WashingtonPark wrote: ↑Sun Jul 16, 2023 6:50 pm
It appears the redevelopment authority purchased the land from the railroad and sold it outright to Walmart and the car dealership. That is going to make it very problematic to try to build a railroad on somebody's private business property that doesn't want it.
Much of the ROW was not owned by the redevelopment authority, including the piece sold to Walmart. It was owned by a different entity. Looking at the Berks County Recorder of Deeds site, the lot was sold to Walmart back in 2004 by these grantors:
DEED 2004058894 wrote:BOYERTOWN IND PKBGP
BOYERTOWN IND PKBGPGAMBONE BROS PRTNRSHP LLC GPGAMBONE FAM GP
BOYERTOWN INDUSTRIAL PARK
GAMBONE BROS PRTNRSHP LLC GP
GAMBONE BROTHERS PARTNERSHIP LLC
GAMBONE FAM GP
GAMBONE FAMILY GENERAL PARTNERSHIP
And it seems the Gambone bought it from individual sellers.
Interestingly, in 2006, in Instrument Number 2006087991, there was a RIGHT OF WAY / EASEMENT granted to Met-Ed for the power lines.
According to the county map, after the Walmart parking lot, the next section of ROW is owned by Met-Ed, and then the next section is owned by Conestoga Telephone up to Township Line Road. From there, the BECHTELSVILLE BORO owns it up to the Quarry.
Maybe it would be possible for the railroad to get an easement, like Met-Ed did?