Re: That's all she wrote for the Feather River route?
Author: mistertower
Date: 11-05-2009 - 14:34
I have generally stayed out of stuff like this, but I have to say what I know. UP has no plans to dispose of the Winnemucca and Canyon Subs. or the Sacramento Sub. between Oroville and Binney Jct. This route is an asset to them for many reasons. BNSF does and will continue to use it. UP does not want to give up control and will never let BNSF run it. This route is an alternate route that can be used at any moment. You may think that they don't need it now, but they do and they know it and in 10 to 20 years from now, they are going to be extremely glad they have it. UP is also working behind the scenes on new business for the route as well. Stay tuned for further developments as they happen. UP learned the hard way that if you give up a major, through, mainline route such as this, it may not be tomorrow, next month or next year, but sometime down the journey of business, you will screw yourself. One example was the sale of the current Hiawatha Subdivision between Upland and Hiawatha Kansas some years back to Railtex. They had the attitude at that time of "Oh, we'll never use that line again." Then, several years later, Coal Traffic increased in the Kansas Sub. and local traffic on the Hiawatha Sub. decreased and this line was about ready to dry up. UP then spent much more money than what they sold it for to buy it back from Railtex. Then they had to sink millions more to bring the track back up to operating shape. If they had just hung on to it, they would have saved themselves a whole lot of money. Now they run lots of westbound traffic on it. This is just one of several examples. Business wise, the Winnemucca, Canyon and Sacramento Subs. have traffic, have potential, and are well maintained Subs. and are extremely important to UP's future. It is also cheaper and easier to maintain a route for service, than to take it out now and put it back in service later.