Four City Consortium was created.

McDermott favors having the RDA and NIRPC address the railroad issue. It's a wise move, making it easier for the railroads, who have fewer local people to deal with and a more streamlined process to bring about change.

It also means the consortium is one less financial drain for the four cities. Let their resources be focused more effectively.