As expected, BNSF Railway today filed an Abandonment Exemption with the federal Surface Transportation Board. In this 62-page document, BNSF proposes abandonment of 14.5 miles of track between Dunfermline and Farmington 50 days after the date of filing notice, or March 6, 2013.
The document claims “there has been no local or overhead traffic on the line since 2003.” A map of the track proposed for abandonment is shown on page 9. BNSF intends to salvage the line, and it will not be rail-banked.
Regarding traffic, the diamond (at-grade crossing) with the Keokuk Junction Railway at Canton was removed in the spring of 2000, so no overhead traffic has been possible since then. In fact, the last reported train to use this line was in the fall of 1999 when BNSF pushed a string of autoracks from Yates City south through Farmington and Canton. Cars were apparently stored along Rt. 78 for salvaging by Hitchcock Scrap Yard. Another barrier to such a move is that about a mile of track north of Farmington was abandoned and pulled up in 2007.
Brief, historical background to this trackage is provided on page 28.
While there is no guaranteed outcome, I expect the Keokuk Junction Railway (KJRY) to file an Offer of Financial Assistance (OFA) in the coming days. To counter the City of Canton’s desire for recreational trail development, the KJRY will have to make a case for preserving all or a portion of the Dunfermline-Farmington line.
A potential shipper, Hitchcock Scrap Yard, will need to provide a letter of support to KJRY’s OFA petition and explain how rail service to their facility is only viable through establishment of KJRY shortline service. If Aventine Renewable Energy would like KJRY service sometime in the future, they should provide a letter of support as well.
As I wrote in the previous post, this could be a significant story for 2013. Come back here for updates.
- David P. Jordan
10 responses so far ↓
1 alex // Jan 4, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Ironic, you finished your raikuser series and planned on only posting news for a time. Some pops up right away.
2 David P. Jordan // Jan 4, 2013 at 10:22 pm
I didn’t plan it that way. Honest
3 Steve J // Jan 5, 2013 at 6:35 pm
David, your coverage of this filing has been outstanding and really well researched, and it’s been a good memory jag for the lost opportunity of 2006 for KJRY to lease the line. I appreciate it.
There was no mention made of two players that I thought could be critical for the future.
One was the effort by some ex P&PU guys to organize and charter the Duck Creek & Western Railway to operate over this exact segment. Are they still in the picture?
The other is the coal mine project at a location north of Canton just to the west of the line that could potentially generate coal loads. There had been NIMBY opposition to the mine project, but I thought that had been dealt with & the project was a go.
Your thoughts.
4 David P. Jordan // Jan 5, 2013 at 8:31 pm
Hi Steve,
As far as I know, those behind Duck Creek & Western are still interested. Their biggest obstacle may be lack of incorporation. I can find nothing that tells me it is an active corporation.
As far as Capital Resources Development Company LLC’s proposed North Canton Mine, the company applied for a Surface Mining and Reclamation Operations permit with IDNR on November 14, 2012. I haven’t seen where they’ve completed the permitting process, but they’re close.
An anti-mining website called “Progress Illinois,” provides these details:
The mine will initially produce about 150,000 tons per year of coal until a complete boxcut is open. The mine is then expected to produce approximately 900,000 tons per year of coal. The current projected life of the mine is about 10 years. Total coal extracted is estimated at 6.80 million tons.
I’ve seen only references to truck transportation to the customer(s). Some resources indicate there could be 300 truck trips a day. This is ridiculous because 900,000 tons of coal would equal 9,000 railcars if 100 tons each (7,500 if using 120-ton cars), so we’re talking considerable volume. I’d guess BNSF isn’t interested because the likely customer for the mine is none other than AmerenIllinois’ Duck Creek Energy Center. One of those unwanted shorthauls. If that track could be acquired by the Keokuk Junction Railway (or any other shortline for that matter), and a spur built to serve the mine, then anti-mine activists would have to worry about only one loaded and one empty coal train shuttle a day going through Canton.
If the mine passes the permitting process, then that would be a huge incentive for the City of Canton to support reactivation of the rail line rather than conversion to a trail.
5 Vonster // Jan 6, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Because of horn noise and traffic blockage, too may towns have been willing to turn their backs on the rail traffic that made their towns. It’s sad that they don’t realize this is the sound of commerce they so badly need.
6 Vonster // Jan 6, 2013 at 4:12 pm
I’m tempted to move to Decatur if I win the lottery…
7 logistics // Jan 23, 2013 at 12:45 am
Any update on this David?
8 David P. Jordan // Jan 23, 2013 at 6:34 am
Hi Logistics,
I’ve been checking the STB website for a filing by the KJRY, but so far there hasn’t been one.
9 Jan Smith // Jan 23, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Oh shoot, I was about to ask the same thing. How profitable would this be for KJRY? Wouldnt they lose money repairing tracks since the tracks arent in top shape anymore? I’m rooting for them to file but I also question the cost of repairs for just one company would it be worth it?
10 David P. Jordan // Jan 23, 2013 at 2:07 pm
Hi Jan,
Depends on the purchase price and how much traffic can be generated. Track needs to be restored to FRA Class 1 Safety Standards (10mph), which will require probably several thousand new crossties, ballast, grade crossing repairs, restoration of the middle of the connection track at Canton and possibly several new switch tracks.
At a minimum, KJRY can count on Hitchcock Scrap Yard and perhaps several hundred outbound carloads of scrap metal once the required spur tracks are built to that firm’s place of business south of Canton. Probably some inbound stuff (rolling stock to be scrapped, etc.) as well. BNSF and AmerenIllinois tracks are needed to reach Aventine Renewable Energy’s ethanol plant unless KJRY can get funds to put in its own track (maybe two miles on terrain that is hardly flat) in place.
The real plum is potential coal business from Springfield Coal Co’s proposed North Canton Mine. A dedicated daily 100-car coal train instead of 300 daily!!! truck trips through the City of Canton to destination (possibly Ameren’s Duck Creek Station) makes much more sense. Convincing the coal company of this would guarantee some shortline acquires the Farmington-Dunfermline track from BNSF and save it from abandonment.
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