Past News Reports
(Yesterday's News is Tomorrow's
History)
Shortlines (U.S.)
Stephan Koenig
March 2007:
Ashland Railway
Apparently, the Ohio based Ashland Railway
is having many problems with its GP38 fleet they have on lease and are
looking to replace them with GP9s and GP10s as the lease expires. Long out
of service ASRY GP10 32, former Conrail 7432, was in the process of being
returned to service during November 2006. The unit is being stripped and
rebuilt as time permits, and it's estimated to take two years until its
ready for service. With the Pennsylvania based Allegheny Valley Railroad
acquiring SD40-2s, the railroad placed GP10 1802 for sale, with Ashland
Railway the successful bidder on the locomotive. The GP10 should be on the
property by January 2007.
Buffalo Southern
The New York based railroad will be
celebrating 25 years in 2007. Plans for 2007 include a celebration, possible
excursions, and the repainting of RS18u 1847 (former Canadian Pacific) into
a new anniversary scheme.
Iowa Northern
Iowa Northern has purchased three former CN
GP40-2LW's 9425, 9445, and 9508 from Progressive Rail via an auction sale in
June. They are expected to be placed in service soon
Lake State Railway
The new name for this Michigan operation
is The Lake State Railway and Saginaw Bay Southern Railway. The change
reflects their recent acquisition of former CSX operations in the Saginaw
area, including Saginaw Yard. LSRC and SBS had completed the consolidation
of the LSRC corporate office with the SBS headquarters in Saginaw during
late 2006. The new corporate offices are in a remodeled former CSXT office
building in Saginaw Yard. The Alpena locomotive shop will also be moving to
Saginaw. Construction bids have been received, and construction has been
authorized for the improvement of a shop building in Saginaw yard to a state
of the art locomotive shop. Anticipated move in will be no later than
December 1, 2006. In a continuing project to upgrade their locomotive fleet,
LSRC GP38M 2003 is en route to Washington State to be de-turboed and to be
painted with LSRC colors and new logo. Removing the turbo will improve both
fuel economy and horsepower. Horsepower will increase from 1750 HP to 2000
HP. The modified unit was expected back on the property by mid November
2006.
New Castle Industrial Railroad
This terminal style railroad
located in New Castle, Pennsylvania serves several railway and manufacturing
interests there. Recently one of their customers Vortex, Inc. decided to
build a brand new facility on the former PRR Youngstown Branch that has
since been abandoned with the exception of a few miles inside the city. The
new facility will handle processing oil filters for the metal parts in a
clean environmentally friendly facility. Special designed hoppers will be
created to transport these filters to the facility.
New York and Lake Erie
Apparently there is some truth to
the rumor that the C-425s will be going to the Delaware Lackawanna, as of
late November 6101 and 1013 were positioned across from Gowanda station with
their markings painted out and "DL" applied. Currently the NY&LE uses only
S-1 308 for power.
Ohio Central
The state of Ohio is giving the Ohio Rail
Development Commission 1.7 million to renovate a 26-mile stretch of rail
line that serves Ohio Central Railroad Inc.'s two largest shippers, forest
product giant Weyerhaeuser Co. and the Central Ohio Farmers Co-Op Inc.
The commission said the rehabilitation of the railroad,
operated by Ohio Central, between the Knox County town of Mount Vernon and
Newark in Licking County will retain the 200 workers the companies employ in
the area. The track transports nearly 1,800 car loads a year and is
primarily used by Weyerhaeuser, which manufactures and distributes forest
products, including timber, lumber and plywood, and Central Ohio Farmers,
which ships grain and farm products. The project should be completed at the
end of 2007.
The OCHR recently repainted former Monongahela B23-7R 4093
into their corporate scheme. This is the first such locomotive to wear the
Ohio Central brown and gray.
Southwest Gulf Railroad: The Surface Transportation Board has
issued a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) examining
three additional routes for a new seven-mile railroad line that Southwest
Gulf Railroad Co. wants to build in Medina County, Tex. The line will
connect a proposed Vulcan Construction Materials LP limestone quarry with
Union Pacific's Del Rio subdivision.
Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad: The WNY&P will
receive $85,400 for the construction of a new runaround track to allow the
railroad to improve rail service to the Lord Corporation and eliminate an
eight-mile reverse move for the railroad. When completed this project will
help maintain 250 jobs and reduce the number of truck trips by 9,167
annually. To date the WNY&P was received Millions of dollars in grants from
both the New York and Pennsylvania governments to rebuild the former Erie
Mainline from Hornell, NY to Meadville, PA. Critics have protested these
grants as a waist of taxpayer money saying that it is basically a road to
nowhere and the connecting Norfolk Southern railroad has parallel routes
around this line that are also receiving state aid for maintenance, but in
smaller amounts. So far these protests have been small and unrecognized by
the legislators in both states.
April 2007:
Bath and Hammondsport
This New York based Livonia
Avon & Lakeville affiliate recently activated M630 73, formerly Minnesota
Commercial 73, nee CP 4573, in January 2007. The railroad has been
experiencing surges in traffic and was reported to be looking to use this
unit backup power. It was seen leading WACH jobs in mid January for
evaluation. The unit still wears the CP red scheme and marking on the side
indicating it was the last CP MLW unit maintained at CP's St. Luc shop.
Cartier Railway
The two wrecked AC4400CW Locomotives
involved in a crash at the Quebec-Cartier mining dock in Port Cartier,
Quebec, were being transported to RELCO in Albia, Iowa, for evaluation and
possible repairs. Cartier AC4400CW number 15, is moving on its own wheels
and was spotted in Sarnia, Ontario, at the end of January, This unit appears
to have sideswipe damage to the cab and frame. The cab windows on the
damaged side were plated over prior to the move. Units 17 and 18 were being
moved on flatcars and should arrive there in February (CRO Will Baird, Ed
Van Pelt)
Chillicothe - Brunswick Railroad
Montoff Transportation
Company, a three man partnership based in Seattle, Washington, agreed to pay
the city of Chillicothe, Missouri nearly $1 million for the majority of the
37 mile Chillicothe-Brunswick Shortline Railroad. The city is retaining
ownership of the rail line through the industrial park and to a point east
of town for future development. Three years ago, the city paid Green Hills
Rural Development $32,500 for the railroad. Since then, the city has paid
about $350,000 in railroad-related expenses, while earning about $150,000
from the railroad's operator and from selling small parcels of land along
the line. (AP)
Dakota Missouri Valley & Western
The DMVW operates
approximately 555 miles of track in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.
The DMVW has bought at least two former WC SD45s from Canadian National. The
numbers are WC 7517 and WC 7505, and a possible third, the WC 7510, may also
be heading to DMVW.
Hocking Valley Scenic
Two boys walked out of an unlocked
juvenile detention home and took an early morning joy ride on a train -
until authorities tracked them down. The boys managed to start up the
Nelsonville, Ohio, based Hocking Valley Scenic Railway locomotive early
January 16 after breaking through a side door into the building that houses
the engine, said Sgt. Edward Kurtz of Nelsonville police. No cars were
attached to the engine, which usually hauls tourists. The boys rode about 12
miles to Logan, blowing the train whistle and waking residents. They also
stopped by a grocery store off U.S. 23, where Athens County sheriff's
deputies took them into custody.
Keokuk Junction Railway Company
December 7, 2006, the KJRY
filed to take over operations of a BNSF line from Vermont, Illinois, to
Farmington, Illinois. The railroad was seeking fast action from the Surface
Transportation Board on this transaction due to the fact that operating it
is small in nature and only serves three customers.
Little Rock and Western: Despite being owned by Genesee and
Wyoming Incorporated (GWI), who favors EMD locomotives, the LRW C420s, often
overlooked because of the nearby Arkansas & Missouri Railroad, appear to
have a future for now on the railroad. The pair, numbered 101 and 102,
usually can be seen working together at least three days a week. GWI
management indicated that there are no plans to retire them at this time.
The LRW was acquired through the purchase of Rail Management of Panama City,
Florida, in 2005.
McCloud Railway
In November 2006, Seaside Holdings sent a
letter to the McCloud Railway stating that the company would not consummate
the already approved purchase of the line east of McCloud. The McCloud
Railway responded on November 7 with a request that the Surface
Transportation Board (STB) vacate all previous decisions that postponed the
abandonment process and/or approved Seaside's various actions in the Offer
of Financial Assistance process.
The STB responded later by issuing a decision accepting
Seaside's withdrawal, terminating the Offer of Financial Assistance process,
and re-instating all previous decisions authorizing the McCloud Railway to
abandon the entire railroad east of McCloud. The railroad is now free to
commence salvage activities, provided that the various consultation and
cooperation requirements with various government agencies on such issues as
relocating geodesic markers, avoiding impacts to threatened and endangered
species, and preserving historical properties set forth in the previous
decisions are met. The decision adds one more condition not in the earlier
decisions; the railroad must retain those parts of the right-of-way included
in Save Burney Fall's trail use requests- specifically the mainline from
behind Carlton Trucking in Burney to Lake Britton, the McCloud leg of the
Berry wye, and the short stretch of the Sierra branch from the wye to the
Black Ranch Road crossing- intact for the next 180 days to allow for local
governments or organizations to negotiate for trail use. Otherwise the
McCloud Railway now has one year to salvage the track materials and fulfill
all other requirements for abandonment, provided that the STB does not stay
or vacate today's decision at a later date.
New York and Lake Erie
C425 6101 departed the NY&LE for the
Delaware Lackawanna Railroad on December 28. For now the railroad will
retain the other C425, number 1013 as they are going ahead with reopening
their line to Cattaraugus to connect with the WNY&P railroad, the embargo
was expected to be lifted in January and rail was ordered to begin the rehab
of this stretch of track.
Ohio Central: Ohio Central Railroad System (OC) announced it
has purchased Nickel Plate Road (NKP) 2-8-4 Berkshire type number 763 from
the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Virginia. To symbolize the
agreement, Ohio Central's CEO, Jerry Joe Jacobson, stood in front of the
1944 Lima product with museum Executive Director Bev Fitzpatrick following a
meeting where Ohio Central agreed to purchase the locomotive.
Several options were discussed for the swapping of steam
locomotives to bring the big Berkshire back home to the Buckeye State, where
it ran in fast freight service until Nickel Plate dieselized in 1958, but
both organizations were in agreement that a straight cash sale would be
better suited for all concerned. Details of the sale were not announced.
When NKP dieselized its road power in 1958, the 763 was
stored in the yard at Bellevue, Ohio, for future donation to that town.
However, after the 1964 merger of NKP into Norfolk & Western (N&W), N&W took
the locomotive to its headquarters city of Roanoke, where 763 has been
displayed until now.
Ohio Central has nine other steam locomotives, three of which
are operational, and will bring 763 to its Morgan Run Shop this spring.
Barring unforeseen mechanical hurdles, OC shop forces will rebuild the 763
for service. John B. Corns
Ontario Southland
M420W 644 (still sporting its former BC
RAIL red, white and blue colors), was transferred from NRE-ALCO in Capreol,
Ontario, to the Ontario Southland in Clarkson, Ontario, (Via Toronto) on
January 11th over CN with the following consist: CN 2588, CN 5701, CN 1432
and OSRX 644. The unit was there for various repairs. Will Baird
Ontario Northland Railway
GP9 1602, bought new in 1957, has
been sold to National Railway Equipment and moved to NRE's facility in
Capreol, Ontario. It is possible that this locomotive may be resold to Rail
Power Technologies for their Green Goat program.
Puget Sound and Pacific
In January, the railroad filed to
abandon operations from Chehalis to Curtis, Washington, stating that not
enough traffic has moved on the line in the last six months to justify
operations. The railroad had operated this 10-mile track for nearly six
years.
RJ Corman
RJ Corman operations in the northeast continue to
trim their older power in light of recent arrivals. Assigned to Ohio
operations, GP-9s RJC 206 and RJC 1805 has been sidelined for a while to
donate parts to the active fleet, these two units will be soon scrapped.
Red River Valley and Western
Filed to abandon nearly 28
miles of line from Carrington to Bowdon, North Dakota. This decision was
reached due to lack of business on this section of the line.
Southwest Gulf Railroad
The Surface Transportation Board
has issued a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS)
examining three additional routes for a new seven-mile railroad line that
Southwest Gulf Railroad Company wants to build in Medina County, Texas. The
line will connect a proposed Vulcan Construction Materials LP limestone
quarry with Union Pacific's Del Rio Subdivision. The board issued a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) in 2004 that examined four potential
routes as well as a no action alternative (the use of trucks rather than
trains to transport the limestone). Comments received led the board to
pursue options that would be friendlier to "rural historic landscapes,"
among other considerations. Public comments on the new statement will be
accepted until January 29, 2007.
May 2007:
Aberdeen Carolina and Western (ACWR)
This North Carolina
railroad recently purchased two F7As and one F7B from the Ohio Central They
are former Ohio Central (OHCR) 1000 and 1001, the F7B was OHCR 1004 they
have become ACWR 4500, 4501 and 1004, respectively. They are slated to be
repainted and used in the business fleet as well as for freight duties when
needed. They were stored on the OHCR for several years. The ACWR operates a
lengthy railroad between Charlotte, Chatham and Aberdeen, North Carolina.
Current power includes GP38s and former CN and GO Transit GP40-2WLs.
The Bay Line Railroad (ASAB)
This 82-mile Georgia based
railroad was purchased by Genesee and Wyoming Industries in 2005 with the
assents of Rail Management Corporation. The Bay Line Railroad has painted
its first orange GWI scheme unit, GP38 501 in late September 2006. The Bay
Line is the former Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay.
Buffalo Southern (BSOR)
This New York based railroad has
been anticipating a new customer for nearly a year now but things have
slowed some do to concerns over the operation. Debates over the proposed
Ethanol Plant on the Buffalo River was starting to pick up steam during
February. As the design presentations and permit process moved forward,
public hearings were held with local media coverage. The high price of corn
has also slowed down the effort to get things rolling at the site off Childs
Street, but prep work continues on a daily basis at the Lake & Rail elevator
and the former Con Agra Flour Mill building. Work crews are slowly reviving
the Lake & Rail by restoring the building's mechanical systems while
demolition crews are currently gutting the flourmill in preparation for
demolition. The BSOR switched this facility under Con-Agra and is expected
to be contracted to switch this facility once it has opened.
Chillicothe-Brunswick Railroad (CBRA)
The
Chillicothe-Brunswick Rail Maintenance Authority (CBRA) has filed a notice
of exemption to discontinue service over an approximately 37.44-mile line of
railroad between milepost 226.0, in Chillicothe, and milepost 188.56, near
Brunswick, in Livingston, Linn, and Chariton Counties, Missouri.
Dakota Northern Railroad
Dakota Northern Railroad began
leasing a line from BNSF Railway in February. One stretch runs about 60
miles from Grafton, North Dakota to Walhalla, North Dakota while the other
goes about 22 miles from Grafton north to Glasston, North Dakota, said
Thomas Kotnour, one of the three partners in KBN Inc. KBN owns Minnesota
Northern Railroad based in Crookston, Minnesota, of which Dakota Northern is
a part. It is KBNs first track in North Dakota. The railroad uses ILSX 1019
an NW-2 and GP10 1392 from Independent Locomotive Services, they are
currently painted maroon and black and lettered in yellow for ISLX.
Peoria and Western... The Peoria & Western Railway, a Pioneer
Rail Corporation operation, that began operations over the west end of the
former Toledo, Peoria & Western in Feb. 2005, plans to use the two recently
ferried FP9's, P&W 1750 and 1752 on the roads "Canton Cannonball", a crew
nickname for the run between Canton and Bushnell, Illinois. Pioneer
purchased the former Algoma Central units several years ago during the
Canadian National's sale of surplus motive power.
Keokuk Junction Railway moved the freshly painted FP9s from
Keokuk, Iowa, on Sunday March 4 behind the regular power assigned on the
detour train between Keokuk and Ft. Madison, Iowa. The F's were dead in
train and behind the regular power of GP20's 2018 and 2057. The detour is in
place due to a derailment on the City of Keokuk owned Swing Bridge that KJRY
operates over the Mississippi River at Keokuk, Iowa. Bids have been let on
repairing the bridge, with rumors that it will take at least three to four
months for work to be completed. -Steve Smedley
Lake State Railway (LSRC)
A&L Iron has begun construction
of an expansion of their scrap processing facility two miles north of
Gaylord, Michigan. Two miles of new railroad will be constructed to service
the expanded facility. This is the largest current railroad construction
project in the state, and marks the first time that LSRC has added two miles
of track. The project is a joint venture involving LSRC, A&L, the State of
Michigan, Otsego County Economic Alliance, and Bagley Township. The
cooperation of all the principals will allow A&L to install a state of the
art shredder and sorter. Construction is scheduled for completion by mid
November. The expanded facility will allow A&L to increase scrap tonnage and
will lead to the creation of 25 additional jobs. Crop Production Services
(CPS) has added a new dome for fertilizer storage in Saginaw. This is the
first phase of a long-term program of capital investment in Saginaw.
Additional storage capacity is scheduled for next year.
Mohawk Adirondack and Northern (MA&N)
The New York based
MA&N will soon have a new customer in Rome located in the Griffis Industrial
Park. A company is constructing a huge building Northeast of where the
Adirondack Scenic has their shop. This company will be manufacturing and
bottling cooking oils. The oil, which will likely come in by train, is
expected to produce around 200 cars inbound/outbound per month at its peak.
The plant has a 5-track stub end yard along with a run-around. The MA&N will
bring in these trains and the yard will be switched using a GE 80-ton diesel
which is a former USA unit already located nearby. The MA&N is operated by
the Genesee Valley Transportation Company.
Nittany and Bald Eagle (NBER)
This Pennsylvania based
railroad secured temporary trackage right up to December 30, 2007 between
Lock Haven and Driftwood, Pennsylvania, across the Norfolk Southern's
Buffalo Line. The trackage rights, covering 55 miles, will allow them to
reach customers off-line for seasonal service. In December, Nittany & Bald
Eagle CF7 2427 was sent to Brookville Locomotive for internal mechanical
work.
Tri City Railroad Company (TCRC)
A Washington based Class
III rail carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption to acquire by
lease, pursuant to an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad Company, and
operate a 7.29-mile line of railroad, known as the Olympia Industrial Lead,
extending from milepost 0.00 at East Olympia, Washington (including wye and
house tracks at East Olympia), to milepost 7.29 at Olympia, Washington. The
earliest this transaction may be consummated is the March 14, 2007,
effective date of the exemption.
Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad (WNYP)
The
Southern Tier Extension Railroad Authority voted Monday Feb 12, to buy the
north-south Former Pennsylvania Buffalo Line through Cattaraugus County from
Norfolk Southern Railway by March 1. The rail line that runs from the
Cattaraugus-Wyoming County line to the New York-Pennsylvania and through
McKean, Potter and Cameron counties in Pennsylvania would then be leased to
the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad. The trackage affected would be
from Machias, New York to Driftwood, Pennsylvania. It would be a similar
arrangement to the one the Railroad Authority negotiated with Norfolk
Southern for the east-west former Erie-Lackawanna Railroad in Chautauqua,
Cattaraugus, Allegany and Steuben counties. The railroad plans to move its
base of operations to Allegheny Yard, near Olean, NY from Falconer if the
deal is finalized.
