www.railfan.com/railnews THREE PHOTOS: MICHAEL T. BURKHART
Pennsylvania Industrial Landscape Succumbs to Overpass Project
THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO OVERPASSES above the Norfolk Southern main line in Lebanon, Penn., which would obliterate several classic industrial buildings, had been discussed for years. But demoli- tion had started in 2011 and by early 2012 the scene had been forever changed. State Route 72 (North 9th and 10th Streets, one way in each direction) has long been a bottleneck in Lebanon, along the old Reading double track main line midway between Reading and Harrisburg. Whenever a train stopped or went into emergency, numerous grade crossings were blocked, hampering emergency vehicle access. So, plans were made to take Route 72 over the tracks. While some condemned homes and businesses had been boarded up since 2009, de-
serve a new Kennecott Eagle Minerals copper and nickel mine and mill at Humboldt Mill. Kennecott will build and own about 3/4 mile of track between Humboldt and the mill. Mineral Range will also acquire trackage rights over LS&I in Ishpeming Yard in order to reach two yard tracks which it will purchase to use as an interchange with Canadian National, which will move the ore to Canada. CN will retain its current trackage rights over the Landing Junction-Humboldt Junction segment.
VIA Rail
GASPE SERVICE SUSPENDED: Due to the closure of the Société des chemins de fer de la Gaspésie (SCFG) Grand-Pabos Bridge at Chandler, Quebec, VIA Rail suspended its Matapedia-Gaspé service in late December 2011 and passengers are being handled by motor coach until repairs are completed. Ini- tially the train was operating as far east as
molition of the four-story PDK furniture warehouse that dominated the streetscape got under way in mid-2011. While the structure was a pile of bricks by January 2012, several homes along Scull Street, which runs along the north side of the tracks, have been spared. Construction is under way on the $20.2 million project, with North
9th Street closed at the tracks and work on the approaches progressing. That structure should be finished by the end of 2012. Work on the North 10th Street bridge will start later this year, with the entire project set for completion in 2013. So, like the Chinese Wall in Scranton and count- less other American cities, the classic industrial landscape in Lebanon has faded into history. --MICHAEL T. BURKHART
New Carlisle, but after the Grand-Pabos Bridge was determined to need more extensive repairs than initially thought, VIA decided to suspend service over the entire route while SCFG inspected all the bridges. The passenger railroad says that service between Matapedia and Gaspe will not resume until it receives “written assurance that the Gaspé Peninsula rail network is reliable and safe.” In the first weeks of 2012, the route was still closed.
Watco Transportation
POLS QUESTION WISSOR PURCHASE: In late December 2011 a group of five Wiscon- sin Democrats questioned the proposed acqui- sition of a 90 per cent controlling interest in the privately-owned Wisconsin & Southern Railroad by short line holding company Watco Transportation LLC, and has asked the Sur- face Transportation Board for a 60-day delay on the deal’s closure, which was to have oc-
curred on January 1, 2012. Terese Berceau, Fred Clark, Brett Hulsey,
Kelda Helen Roys, Louis Molepske, and Kelda Helen Roys are concerned that despite Watco’s promise to keep WSOR’s local offices and man- agement, the loss of locally oriented ownership would adversely affect the railroad’s cus- tomers. They also questioned WSOR owner William Gardner’s political connections. Gard- ner pled guilty last year to making improper campaign contributions to Republican Gover- nor Scott Walker. The 700-mile Wisconsin & Southern has
been exploring expansion through the pur- chase or lease of various Class I branch lines in its operating area and believes that the Watco purchase would broaden its opportuni- ties. The company says, “The acquisition will allow the WSOR to expand its footprint throughout the Midwest, seek out new mar- kets and cost effective routings for Wisconsin businesses.”
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