On Tuesday, May 27, 1997, the City of Peoria made an official shift in its policy toward the Kellar Branch rail line. It decided to lease the corridor to the Peoria Park District so they could replace the rails with a recreational trail. Believe it or not, as long as this post is, I’ve left … Continue reading Kellar Branch Saga Summary, Part 2
O’Brien Steel’s letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) regarding the service they received from Pioneer Railcorp several years ago has the two businesses sparring again. Pioneer fired off a response claiming O’Brien was acting as the City’s lackey because they want the City’s help for their expansion plans: I [J. Michael Carr, President of … Continue reading O’Brien, Pioneer Rail reopen old wounds
In today’s Kellar Branch installment, there’s a new filing with the Surface Transportation Board from O’Brien Steel. Says President J. P. O’Brien: It has come to our attention that the Pioneer Industrial Railway is petitioning the Surface Transportation Board to resume providing rail service along the Kellar Branch. Our business, O’Brien Steel Service Co., is … Continue reading O’Brien Steel grudge against Pioneer Rail resurfaces
A commenter calling himself “The Rest of the Story” has provided me with this response from Central Illinois Railroad Company (CIRY) President John Darling regarding Carver Lumber’s recent letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB). This letter isn’t written to the STB, however, but rather to City Manager Randy Oliver: “John A Darling†10/17/2006 5:00 … Continue reading Central Illinois Railroad responds to City
The heat of the rhetoric is on “broil” in the on-going Kellar Branch rails-to-trails fiasco. A couple weeks ago, Carver Lumber wrote to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) about Central Illinois Railroad Company’s (CIRY, the city’s hand-picked carrier) latest breach of contract. Rail cars that were supposed to be delivered to Carver by CIRY within … Continue reading Carver to City: We’re tired of being “sacrificial lamb” for trail project
Despite its breach of contract and public endangerment, Central Illinois Railroad (CIRY) was rewarded Tuesday night with a fat no-bid contract to do some rail improvements along Allen Road. I’m guessing this “see no evil” approach is the city’s way of saying “thank you” to a company that has conspired with them to stop serving … Continue reading City ignores service record; awards contract
What do you do when a company exhibits questionable competence, endangers the citizens of Peoria, and breaches their contract with the city? If you’re the city of Peoria, you award them another contract for more work. Just to recap: Central Illinois Railroad (CIRY) tried to fulfill their contractual obligations. Late last year they tried to … Continue reading And for your breach of contract, have another $187,847
Carver Lumber recently wrote the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and pleaded with them to let Pioneer Industrial Railway provide them service over the Kellar Branch. It’s technically called a petition for “Alternative Rail Service.” The idea is that everyone is kind of in limbo waiting for the STB to rule on whether service over the … Continue reading Carver Lumber pleads for Kellar access
The latest goings-on regarding the Kellar Branch involves the cost to make the embattled rail line operational again. As reported in a previous post, the City contends that it would be too expensive now to make the Kellar Branch operable, originally claiming that it would cost over $2 million to make the necessary upgrades. Then, … Continue reading Is City fabricating evidence in Kellar Branch dispute?
As reported here on Tuesday, the carrier Peoria hired to operate the Kellar Branch and western spur, Central Illinois Railroad Co. (CIRY) which is owned by DOT Rail, looks to be acquired by a mysterious company called Central Illinois Railroad Holdings, LLC. I tried unsuccessfully to find out any information on this “Holdings” company. The … Continue reading Shell game afoot with Kellar carrier?