Things dont look good for the Colebrookdale Spur

(The provisions published herein, if effective, will not result in an effect on the quality of the human environment.)
FT EBG 9000
EASTERN BERKS GATEWAY RAILROAD COMPANY
FREIGHT TARIFF EBG 9000
ADOPTION NOTICE
The Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad Company (EBG), hereby adopts, ratifies and makes its own, in
every respect as if the same had been originally issued by it, all freight tariffs, classifications, rules,
notices, concurrences, divisions, authorities, powers of attorney, or other instruments whatsoever,
including supplements or amendments thereto, whether or not filed with the Surface Transportation
Board or former Interstate Commerce Commission by the East Penn Railroad LLC (ESPN) prior to
September 1, 2010, insofar as said instruments apply from, to, at or via stations of the East Penn
Railroad LLC (ESPN) set forth in the attached Exhibit.
This tariff is also applicable on intrastate traffic, except where expressly provided to the contrary.
Issued under authority of STB Finance Docket No. 35384
ISSUED: August 27, 2010 EFFECTIVE: September 1, 2010
ISSUED BY:
John K. Howell President
Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad Company
12 South Reading Ave - #1A
Boyertown, PA 19512
FT EWG 9000
EXHIBIT
OPSL-6000 SERIES
EASTERN BERKS GATEWAY RAILROAD COMPANY (EBG-063)
RULE RATE
STATION COUNTY 260 OPSL FSAC SPLC NRB ZIP
POTTSTOWN (1-3700) PA Montgomery POTTS 00001 00001 207426 19464
PINE FORGE (1-22-3700) PA Berks 00005 00005 204847 19548
COLEBROOKDALE (1-22-3700) PA Berks 00010 00010 204837 19512
BOYERTOWN (1-259-3700) PA Berks 00015 00015 204835 19512
EXPLANATION OF NOTES:
1 - Notes 1, 22, 259 and 3700 - As explained in OPSL 6000-series
2 - Note 3700- Add:
Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad Company
12 South Reading Ave - #1A
Boyertown, PA 19512
Tel: (610) 590-1007
Fax: (847) 619-2160
3 - Show Pottstown, PA as "Operating" interchange between the EBG and NS.

More info in the news today:

http://www.wfmz.com/berksnews/24860800/detail.html

READING, Pa. -- The Berks County Commissioners have reached a deal to get trains moving again in the eastern part of the county.

The commissioners approved what's essentially a ten year lease with Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad this morning.

A few repairs are needed. Then the company will operate the line. It was known as the Colebrookdale Spur near Boyertown.

"We have high hopes that one of the users of the line, Drug Plastics and Glass, will begin to use the tracks almost immediately and that will begin the a renewed effort to bring customers back to using the railroad," said John Howell, president, Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad.

Trains could be running by the end of September.

When that happens, motorists need to be aware of flashing lights at railroad crossings.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=246187

County OKs lease with railroad to reopen Boyertown-Pottstown line

The way was paved for the historic 8.6-mile Colebrookdale Spur to begin hauling freight once again when the Berks County commissioners Thursday approved a lease with Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad.

John K. Howell, Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad president, said he expects the line from Boyertown to Pottstown to be operating by Oct. 1.

"Our focus is going to be economic development and development of freight traffic," he said. "We look forward to serving the businesses in the eastern side of Berks County."

According to the five-year lease, the county will gradually shift the operating costs to the railroad, with the railroad paying all costs by the end of the lease.

If the railroad generates more than $15,000 in revenue in any quarter, the railroad will pay the county $4,125 rent. That money go into a special fund to be used for future repairs to the line.

Drug Plastics & Glass Co. Inc. in Boyertown was the only customer using the line when the former operators sold it to the county in March 2009 and will be the first customer of the new operators.

In the meantime, the company has been trucking raw materials from Philadelphia to Boyertown.

In a written statement, the company indicated the line will enable it to control its raw material supply, continue to be competitive and avert potential disruptions to its manufacturing process and its customers.

Commissioner Mark C. Scott, who handled the lease negotiations, said several other businesses in the Boyertown area are interested in using the line.

The county first bought the line from the state for $155,000 in March 2001, then sold it a short time later to Penn Eastern Lines Inc. for $177,000.

Penn Eastern sold it to East Penn Railroad.

When East Penn sought federal approval to abandon the line, which connects to Northfolk Southern lines at Pottstown, the county bought it again for its appraised value of $1.35 million.

The line, which was completed in 1869, passes through Colebrookdale Township, Pine Forge, Douglass Township and West Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County.

And I somehow missed these articles:

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=229672

Board continues Boyertown rail freight facility plan

The Berks County Redevelopment Authority is proceeding with plans to build a transloading facility in Boyertown for the Colebrookdale Spur rail line.

The authority board voted Tuesday to pay Liberty Environmental Inc. of Reading $6,000 to determine if the former Boyertown Body site where the facility is to be located qualifies for brownfields redevelopment funds.

The 8.5-mile rail spur runs between Barto and Pottstown.

Authority Executive Director Kenneth L. Pick said the county commissioners want to develop and possibly expand the line.

The authority, he said, will seek funding for the transloading facility along Route 562, where freight would be transferred between rail cars and trucks.

Pick said the county would try to find an operator to run the rail line and transloading facility, which would create 10 to 15 jobs.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=238787

Agency seeks funds for rail loading facility
The Berks County Redevelopment Authority has applied for a $250,000 state grant to help cover the cost of building a multipurpose rail transloading station near South Reading Avenue in Boyertown.

"The facility would reduce heavy truck traffic through downtown Boyertown and create new jobs," authority Executive Director Kenneth L. Pick said.

According to estimates, 70 truckloads of ash a day are hauled from incinerators in Chester County to the Rolling Hills Landfill in Earl Township, Pick said. The ash is needed to cover trash being dumped there.

Authority Solicitor Pamela J. Cala said the transloading facility is likely to benefit other area businesses and the Colebrookdale Spur, the county-owned 8.6-mile rail line between Pottstown and Boyertown.

The county plans to rehabilitate the line and put it back into service.

The county commissioners have asked the authority to acquire land adjacent to the spur and to construct the facility for transferring freight between rail cars and trucks, Pick said. The commissioners have approved a $150,000 allocation to help the agency study the project.

The authority has also approved a $3,000 agreement for Stone Consulting Inc. of Warren, Warren County, to complete the grant application to the Pennsylvania Railfreight Assistance Program.

The transloading project is expected to cost at least $700,000, Pick said.

Good to hear there will be trains again soon on this line! Thanks for posting!

Yes, Thanks!

Word on the street is there's a locomotive that's been sitting at Abrams yard destined for this "new" line. Its a SW1500 in C&NW like scheme. Been at the yard for about a week.

The SD45

Is it still premature to change the title of this thread to "Things don't look so Bad for the Colebrookdale Spur"?

I second that motion!

It's nice to see something positive happen to a short rail line, rather than see yet again what we have all come to assume will be the outcome.

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2010/ ... 381000.txt

From the Mercury
Published: Tuesday, September 14, 2010



READING — The Colebrookdale Spur will soon see freight on its rails again thanks to a lease recently signed between the Berks County Commissioners and Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad of Boyertown.

The lease, approved by the commissioners Sept. 2, became effective Sept. 9. Testing and technical inspections of the line have already begun, although commercial operations are not set to begin before Wednesday.

Needed before commercial operations can begin on the rail line are repairs to the track at East Philadelphia Avenue. The county has contracted to have those repairs made and construction is expected to begin immediately.

According to John K. Howell, president of U.S. Rail Partners of Illinois, the parent company of Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad, the company's focus will be economic development and the development of rail freight traffic in the Boyertown and Pottstown areas.

"We are going to work closely with county and local economic development officials to begin shipping rail again. We look forward to serving local businesses," Howell said.

The Berks County Redevelopment Authority recently began proceeding with plans to build a transloading facility near South Reading Avenue in Boyertown. The transloading facility will allow freight to be transferred between rail cars and trucks.

According to estimates, 70 truckloads of ash a day are hauled from incinerators in Chester County to the Rolling Hills Landfill in Earl Township, that according to Kenneth L. Pick, Redevelopment Authority Executive Director.

The ash is used to cover trash being dumped at the landfill, and the rail line is expected to decrease truck traffic through the Boyertown area.

The transloading project is expected to cost at least $700,000. The redevelopment agency has applied for a $250,000 state grant to help cover the costs of building the facility, and Howell said he is in discussions with Boyertown officials to lease the property for the transloading facility, which is expected to bring 10 to 15 jobs to the area.

The redevelopment agency has also hired Liberty Environmental Inc. of Reading at a cost of $6,000 to determine if the Boyertown property qualifies for brownfields redevelopment funds.

According to the five-year lease, the county will gradually shift certain operating costs to the railroad, with the railroad paying an increasingly larger percentage of bridge inspection costs by the end of the lease term.

Rent in the amount of $4,125 will be paid to the county if the railroad generates more than $15,000 in revenue in any quarter. The money will go into a special fund to be used for future repairs to the line.

The first user of the line is expected to be Drug Plastics & Glass Co. Inc. of Boyertown, who was using the line when the line was sold to the county in March of 2009.

Along with Drug Plastics, Howell said two other local businesses have expressed interest in using the line.

The county first bought the Colebrookdale Spur from the state for $155,000 in March 2001. They later sold it Penn Eastern Lines Inc. for $177,000. Penn Eastern then sold it to East Penn Railroad, which planned to abandon the line and sell the rail for scrap.

The county negotiated to buy back the line n March 2009 for $1.35 million.

The historic rail line was built in the mid-1800s and was completed in 1869. It passes through portions of both Montgomery and Berks counties.

Yeah, I meant to post that too. Here's the article quoted and with the pictures.

http://www.berksmontnews.com/articles/2 ... 92171.html

Boyertown Area Times > News
Berks County Commissioners sign lease to operate Colebrookdale spur

Sunday, September 12, 2010

By Lynn A. Gladieux
Times Writer

READING -- The Colebrookdale Spur will soon see freight on its rails
again thanks to a lease recently signed between the Berks County
Commissioners and Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad of Boyertown.

The lease, approved by the commissioners Sept. 2, became effective
Sept. 9. Testing and technical inspections of the line have already
begun, although commercial operations are not set to begin before
Sept. 15.

Needed before commercial operations can begin on the rail line are
repairs to the track at East Philadelphia Avenue. The county has
contracted to have those repairs made and construction is expected to
begin immediately.

According to John K. Howell, president of U.S. Rail Partners of
Illinois, the parent company of Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad, the
company's focus will be economic development and the development of
rail freight traffic in the Boyertown and Pottstown areas.

"We are going to work closely with county and local economic
development officials to begin shipping rail again. We look forward to
serving local businesses," Howell said.

The Berks County Redevelopment Authority recently began proceeding
with plans to build a transloading facility near South Reading Avenue
in Boyertown. The transloading facility will allow freight to be
transferred between rail cars and trucks.

According to estimates, 70 truckloads of ash a day are hauled from
incinerators in Chester County to the Rolling Hills Landfill in Earl
Township, that according to Kenneth L. Pick, Redevelopment Authority
executive director. The ash is used to cover trash being dumped at the
landfill, and the rail line is expected to decrease truck traffic
through the Boyertown area.

The transloading project is expected to cost at least $700,000. The
redevelopment agency has applied for a $250,000 state grant to help
cover the costs of building the facility, and Howell said he is in
discussions with Boyertown officials to lease the property for the
transloading facility, which is expected to bring 10 to 15 jobs to the
area.

The redevelopment agency has also hired Liberty Environmental Inc. of
Reading at a cost of $6,000 to determine if the Boyertown property
qualifies for brownfields redevelopment funds.

According to the five-year lease, the county will gradually shift
certain operating costs to the railroad, with the railroad paying an
increasingly larger percentage of bridge inspection costs by the end
of the lease term.

Rent in the amount of $4,125 will be paid to the county if the
railroad generates more than $15,000 in revenue in any quarter. The
money will go into a special fund to be used for future repairs to the
line.

The first user of the line is expected to be Drug Plastics & Glass Co.
Inc. of Boyertown, who was using the line when the line was sold to
the county in March of 2009.

Along with Drug Plastics, Howell said two other local businesses have
expressed interest in using the line.

The county first bought the Colebrookdale Spur from the state for
$155,000 in March 2001. They later sold it Penn Eastern Lines Inc. for
$177,000. Penn Eastern then sold it to East Penn Railroad, which
planned to abandon the line and sell the rail for scrap.

The county negotiated to buy back the line in March 2009 for $1.35 million.

The historic rail line was built in the mid-1800s and was completed in
1869. It passes through portions of both Montgomery and Berks
counties.

The pictures appear to be old.
One is > 800 pixels, so I have to link, instead of include as a picture:
http://www.berksmontnews.com/content/ar ... 921711.jpg
http://www.berksmontnews.com/content/ar ... 921712.jpg

Was in Boyertown today and saw that an Amtrac truck was there with a soul inside. I asked what all was going on and he said that they were there to relay the track there in the yard and that they were going to install (2) tracks. When asked when it would be operational he said by the end of the month. I also noticed that there was an MP15AC/DC(correction?), 2581, from Northern Illinois and Wisconsin. Images to follow. Is this the unit the new railroad is going to use, bought, lease, borrowed?

I snapped a few shots up and down the line from Pottstown up to Boyertown and a little past up to the scrap metal company past the "YMCA" bridge. Anyone know how many tracks the coal dealer up from 73 had? I see how (1) can go in but it looks like there might have been (2). Also the plant next to it, who are they and what did they ship by rail? Finally, the middle track in the yard that crosses S. Pear St., where did it go? It just seems to stop a few feet after crossing the street. It runs behing the National Penn Bank's mail room ( I only know because I asked a gentleman who was coming out of the mail room about it).

Jeremy

Northern Illinois and Wisconsin is a leasing subsidiary of US Rail Partners, LTD which is the parent company of Eastern Berks Gateway Railway, the new operators of the line. The locomotive you saw is actually pictured on their webpage:

http://www.nilwirailway.com/

Here are a couple shots of the SW1500 (I found out) sitting in Boyertown. Had to resize them. Hope you enjoy!

Jeremy

Being a Phoenixville resident, it is rewarding to see Berks County having stepped up to the plate and save this line...and erven better, aggresively resuming freight service. I think the name of this forum - Things dont look good for the Colebrookdale Spur should be retitled, as things are looking quite good!

Was in Boyertown again today again to take some more shots of the area, rail was being installed on the line at Philadelphia Ave! Dont know how far up the line they will go though. Someone had mentioned in a previous post about going up to Martin's Quarry, has there been any further word on that?

Jeremy

From Google Maps, the rails appear to be in place as far as and onto the bridge over N. Reading Road. There is a large industry on Spring Street just past the bridge and adjacent to the ROW which obviously was once served by the railroad as the loading platforms are still in place and would certainly be a potential customer.