Ross Hall Wrote:
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> There are a couple of issues at work here.
> Columbia Basin RR did not want to operate the
> line
> so shippers have to pay two short lines to get out
> to BNSF instead of one -- adding to cost.
> Secondly, several of the shippers really only
> wanted the line reopened in order to get rate
> leverage against the truckers. (they don't even
> have equipment big enough to load rail cars).
> So marketing the line is a tall order.

Yes, Columbia Basin was going to use it for car storage and Frontier made the claim that they could bring traffic. Which they did not do for numerous reasons as indicated. Byron Cole at one time was approached (dba Ballard Terminal) and he explored the idea of the loading out of the gravel pit on the horse shoe curve leading up to Royal City. Salmon Bay S&G was interested, but they were still getting aggregate cheaper via barge. So, that came to naught.
When the Port ran the railroad themselves back in the 90's, they made some money loading onions, it was in effect though a "non-profit" organization, Crews from the Toppenish Museum used their old Alco on a pretty much voluntary basis to move the cars. Light track maintenance was done in exchange for camping privileges at Corfu and other scenic locations along the line. But, in the end, it has primarily been used as indicated for leverage against the truck rates. (Never get in front of one of those vastly underpaid onion or spud haulers on the road)