Pioneer Industrial Railway (PIRY) is appealing the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) December 22, 2005, decision to allow the Central Illinois Railroad Company (CIRY) to discontinue service over the Kellar Branch. That ruling was to take effect January 22, 2006. Pioneer filed its appeal on January 12 in the U. S. Court of Appeals for the … Continue reading Pioneer appeals STB ruling →

I mentioned in my last post that Pioneer Industrial Railway (PIRY) also sent a petition to the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Here’s a copy of their filing (large PDF file). It’s a “petition for stay pending reconsideration or appeal.” It’s been filed not by the company attorney, but Washington, D.C., attorneys Baker & Miller, PLLC, … Continue reading Pioneer to STB: Stop Kellar Branch closure →

Carver Lumber was promised some things by the city. The city promised that Carver would continue to receive rail service via the Kellar Branch until the new western spur could be completed. The city promised it wouldn’t stop service on the Kellar Branch until service via that western spur was in place and operating smoothly. … Continue reading Broken promises resurrect Kellar Branch saga →

Today, Central Illinois Railway (CIRY) filed with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to abandon the Kellar Branch line. And today, Pioneer Industrial Railway (PIRY) filed with the STB to purchase the Kellar Branch. Just as I predicted. As you may recall from my previous post, “Congress and the STB have adopted procedures that make it … Continue reading Pioneer trying to force sale of Kellar Branch (told ya!) →

  Pioneer Industrial Railway (PIRY), the City of Peoria, and Central Illinois Railway (CIRY) have come to an agreement — which I believe is the proverbial “calm before the storm.”  A letter dated September 8, 2005, from Pioneer’s general counsel to the Surface Transportation Board states: Pioneer Industrial Railway Co. (“PIRY”) received Central Illinois Railroad Company’s Reply to … Continue reading Predictions for Kellar Branch dispute →

  Without deemphasizing the major public safety problem with CIRY (see previous post), I have to tell you that the scene is actually a bit comical.  Here’s a quote from an eye-witness (all grammatical/spelling/punctuation errors are the witness’s): my parents live next to the keller branch on rock island. saturday i was there visiting sitting in … Continue reading We can look back and laugh now…. →

The city’s new railroad company, Central Illinois Railway (CIRY), found out the hard way that you need more than a trackmobile to get a load of lumber up the Kellar Branch. I heard from a source who will remain anonymous that CIRY tried pulling two cars up the Kellar Branch’s steep grade this past Saturday … Continue reading City’s new Kellar Branch shipper derails →

Some interesting developments in the Pioneer Industrial Railway v. City of Peoria department today. You may recall that, over the weekend, Pioneer (PIRY) filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to reopen the adverse discontinuance case. Today, the STB published the documentation that goes with that petition, and it’s very interesting! It looks … Continue reading Kellar Branch: The Saga Continues →

The Journal Star is giddy this morning about the Surface Transportation Board ruling. But, as usual, they assume facts not in evidence. For instance: Wednesday the Surface Transportation Board, the federal agency that settles railroad disputes, ruled that Pioneer Railcorp must get off the Kellar Branch so the cities that own it can turn it … Continue reading STB yet to give final say on Kellar Branch service →

  Pioneer Industrial Railway (PIRY) has filed a status report with the Surface Transportation Board that is very interesting.  The report (filed by Daniel LaKemper, general counsel for PIRY) starts by telling the STB what we already know: This is to advise the Board that on July 14, 2005 Pioneer Industrial Railway Co. and the … Continue reading Settlement in the works on Kellar Branch conversion →