Seminole Gulf and ASLRRA successfully defend spur

[Anonymous]

STB DENIES ADVERSE ABANDONMENT APPLICATION OPPOSED BY ASLRRA


On November 18, the Surface Transportation Board denied a Petition by Lee County, Florida to require the Seminole Gulf Railroad to abandon involuntary a 1.5 mile section of a spur line. ASLRRA earlier filed a brief with the STB opposing the Petition as a dangerous threat to all short line and regional railroads.



Lee County sought the adverse abandonment because it wanted to widen a heavily traveled street in the county without the expense of constructing a new grade crossing where it crosses the Seminole Gulf spur. The County argued that the sole shipper on the line has indicated it will soon forego shipping on the line and that therefore public interest is best served by avoiding the cost the taxpayers would incur in building the upgraded crossing. Seminole Gulf responded with evidence that it has made sincere efforts to attract new business to the line and that it has reasonable prospects that in time it will be successful. Further, the line is in good condition and will contribute to the railroad’s revenues even after the current shipper departs.



In denying the adverse abandonment application, the STB cited ASLRRA’s argument that to do otherwise would create a long-term threat to the viability of the nation’s entire rail infrastructure as bits and pieces of viable right of way are pulled from the interstate rail network. This practice would be particularly harmful to short line railroads whose smaller systems cannot easily absorb the removal of pieces of viable and profitable right of way. The STB found that, consistent with its responsibility to protect the public from unnecessary disruption of rail service, it will preserve continued rail service where the railroad both demonstrates a desire to continue operations on the line and reasonable actions to attract new business. In this case, it found that Seminole Gulf has done both. ASLRRA believes that is the correct standard and applauds the action of the Surface Transportation Board to protect our national rail infrastructure. Congratulations to our member Seminole Gulf and its counsel of record in the case, Eric Hocky.

From ASLRRA Views and News Vol. 71, No. 22 12/01/04

[Anonymous]

I posted this as it has some relevance to our earlier discussions here concerning conservation and expansion of rail to directly serve bulk shippers.

LC

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

Now I wish I'd saved the addresses of everyone who wrote me saying that the fears I expresed in an editorial that communities and counties would start seeking to eliminate railroads from within their boundaries were overblown.

One down and a whole bunch more to go (and part of why I'd love to be in the peanut gallery for Mark's Q&A session on December 11)....Lets see now:

-Mookie has the Lincoln Lumber case[(-D],
-JoeKoh has the Napoleon (US-24) and Findlay (I-75 )cases,
-Our St. Louis friends have the Edwardsville TRRA/IL-9 & the bridge cases,
-Kansas City has the Lee's Summit Fiasco[X-)],
-Yakima, WA /Wenatchie has the trolley line rhubarb,
--Kent/Auburn, WA wants to play God,
-Creede, CO has civic leaders too dumb to quit[(-D][(-D][(-D],
and I can think of several more.

Common thread: Stupid polititians, even dumber public works engineers, greedy lawyers looking for windmills to tilt at and a clueless public. Mark may get a chance to straighten out a limited few.

[banghead][banghead][banghead]

[rrnut282]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken


(and part of why I'd love to be in the peanut gallery for Mark's Q&A session on December 11)....
-

If you want to attend, Depaul U has a registration form for you to fill out. I guess seats are limited so I can't decide on the 'spur of the moment' to drive 4.5 hours and just walk in.

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrnut282

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken


(and part of why I'd love to be in the peanut gallery for Mark's Q&A session on December 11)....
-

If you want to attend, Depaul U has a registration form for you to fill out. I guess seats are limited so I can't decide on the 'spur of the moment' to drive 4.5 hours and just walk in.

Gotta manufacture an excuse to be in Chicago in the Loop first![:D][:D][:D]

[BaltACD]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

I wouldn't worry about them running out of seats.

Modest?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M.W. Hemphill

I wouldn't worry about them running out of seats.

Mark-

Will you be Power Pointing or just rambling (like I would)?

LC

[PNWRMNM]

Mudchicken,

Yakima and Wenatchee are 90 miles apart. The trolley is in Yakima. Wenatchee is the ex GN main line, Appleyard and the junction with the WO line. I grew up in Wenatchee, which now that I am away I would nominate as having one of the most beautiful surroundings for a town of its size in the entire nation. It beats Denver all to pieces.

Mac

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by PNWRMNM

Mudchicken,

Yakima and Wenatchee are 90 miles apart. The trolley is in Yakima. Wenatchee is the ex GN main line, Appleyard and the junction with the WO line. I grew up in Wenatchee, which now that I am away I would nominate as having one of the most beautiful surroundings for a town of its size in the entire nation. It beats Denver all to pieces.

Mac

OK - homer. (nothing wrong with that, but I would vote for Cincinnati)
Meant to bring up Natches, not weNATCHee....The Kershaw Sunnyside Ranches case (STB Docket AB 600_0) up the river towards Selah from Yakima ....Have stumbled around in the ballast between Pasco/Kennewick/Richland to Yakima to Cle Elum during the BNSF Stampede Pass (old NP) rehab of the late '90's staking curves, switches, yards and doing topographic work.[:D][:D][:D]