Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado
Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado has filed to abandon 57.31 miles of trackage be- tween milepost 3.35 in Oleans, Neb., and milepost 29.84 in Almena, Kan., and from milepost 47.23 at Reager to mile- post 78.05 at Oberlin, Kan., as well as the Norton spur in Norton, Kan. The railroad will also discontinue trackage rights over Kyle Railroad between Almena and Rea- ger. No local traffic has moved over the lines in at least two years and there is no local opposition to the abandonments.
Western Washington Railroad
Western Washington Railroad has filed to lease and operate 34.6 miles of track- age from Tacoma Rail. The trackage ex- tends from Rainier to Chelas. A portion of this line has been leased since 2012, with 27 miles of additional trackage in- cluded in the new lease. Tacoma Rail will retain trackage rights between milepost 33C and Blakeslee Junction at Centra- lia to interchange with Western Wash- ington, BNSF, Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad, and Union Pacific. Western Washington will also lease and operate 10.2 miles of trackage from the Port of Chehalis to Curtis.
REGIONALS/SHORTLINES EAST STEPHEN KOENIG
Claremont & Concord to Genesee & Wyoming
Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary New England Central made official its in-
tentions to take over New Hampshre shortline Claremont & Concord (CCRR) on July 6 with postings on the pending transactions. Current operations include terminal and switching services at Cal- remont, N.H., and White River Junction, Vt. There has been no timetable set for the acquisition, though it is expected to be completed by the end of the year. No decision has been made on the railroad’s fleet of vintage Alco power.
Grand River Railway
The Grand River Railway in northern Ohio received its own power in August. Two Age of Steam Roundhouse SW1200 diesels, No. 1202 and No. 1205 (formerly owned by Aliquippa & Southern), have been refurbished and repainted for op- eration on the new railroad. Both units have been fitted with snowplow pilots and hot starts for use in the wintry en- vironment on the southern shore of Lake Erie. Operations between Painesville and Grand River began June 15 with leased CSX GP38-2 No. 2773.
Reading & Northern Lawsuit Continues
Reading & Northern Railroad (R&N) filed suit against the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) in Northumberland (Pa.) County Court on June 26 for allegations that include illegally competing against R&N and other for-profit businesses. The suit points out that JRA was es- tablished in 1983 under Pennsylvania’s Municipality Authorities Act (MAA) and that “the MAA prohibits public authori- ties from interfering with existing busi-
ness by the establishment of enterprises which in whole or part duplicate or com- pete with existing enterprises serving substantially the same purpose.” R&N claims that the JRA has been very open in its efforts to compete with the short- line and to divert businesses from R&N to its own rail lines. The suit also alleges that JRA has
failed to follow the legal requirements of competitive bidding as specified in the Pennsylvania MAA, R&N says. Since 1983, when the JRA awarded a contract to the North Shore Railroad, R&N says the authority had failed to even offer its operations for bid.
S&NC Car Storage Plan Draws Protest
Iowa Pacific Holdings subsidiary Sarato- ga & North Creek has recently informed several towns along the line that it will be storing tank cars at various locations. This will allow the railroad to gain ad- ditional revenue from storage fees. The tanks are being pulled from oil service for not meeting safety guidelines. Some citizens are protesting the storage of tankers since the railroad serves the en- vironmentally sensitive six million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York.
for Vermont Railway Power Swap
Fortress Holding will send Vermont Railway and Providence & Worchester a group of former Florida East Coast SD70M-2s sometime during the sum- mer. The units are expected to arrive in full paint for both carriers. The railroads will receive two SD70M-2s each.
Tallulah Falls No. 78
Southern Railway 2-8-0 No. 154, operating on the Three Rivers Rambler tourist line in Knoxville, Tenn., was disguised as “Tallulah Falls No. 78” for a photo charter held by Dynamo Productions on August 16. No. 154 was built by Schenectady Locomotive Works in 1890, and is nearly identical
to the original TF 78. No. 154’s
disguise was put together by a group of individuals interested in the Tallulah Falls, while Dynamo Productions handled the operation of the charter. Several photo runbys were staged along the railroad, which is owned by the Gulf & Ohio.
PHOTO BY STEVE BARRY
14 OCTOBER 2015 •
RAILFAN.COM
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