Some figures here on costs of dismantling track, concerning the former SP Modoc line in northeast California: Possibly useful if you're trying to save a piece of track.

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ryarger@rypn.org

> Some figures here on costs of dismantling
> track, concerning the former SP Modoc line
> in northeast California: Possibly useful if
> you're trying to save a piece of track.
Here in N.E. Oregon where I live, the rail line into our county has been saved by the effort of local political leaders and concerned citizens who formed a group called "The Freinds of the Joseph Branch". 60 or so miles of the 80 mile UP branch line were sold a number of years ago to the Idaho Northern and Pacific. After a short duration of operation, they filed for abandonment. There were important economic realities on the side of abandonment with regard to the closure of a local sawmill and a general down turn in the local timber industry. The line once hauled grain out of the area, but that business was taken over by trucks and the one regular customer receiving cars, the local LP gas distributor also went to trucks. This occured when INP's service level fell well below that which they had enjoyed under UP ownership.
Objections were filed by local government entities with the STB, but the abandonment order was approved. The line set dormant for several years as the County, other potential buyers, and local concerned citizens explored ways to buy the line.
I should mention that the line passes through a very scenic canyon area that is mostly roadless, parallel to the Grande Ronde and Wallowa rivers, both streams that are effected by regulation concerning endanged species such as Salmon and Steelhead trout.
Eventually a contract was let to a company called Klamert I think to salvage the line. This is where my long story ties into the original post. The County planning commission along with the County Court (Bd. of Commisioners) made it very difficult for the salvage operation to go through. The Endangered Species Act was frequently mentioned with regard to how salvage would proceed in proximity to the rivers and of course the removal of many bridges over small adjacent water courses could have added complication to a salvage plan. In many areas, there are "wetlands" adjacent to the ROW which could further have complicated the process. As I understand it the County tied the hands of the salvage Co. and INP by throwing so much expensive red tape their way including expensive enviromental studies that they had to step back and think about negotiating a reasonable sale to a BiCounty entity that was formed.
What has resulted is BiCounty ownership of the branch with I believe loan garunties from the St. of Ore. At this point INP is operating the line from the end of their regular operations at Elgin which is the end of the 20 mile portion they lease from UP, for the BiCounty RR authority called WURA (Wallowa Union Rail Authority). They are presently hauling lumber from one online customer, a mill near Wallowa, Ore. It is hoped that the line will be reopened soon all the way to Joseph for possible traffic from a mill there that is presently closed, but is rumored to be under new ownership. The local Freinds group is also promoting a future tourist operation on the line.



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