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Re: Is there any new information about Tennessee Pass reopening?
Author: Agent 99
Date: 05-06-2017 - 13:47
Depends on what UP sells them. UP is very good at selling off lines, especially to short lines, that just happen to not include the last few miles of the route forcing connection with UP to get out on the general RR system. There is a direct connecting/interchange track between the Tenn. Pass line and the BNSF main before it enters the UP Pueblo yard.
A side note: BNSF did have trackage rights over UP on the Tennessee Pass subdivision from Pueblo to Canon City until 1998 when these rights were transferred to Rock & Rail. I really don't know if BNSF retained some ability to reassume those rights if they so desired but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Rock & Rail still utilizes those rights over UP with business from their rock quarry at Parkdale and the cement plant at Portland. UP still runs a local to the cement plant as well but there is little or no business west of there for either UP or R&R (except for the quarry).
The railroad through the Royal Gorge between Canon City and Parkdale is jointly owned (50/50) by Rock & Rail and the Royal Gorge Route tourist railroad. This segment of the Tenn. Pass line was sold in 1998 as a political trade off for UP's discontinuance of thru service on the Tenn. Pass line. UP, of course, did retain overhead trackage rights. UP has not been interested in selling any other segments of the line (believe me, some have tried).
So UP has really worked very hard to retain control of the thru Tenn. Pass route. For what nefarious purpose only the UP knows.........
99 out
A side note: BNSF did have trackage rights over UP on the Tennessee Pass subdivision from Pueblo to Canon City until 1998 when these rights were transferred to Rock & Rail. I really don't know if BNSF retained some ability to reassume those rights if they so desired but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Rock & Rail still utilizes those rights over UP with business from their rock quarry at Parkdale and the cement plant at Portland. UP still runs a local to the cement plant as well but there is little or no business west of there for either UP or R&R (except for the quarry).
The railroad through the Royal Gorge between Canon City and Parkdale is jointly owned (50/50) by Rock & Rail and the Royal Gorge Route tourist railroad. This segment of the Tenn. Pass line was sold in 1998 as a political trade off for UP's discontinuance of thru service on the Tenn. Pass line. UP, of course, did retain overhead trackage rights. UP has not been interested in selling any other segments of the line (believe me, some have tried).
So UP has really worked very hard to retain control of the thru Tenn. Pass route. For what nefarious purpose only the UP knows.........
99 out
