It's been a week since the International Port of Coos Bay filed their Feeder Line Application with the STB to take over the Coos Bay Branch line from CORP & RailAmerica.
The Port in it's filing says that three railroad companies want to operate the rail line for them. The railroads are "Portland & Western" , "Railserve" and the "Yreka Western Railroad.
Checking with the Oregon Secretary of States Office I found "Portland & Western" registered with the State of Oregon as a Foreign Business Corporation (Out of State Company) allowed to do business in Oregon since 1995 in good standing. "Railserve" also is a Foreign Business Corporation (Out of State)) allowed to do business in Oregon since 2005 and is in good standing.
However the "Yreka Western Railroad Company" is a different story. I have found they are not allowed to do business in Oregon , no filing with the State. Upon more checks I found that the Colorado Central Railroad Company filed with the STB (STB Docket number 33856 & 33849) an operation exemption to take over the Yreka Western Railroad Company in 2000. In the filing Colorado Central Railroad indicated to the STB on 1/20/2000 that they executed an agreement to provide Common Carrier freight service as well as passenger excursion service on the 8.9 miles of the Yreka Western track from Yreka, California to Montegue, California and interchange with CORP.
A phone call and check of the California Secretary of States site indicated that "Colorado Central Railroad Company" is a forefeited company not in good standing in the State of California and is no longer a company in that state.
No Federal filing with the STB reflects this change and no Federal filing with the STB to re-create the Yreka Western Railroad to take back control of the Yreka Western Railroad.
Another thing thats now in the public record is that a passenger car on the line was forclosed on due to a lack of payments.
Checking more on that issue with Siskiyou County, California there is a number of other court cases that have been filed, some settled. Other cases it noted are pending in Federal Court.
Portland & Western and RailServe look like real good canidates for the Coos Bay operation.