Pioneer Railcorp filed a “Motion to Compel” with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) yesterday. They want the STB to order the City of Peoria to make all documents, communication, and other information they have about their Kellar Branch dealings part of the public record. You can read the entire motion here.

For instance, they want the facts and information the city has on CIRY’s derailment to be part of the public record. And they also want the city to produce hard evidence that a deal has been made with Union Pacific to have deliveries made to the newly-built western spur that is supposed to replace rail access when the Kellar Branch is dismantled. If the Kellar Branch is removed, the western spur is the only rail access that will be available to Carver Lumber. The removal of the Kellar Branch has always been predicated on Carver’s ability to get comparable rail service via the western spur.

It seems reasonable that the STB should know that the city has an agreement with UP in hand in order to make an informed decision about whether to allow the Kellar Branch to be permanently removed, don’t you think? But the city refuses to provide this information. They’d rather keep it a secret.

What do they have to hide?

My guess is they have no deal with Union Pacific, or if they do, it’s a deal that does not give Carver Lumber service that is comparable to the service they received over the Kellar Branch line. That would put their plan to dismantle the Kellar Branch in jeopardy, so it’s better for the city to just give the STB vague assurances that they have everything under control.

The city should voluntarily provide the information Pioneer requested. But since they won’t, the STB should compel them to provide it. Carver Lumber deserves to know whether the city is trying to railroad them.