Hi, Jerry. We posted this at the same time.
Chris
http://www2.theclarionnews.com/General_News/49006.shtml
The train doesn’t run here anymore
By Amy A. Thompson, Clarion News writer
PAINT TWP. -- The Knox and Kane Railroad, which runs through Paint Township and serves Clarion County industry, has "embargoed" itself allegedly for safety reasons.
"The company has ceased (operations by its own decision)," said Cyndi Page, public information specialist for the state Public Utilities Commission, which regulates railroads in the state.
Page said the PUC has called the Knox and Kane Railroad asking for the reason or reasons it ceased operation.
The government typically places an embargo or cease operations order on a transportation entity for safety reasons.
According to Page, the Knox and Kane Railroad embargoed itself once in the past because of bad rail bed ties. The government intervened, the ties were replaced and made the line operational again, Page said.
However, the condition of the line has not been a secret.
"That line is a line that needs to be totally upgraded to hold any substantial weight," said state Rep. Fred McIlhattan (R-63).
"The line is not secure right now and needs repairs and the amount (cost) of the repairs is very, very high," said Jean Desautels, general manager of Clarion Boards, Inc.
Clarion County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Brad Ehrhart said he has heard from customers the locomotive and cars have derailed in the past.
Clarion Boards Inc. has special interest in line’s survival.
Desautels said that from October to December 2005, Clarion Boards had 50 rails cars per month being delivered to customers. "One rail car equals to three trucks," Desautels explained.
Clarion Boards planned to increase production this month to 80 rail cars per month to keep up with increases in customer orders.
The unavailability of the train has resulted in shortfalls in sales and has Clarion Boards "struggling to find enough trucks," Desautels said.
"The truck availability is not as good," Desautels said.
Desautels added railroads are the best way to transport medium density fiberboard.
"The train was the best way. For us, it was a big disaster," Desautels said of when they learned the train ceased operation in late December.
For now Clarion Boards has rerouted orders by truck and has fiberboard products hauled to rail heads at the DuBois reload center, another rail line.
"The reload center is helping us a lot," Desautels said.
Clarion Boards is now shipping 40 to 45 trucks per day to the Reload Center.
"It’s very difficult," Desautels said.
Desautels said the issues with the railroad are "changing the long-term horizon" for Clarion Boards.
But Desautels reassured the Clarion News it is committed to the area.
"We’re bullheaded," Desautels said. "We don’t plan to shut down – not at all."
In the meantime, local politicians say they are dedicated to this project.
"We’re still sifting through it," McIlhattan said. "It is a very challenging situation."
Ehrhart said the project has had great cooperation from the county commissioners, Paint Township supervisors, McIlhattan, state Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21), U.S. Rep. John Peterson and Gov. Ed Rendell’s Action Team.
"It has been a collaborative effort on the part of several levels of government," Ehrhart said.
