Pioneer Industrial Railway (PIRY) filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) today to provide alternative rail service to Carver Lumber over the Kellar Branch. Pioneer argues that, since the city and Central Illinois Railroad (CIRY) are providing inadequate and overpriced service via the western connection and refuse to route cars over the Kellar Branch any longer, the STB should allow Pioneer that service instead. The STB has the authority to make such a determination if it so chooses.
This is a little technical, but in this particular filing, Pioneer is not asking to restore service permanently on the Kellar Branch (that falls under a different petition that is still pending). What they are asking is to provide service over the Kellar Branch in the interim — that is, until the STB rules on whether service over the Kellar Branch should be permanently discontinued.
The city contends that the Kellar Branch is in such a state of disrepair that it would take over two million dollars to fix it. Pioneer disputes that claim and offers to repair the trackage out of its own pocket if allowed to provide immediate service to Carver by the STB.
The STB could decide on this petition any time, since it’s not contingent on the outcome of the city’s request to discontinue service over the Kellar Branch. Their answer to this request from Pioneer might be an indication of which way they’re leaning on that larger issue. Stay tuned.
C. J.,
I just got done reading over the new info on PRY’s filing and I have to say that they are not only thorough but dedicated. They PRY will lose money doing this but I suspect that if allowed to provide temporary service over the Kellar Branch, they know that it helps build a better case in the long run.
What would be great is if CIRY would get upset, take its ball and go home in protest. That would leave PRY as the only interested party to operate the line for the city (Allen Brown’s history with the line would seem to be a deterrent for his fantasy firm, Railmark Holdings, to make a bid and I doubt the TZPR could be persuaded to come in).
If I were the STB, I would kick CIRY out for incompetence, violations of federal rules and violation of their contract with the City. Then, I would order the City to enter into a long-term lease of the line with PRY (20+ years?). If the City is unwilling to do that, tthen I would order them to sell the line to PRY in order to preserve adequate rail service to Carver Lumber and to provide for future users.
If PRY is serious about its offer, then they can buy the remaining track to the west and rehab the Kellar at its own expense (which they have offered to do).
If the City, Park District and JSEB is ticked, then that’s their problem.
Go David, go David!
Just had to compliment your brevity and knowledge of the situation.