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Re: New rail proposal in North Idaho? new business
Author: Butler
Date: 01-18-2013 - 06:17
SSS Wrote:
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> If the IDOT and WSDOT had not
> spread so much misinformation about the damage to
> the line during the 1996 flood the line would
> likely exist today.
In this, and the rest of his (or her) post, "SSS" is dead accurate, bulls eye on. The "misinformation" that was spread was that there was a bridge washed out between Troy and Kendrick. Apparently the bureaucrats did a "fly over" and drew that conclusion from what they could see from the air.
If they had taken the time to actually walk the line (I and others did) they would have discovered that the washed out "bridge" was actually a relatively short spot on a curve where the river undercut the railroad ROW, leaving the rails and ties hanging in the air. It could have been a relatively easy fix with a few cars of good rip rap. All the bridges were in good condition.
When BNSF divested itself of this line by selling it to WATCO it was quite obvious to me that the Port of Lewiston supported the road improvment project. They were not interested in re-opening the rail line so that an all-rail move could be made from the north to the port.
While I have no confirmation myself, I heard many years later that MRL was interested in this line. It would be interesting to know what they might have done with the P&L if they had gotten it instead of WATCO.
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the IDOT and WSDOT had not
> spread so much misinformation about the damage to
> the line during the 1996 flood the line would
> likely exist today.
In this, and the rest of his (or her) post, "SSS" is dead accurate, bulls eye on. The "misinformation" that was spread was that there was a bridge washed out between Troy and Kendrick. Apparently the bureaucrats did a "fly over" and drew that conclusion from what they could see from the air.
If they had taken the time to actually walk the line (I and others did) they would have discovered that the washed out "bridge" was actually a relatively short spot on a curve where the river undercut the railroad ROW, leaving the rails and ties hanging in the air. It could have been a relatively easy fix with a few cars of good rip rap. All the bridges were in good condition.
When BNSF divested itself of this line by selling it to WATCO it was quite obvious to me that the Port of Lewiston supported the road improvment project. They were not interested in re-opening the rail line so that an all-rail move could be made from the north to the port.
While I have no confirmation myself, I heard many years later that MRL was interested in this line. It would be interesting to know what they might have done with the P&L if they had gotten it instead of WATCO.
