Was going through my mental files and seemed to recall that the Union Pacific donated a piece of RR to a local authority, track and all for operation, in either the late 80's, or early 90's. For some reason I think it was in Nebraska, but a friend of mine says that it was Kansas or Missouri. i also know that they haven't done it since.

When and where was this, and what were the particulars?

lorija799@aol.com

In 1994 the Western Railway Museum purchased at a reduced price the 21 miles of Sacramento Northern
tracks that were ex WP ex SP.

The Union Pacific donated the right of way and all rights such as underground leases that were part of it.

Since then the museum has been working on upgrading the track (many new ties)and restoring the overhead wire. Another section of which is going up this summer.

Three wooden bridges have been repaired or in one case rebuild from the ground up.

ted_miles@nps.gov

Not sure of the exact details, but UP also donated the Yakima electric trackage at about that time. BN donated the Stillwater line also, (Minnesota), which had a problem with neighbors. MTM eventually sold it to the dinner train operation there, as local restrictions prevented effective use for the museum without an expensive court battle. The restrictions held because the line had been officially abandoned (but remained intact)by BN.

> In 1994 the Western Railway Museum purchased
> at a reduced price the 21 miles of
> Sacramento Northern
> tracks that were ex WP ex SP.

> The Union Pacific donated the right of way
> and all rights such as underground leases
> that were part of it.

> Since then the museum has been working on
> upgrading the track (many new ties)and
> restoring the overhead wire. Another section
> of which is going up this summer.

> Three wooden bridges have been repaired or
> in one case rebuild from the ground up.


ryarger@rypn.org

> In 1994 the Western Railway Museum purchased
> at a reduced price the 21 miles of
> Sacramento Northern
> tracks that were ex WP ex SP.

ex-Oakland, Antioch, & Eastern, ex-San Francisco-Sacramento SRR, finally Sacramento Northern. SP comes no closer than Cannon (about 13 miles), rail-wise that is. Suisun City is about 10 miles as the crow flies.

> The Union Pacific donated the right of way
> and all rights such as underground leases
> that were part of it.

Technically, the UP donated nothing. The R/W went into the right of way bank, more commonly known as "Rails to Trails". And I believe the UP kept title to the mineral rights etc. rights, the same way the WP did when they sold the old parking lot. The UP also rquires a certain level of liability insurance and wanted environmental inusurance too until that proved to unobtainable.

> Since then the museum has been working on
> upgrading the track (many new ties)and
> restoring the overhead wire. Another section
> of which is going up this summer.

All on "borrowed" land. The Museum owns the track, but it doesn't have free title to the land.

> Three wooden bridges have been repaired or
> in one case rebuild from the ground up.

To lower standards.

Looking back, I recall that the price was $225,000 for rails, ties and associated structures.

As to the land, wye's at Creed, Cordero were not included and two legs of the wye at Dozier also were not included. Creed was part of land owned by GSA due Travis AFB line relocation. Cordero and Dozier were sold to adjoining property owners.

Sadly, far too many questions with no clear answers, or at least, that's what the membership was told (or not) at the time.

All in all, a very interesting situation...

> ex-Oakland, Antioch, & Eastern, ex-San
> Francisco-Sacramento SRR, finally Sacramento
> Northern. SP comes no closer than Cannon
> (about 13 miles), rail-wise that is. Suisun
> City is about 10 miles as the crow flies.

> Technically, the UP donated nothing. The R/W
> went into the right of way bank, more
> commonly known as "Rails to
> Trails". And I believe the UP kept
> title to the mineral rights etc. rights, the
> same way the WP did when they sold the old
> parking lot. The UP also rquires a certain
> level of liability insurance and wanted
> environmental inusurance too until that
> proved to unobtainable.

> All on "borrowed" land. The Museum
> owns the track, but it doesn't have free
> title to the land.

> To lower standards.


rogerc38@aol.com