Although the interchange with UP was reinstalled to facilitate freight traffic, little has developed. It was good of IPH to pursue freight traffic on the line, because that's where the money is. And while the potential of developing freight traffic was touted, it never seemed to get past the "potential" phase.

This story is all too common with IPH's entry into several of its operations-- acquire or negotiate a contract to operate a marginal line with little or no freight traffic under the premise of running passenger trains to generate money while working to build freight traffic. But I can't think of one line where the freight traffic has dramatically changed. I am certain IPH has tried, but they are stuck with the same economics that existed when they walked in.

Case in point, the Piedmont & Northern in Gastonia, NC. Patriot Rail was the first contracted operator on this line after it was returned to service. In their two years of operating the line, they moved TWELVE cars. Patriot couldn't leave that contract fast enough when their initial two years were up. IPH came right in with the optimistic story of passenger excursions to make the line a success. And it is right there in the ranks of the lines virtually doing nothing now after the "seasonal layoffs" following the Polar Express trains.

Mike Derrick