Here’s an e-mail that Heights Mayor Allen sent to Mike Carr (CEO of Pioneer Industrial Railway), regarding Pioneer’s contention that Peoria Heights should remove Central Illinois Railroad as a carrier on the Kellar Branch:
Dear Mike:
Regarding your demands that we take immediate steps to “kick” CIRY off of the line:
1. We are addressing the issues of which firm is running a car through the Village of Peoria Heights. That is all we can address. At this time, CIRY is not running a car or engine through Peoria Heights. Therefore, we do not feel that they are using the Kellar Branch line through the Village, thus we will not address the STB decision of allowing them to use the line.
2. If, for any reason, CIRY uses the line as it goes through Peoria Heights, we will address the issue then.
3. The City of Peoria has a different interpretation of what the lease entails with Pioneer. In the end, any interpretation of the lease will have to end up in Illinois courts for a final ruling. However, at this time, we feel the lease is valid, and that Pioneer has not owned up to its end of the lease.
4. Your reference to “minor wash outs” being the only problems Pioneer has ignored on the Kellar Branch is far too small in scope. The rail ties, cut weeds and brush, everything that is blocking, or has destroyed the drainage tiles will have to be removed, as well. Every broken drainage tile will have to be replaced. In other words, everything that has been caused by the rail through the last several years, that has impeded or destroyed the proper drainage will have to be fixed. Your “minor wash outs” repairs will not suffice. We will walk the area again after June 3, and if every drainage problem has not been corrected, we will proceed with having a resolution drawn up to remove Pioneer from the rail line.
If you have any questions, please call me at [redacted].
Thanks- Mark Allen
In response, Mike Carr had this to say:
Do what you want Mark, but understand we WILL use the line until the STB tells us not to. We have a lot car storage business inquiries so we will make certain the track in the Heights can handle the potential influx of storage cars.
Regards,
Mike Carr
And the saga continues….
“…a lot of car storage business inquires…”
Hmmm, that Florida East Coast Railway piggyback flat car brought up the line April 11 must have been the beginning.
Begs the question – why now Mr. Mayor?
Mr. Mayor? [crickets]
Whoops. Sorry, Vonster. I sort of didn’t check in as often as before after the postings died down.
You asked me, “Why now?” The smartypants answer would be, “Because we didn’t do it a week earlier.” The real answer is that the TIF near Cohen’s is starting to come to fruition, and it is becoming imperative to get the frontage of that plan cleaned up, spruced up, and with a trailhead, once and for all. I know that you might not agree with that, and I know darned sure that C.J. and David won’t, but it’s our belief that it is an important facet of the TIF being successful.
If you find any extra crickets, please send them over, as my son has a few lizards that love ’em. And, they sure aren’t cheap at the pet store.
Mr Mayor,
Am I correct that money for the trailhead won’t be available til 2012 or something like that? It is unlikely the STB will reopen the old case and four years from now, there will be more support for the railroad. The Board restored PIRY’s operating rights based on Carver Lumber’s desires, but by 2012, Globe Energy, Carver Lumber and ???? will be there to support the railroad’s position.
So it sounds like this whole trail plan is being spearheaded by or for developers?
If you want to know the truth behind this push for the trail, then just follow the money. Whomever is getting their pockets lined with silver is the pushing force behind the trail. It is not the Green Party knuckleheads, or dingbat retired journalists, or general health nuts. It is big bucks developers and real estate movers that have gotten certain politicians in line to support a trail that will be little used and will constantly suck at the taxpayer’s tit.
Ed:
It may be extremely difficult for you and several others here to believe, but some of us actually do this “thing” to make the community better. Now, your definition and my definition of “better” might be 180 degrees apart, and I know it’s really difficult for you to understand (it seems) that anyone on the “up and up” could POSSIBLY disagree with you, but guess what? This time, those are the facts.
David, you seem like a very clear-headed individual, except when it comes to this railroad thing. I don’t think that even by 2112, that the Kellar Branch will have any more than one customer: Carver Lumber and Light Sabres.
I can speak for myself, and I think for our Board of Trustees: We’re tired of this mess, and we’re tired of the messy tracks; we’re sick of the lack of business on the rail; we’re awfully fed up with dealing with Pioneer. The Village OWNS its section of the line, and we’re not pleased with our “tenant” being allowed to keep “living” there when it’s not even close to complying with the lease agreement.
And, David, if I’m proven wrong, that’s fine. Like I said, we’ll deal with it no matter what. But, the STB has never received a complete package of what all is involved in this rail vs. trail thing. They’ve never received our information regarding Pioneer’s not upholding their lease agreement. There’s a whole slew of information they’ve not received what they should have (in my opinion), and that’s what we’ll be doing now. I’m optimistic. I think Pioneer’s days are truly numbered. I believe that this “package” will swing at least one more vote our way. Why? Because the majority opinion also referenced these items that I’m talking about; that the STB Board (2 out of the 3 members) felt it did not have what it needed to prove A, B, & C in order to vacate the line. What does that tell me? That if we can prove A, B, & C (and I REALLY feel that we can), it might very well be re-opened, Pioneer will be sent packing without a penny to their names from the line, and that the trail will soon follow.
Even without “development,” Ed and the rest, I’d be in favor of the trail being put in. Because it will be an amenity for the people living in the Heights, and for those coming to use it, too. So far, the “tourist” trade for watching a Pioneer engine go through town at about 3 MPH, sounding its horn from one end of the Village to the other, without pulling any cargo, just doesn’t seem to cut it. I may be really pushing it here, but I think the trail will look a little bit better than what is there now, and be a bit more “user friendly” to our population.
And, since when did “development” take on such dirty connotations? When it has to do with wanting to get rid of the rails? We should just keep the vacant land around the Pabst office building, because “development” is such a dirty word? We should hope that U-Haul will buy the Cohen’s Warehouse building, turn it into mini-storage compartments, because “developing” it would be a tragedy? And, how dare someone consider that the “development” might do better if a trailhead and trail is in place, rather than the phantom rail-line, still waiting for the “ghosts of business past” to somehow be reincarnated again? I know that I’m not preaching to just the choir here; I’m preaching to the choir that has semi-automatic rifles hidden under their choir gowns.
Nope, Ed- here, you don’t have to follow the “money” trail; you just have to follow the “people who really care about the community” trail to see why the trail is favored over the antique rail line, with its list of phantom businesses.
Mr. Mayor,
Let me get this straight, you want Pioneer to spend its own money to fix something, but at the same time you want them to leave it?
You may scoff at the business prospects for the Kellar Branch now, but you’re gonna be surprised in the near future.
Mayor Allen, Looking for higher political office perhaps? Or, are you just trying to build up your legacy image in the VOPH? Maybe someday there might be a statue – straight on or profile – which way do you look your best? No, Mayor Allen I do not believe you – in our society things are usually done because of the money. If not money, politicians do things for the power and glory and say it is for the “public good” or “necessary improvements”. What it is always about is spending our hard earned money in the form of taxes on stupid and wasteful projects that few will use. Government can just barely take care of what it does now and much of that is done poorly. The Peoria Park District is doing a bad job in many areas – the deterioration of Glen Oak Park comes to mind; and you want them to build and maintain a new six mile hiker/biker trail. What a bad idea! I know you won’t change your thinking. You like most all other politicians just know one thing, and that is how to spend more tax dollars. It is a never ending cycle that does nothing but increase public distrust of politicians. Go on Mayor Allen and push for more tax dollars in your big spending project and we will continue to fight to protect the rights of local businesses to survive and prosper. I believe most sincerely that our side will bring the most economic good to the overall community, and that we will continue to prevail before the STB. Have a good day.
Boy, Ed, you sure are a cynical sort of fellow, aren’t you? It’s clear that you already have your mind made up, even about a small-town mayor, who has about as much political “future” as my basset hound has. I think I’m going to find a way to print out your response. My grandkids (when I hopefully have them) might get a kick out of how some dude posting on Peoria Chronicle thought that grandpa was as politically driven as Aaron Schock.
I’ll let them read it while I’m building bird houses in my backyard.
Thanks for the chuckle.
(P.S.- Heck, I’d love to have a statue of me put up at the trailhead. I just don’t know if there’s enough bronze in the area to create my belly. I’m trying to lose a few pounds, however, so maybe by 2012, I can have that worked out.)
Ed is right on target. There is a hidden agenda in this, and it’s about money. Those politicians don’t give a hoot about a handful of trail nuts. Maybe the Mayor is just another useful idiot, and doesn’t know it yet, but it’s there.
Mouse, Of course you are correct. Mayor Allen, now you are doing the “good old boy” politician thing. You seem to be saying: “There is no hidden agenda because I am good little town fella with a nice family and a pot belly. Shucks, folks I’m just like you.” What a load of BS! Just keep spending the money mayor and keep trying to finagle more from the state (almost bankrupt or maybe it is – more smoke and mirrors) and the Feds (fighting a war not to end soon and with an ever increasing national debt). Politicos nationwide should be taken to task daily for trying to milk the federal cow. Enough is enough!
Your kind attention please. I have just received in my mailbox today a notice from STB regarding the Kellar Branch. Go to http://www.stb.dot.gov/ and look up library files and look for docket No AB-878 Service Date April 15, 2008, Decided: April 11, 2008. Read it all the way through right to the end with Commissioner Buttrey’s remarks. Then go figure.
Only recently have developer interests been revealed to be the “pressure powers” behind the trail project.
Back in 1991 when the Peoria Park District first asked for funds to convert the Kellar Branch into a recreational trail, there were no plans for re-development at Peoria Heights or Junction City, or at least any plans “dependent” on a trail.
For most of the time, trail proponents played a silly numbers game, “120,000 (or whatever arbitrary number of rabbits Barbara Mantz Drake pulled out of her hat) trail users annually vs. two/three customers,” which is a blatant, self-absorbed failure to discern between wants and needs.
The arguments have changed too. One example is that Peoria Heights asserts that no no business in the village uses the line, but even after the Park District sought rail abandonment, Cohen’s Furniture still received boxcars from suppliers in Oxford, MS (Stratford) and Baldwinsville, MA (name escapes me).
Once upon a time, trail proponents claimed no new business on the line was possible and thus, it should be abandoned. Not long after Pioneer Industrial Railway assumed operations in 1998, Peoria Plastic returned as a user for the first time in some 16 years. Fast forward ten years and despite the 15+ year effort to destroy the line (replace with an inferior reconfiguration), Globe Energy intends to develop a 600-job manufacturing, marketing and sales operation that will make use of rail transportation. Had the line’s future not been clouded, what other new industry through redevelopment of industrial parks would have occurred?
Trail proponents claimed their trail was about “quality of life,” yet Peoria has the most park land per capita in the country! Saying we need more trails in Peoria so we can exercise is like saying we need more restaurants in Peoria so we can eat!
Trail proponents claimed “trails bring families together.” (All I will say about that one is if a trail is needed to bring a family together then we’re all in deep doo-doo).
Now it’s claimed that the trail is about redevelopment. Economics. But I bet those new condos will have parking for cars. Use of bicycle racks will decline after the fad passes, saturation will leave many condos empty and Peoria Heights merchants will be no better off as they are today.
If they are hell-bent on keeping those tracks, why not put a Grand Prairie – Pioneer Park – Downtown commuter train on the tracks?
Shoppes at Grand Prairie nowhere near that track. Rail freight is the Kellar Branch’s value to Pioneer. And it will develop with or without the Cities’ cooperation, though much more with.
kcdad, I’m with you and mentioned this a couple of years ago. Commuter service to Allen Road is possible now with some repairs to the tracks and a small station being built. In a few years if service looks good and extending the line looks viable then run the commuter tracks either over or under the UP and same for the Il Rt 6 to the Grande Prairie. We must be very careful that whatever commuter service is provided it must be based on good business practices by done by experts in the commuter field. We do not want any wasteful boondoggle to the taxpayers; it must pay for itself quickly. If gas prices continue to increase in the next several years like it has the past year I believe that commuter rail service is viable.
Mayor Allen writes:
[Nope, Ed- here, you don’t have to follow the “money” trail; you just have to follow the “people who really care about the community” trail to see why the trail is favored over the antique rail line, with its list of phantom businesses.]
Interesting use of your quotation marks — were you implying that the railroad and/or railroad/trail supporters do not care about the community? or was it a typo?
I am still waiting for your reply to my post on April 17th regarding how you reached your informed position regarding the trail as an economic engine. My request was for a completed trail and accompanying real time (not proforma) documents for such a scenario in the USA which could be applied to the conversion of the Kellar Branch.
Or would those documents/scenarios be “I feel” phantoms?
Would a citizen be able to FOIA the documents for the legals fees that the VOPH has spent on this proposed rail to trail conversion? or would you be willing to just post the answer?
You wrote [the trail is favored over the antique rail line, with its list of phantom businesses.]
Please ask yourself this question …
Logically and economically, what privately financed business who would need rail service, would decide to locate by a railroad that is in the middle of a battle over rail / trail conversion? Governments might do that because of the neverending supply of taxpayer dollars but not a private concern. Food for thought…..
Looking forward to your reply.
Karrie, I wish you lots of luck getting the documents that you want. There are way too many “phantoms” here for a mere mortal to comprehend. Politicians and developers do move in a mysterious manner. Follow the money trail and the truth will follow.
This whole “we’re doing it for the developers” thing is what makes people think money is changing hands behind the scenes. If not actual cash then something else of value. The community as a whole doesn’t care about the trail. Only the developers and a handful of fanatics want the rail gone. Only a handful of people would ever use the trail. This is why Mr. Allen’s and other’s fervor is suspect.
Open covenants.