Will the STB allow BNSF to discontinue service to the plant? Are thwere any intact rail lines in the vicinity?
Once, maybe twice a month to Lyons, at best guess. Decent size facility at Lyons too. Going back as far as Oct 2010, the plant still switched cars with what looked to be a GE 44T locomotive. Today, switching is done by TrackMobile. The area, seen from Google Maps, Oct 2012 Line to upper left leads back to BNSF main back to Longmont. Plus a short section to the west, used for car storage. Usually 2 bay covered hoppers. Where road makes a wye, at right, is the end of the line. Switch lead for silos and maybe acting as the end of a long arrival/departure track. My guess anyway.
There's track between the plant and Longmont. Problem is, how much of it washed away during the massive flooding? Not to mention, but how bad was the cement plant damaged in the floods? Might have to make a run up that way and see what I can find. If I can even get that far! Would go the back roads, so I can follow the track a bit better. Then again...........
It's disappointing that BNSF appears to take the negative "Don't bother, there's only one customer" attitude. Rather than aggressively marketing their services encouraging this customer to expand and other customers to locate in the area.
May also depend on if the customer, in this case, the cement plant. This is what a friend, with UP was telling me. I myself, do NOT know if the info given is true or not. Would be nice if the line was rebuilt. I'll have to see what I can find, and/or see from the roads in the area, as long as I have access, and roads are not washed out yet.
Lyons access able now, without a permit. So, the folks and I ran up yesterday, since Mom wanted to go to the quilting store there. BNSF has rebuilt, or at least in process of rebuilding the Lyons branch track to the cement company. You can see in places where they had to rebuild the grade, and where track branches of to cement company, there's a massive amount of new track ballast there. Piled up and spread around. No cars to be seen at the time. However, conditions of the cement plant are unknown. Can't get in close enough to see any damage to cement plant, if any. Guess there's enough business to warrant rebuilding the line!
Be careful! Predecessor BN had a cute little tactic. It worked this way: Put just enough money into a branch you want to abandon, to tip the books into a nice solid negative. Run info that to the government, (wailing as to how we're losing big bucks), staffed by people who know nothing about business accounting, and quickly get permission to abandon. Zap, the line is gone. There is a nice tax write off, (paper loss), money back from the salvage and sales of assets....
