On April 25, the Surface Transportation Board ruled that the city couldn’t tear up the Kellar Branch for at least another 90 days so Carver Lumber had time to evaluate the service they receive from Central Illinois Railway (CIRY) over the new western spur. Carver and CIRY were expected to report back to the STB at the end of that time, and that time has come.
It’s not posted on the STB’s website yet, but I’ve heard from a reliable source that Carver has submitted their report, and it’s not a good one. Their freight costs have doubled and their service has deteriorated, thus they want service via the Kellar Branch restored. I’ll have more specifics to report once I see the actual filing.
It’s unlikely that the STB would side with the city after getting such a report from an active shipper. This could be the death knell for the city’s plans to replace the Kellar Branch rail line with a hiking/biking trail. On the other hand, Pioneer Railcorp has had a standing offer for the past two years to help build a trail next to the rail line in exchange for letting them purchase or lease the Kellar Branch.
If the city were smart, they’d take Pioneer’s deal now, before the STB’s decision. Selling or leasing the line would provide some much-needed cash to a city looking at big budget holes, plus they would still get their beloved trail to boot. What do they have to lose?
The city has nothing to lose, CJ. I don’t get why the city won’t work with Pioneer. The rail tracks are an asset to Peoria. Do they want to drive Carver Lumber out of the city?
But, but, isn’t this a quality-of-life issue? We can’t attract young people to our area when big, noisy trains are rolling through our neighborhoods! And, and, it’s not safe to have a trail alongside an active rail line either (except for a mile or so north of Pioneer Parkway and also along the Peoria riverfront). We want to get away from the heavy industry and pollution. The railroads are a dying industry aren’t they? Isn’t abandoning this line inevitable anyway? Besides, we all need a little more exercise and with fuel prices as high as they are, we’d best have as many bicycle routes as possible! People won’t die from being hit alongside the road if we build this trail!
Is that a good impersonation of a trail proponent?
DPJ
Isn’t it interesting the Urinal Star decided today to take another shot at Mr. Brenkman? Since he retired and left town (which, as I recall, a private citizen can do at any time without informing the newspaper, “uncerimonously” or otherwise) what business is it of theirs what he is doing in Keithsburg? I doubt anyone in Keithsburg reads their “news”paper. So why an editorial on him?
The railroads are a dying industry?? Geez, you live in a tent? You poor people, have to jog and ride around noise and industry. Wow the horrors. People in China ride their bikes along the roads all the time. Ride your bike to work if you want but don’t expect the taxpayers to make you a special road. Most bikers have a huge SUV to haul their bikes to trails anyway. Talk about a double standard. Want to see if the rails are dying? Go to The Hub out by Edelstein. Behind it is a set of tracks where trains hauling goods of all kinds go by every ten minutes. There are plenty of trails for bikes and if they aren’t long enough, then ride back and forth till your heart is content. Does that sound like a trail opponent?
Um, note my last line:
“Is that a good impersonation of a trail proponent?”
DPJ
They won’t rule in Carver’s favor.
Let’s get the trail going!
“They won’t rule in Carver’s favor. ”
Well, the STB has been wrong before…
DPJ
Ride your bike to work because of the cost of gas? Well that’s all good and great provided you can ride up hill at the end of a long day to get home. Can carry your brief case and lap top when its icy and have a secure place to park your bike by your office.
A good use of the Kellar Branch would be a park and ride located on Allen Rd., for all those people coming in from Dunlap, Brimfield, etc. Get on the train, go downtown and connect with City Link. This would save a lot of gas, also parking places downtown and what it costs you to park by the month in those underground garages. Just think of the savings and convenience and no weather to worry about or biking uphill after work.
I’m tell ya, if the Kellar goes away, we’re gonna miss those rails some day…
Great idea! A trolly like car running into downtown on the rails. Then outbound to the burbs. Naw, Peoria would never do it, makes to much sense. Besides, even if the money was found, the Council would spend it all on consultants.
Sharon’s idea of a park-in-ride was sort of proposed 20 years ago by Dan Phillips’ Peria Historical Railway Society. I don’t have a date for the article but I know it was from around 1985 or 1986. There was no mention of abandoning the Kellar Branch to make room for a trail.
You can read it here:
http://www.wpgrr.com/files/resourcesmodule/@random43d8d554b183f/1138844474_PJS_1986.pdf
Trail proponents smelled blood when they started hearing that P&PU wasn’t making any money operating the line, then began assuming that it would be their’s. Granted it could still be, but we can all hope that the STB listens to shipper concerns, and bases its final ruling on the facts rather than empty promises made by the City of Peoria.
DPJ