Saratoga & North Creek (S&NC) Discussion

Yes, OK, I see what you're saying now. Operating authority and property ownership are two different topics, but yes, if the STB were to permit abandonment, and if the abandonment were to be consummated, then Katie bar the door, there would be free-for-all for the underlying property.

As I stated in the CMRR forum, once the abandonment is consummated and the entity is no longer part of the national network, the underlying property has no more status than that of your backyard. Personally, I'm not interested in after-the-fact property issues and (generally) don't offer any opinions. I realize a lot of folks do, and hey, more power to you.

As stated in an earlier post, I don't think we'll get to that point. This case notwithstanding, I haven't seen a successful adverse abandonment case yet.

There is some speculation that a local group definitely wants to operate holiday trains on the southern portion.

Safetee wrote:There is some speculation that a local group definitely wants to operate holiday trains on the southern portion.

Sounds good! Altho I must ask, using whose motive power, equipment, people and insurance?

With all the issues in the world to worry about, I am glad to see NYS busy spending taxpayer money and legal resources to try and abandon a rail line that has seen active service in the last few years. Some stone did ship from Tahawus and at least 3 carloads shipped from Barton. Like was earlier stated, I don't see NYS winning this case. But I can't believe they are spending the resources to file this.

More amazing is the fact that they go so low as to exaggerate the crossing accident at The Glen to help justify their lame case. NYS actually has the audacity to state that public health and safety will be improved by abandoning the line to Tahawus. They footnote the crossing accident at The Glen this past winter as evidence. To refresh everyone's mind, a Town employee went across a grade crossing too fast, his plow on his pickup truck hit the rail and he ran into the snowbank. He claimed he sped up when he saw the parked locomotive just to the north of the crossing. The whole story was suspect and seemed made up to cover for an irresponsible action. First of all, if I was driving a pickup truck with a low plow in front, I would approach the crossing at reduced speed. I would look both ways and I would be able to tell the locomotive was not moving. There is good distant visibility at this crossing (See Page 10 of the July 23rd document).

Also a false statement on Page 3 of the July 23rd filing. It states 80 carloads of stone were moved for use on the SNC. The carloads actually went to Massachusetts for use on a different IP property.

Just a slight correction. The stone was used on MBTA property. IPH was the contract operator of the line that was owned and used by MBTA, as well as used by IPH. The stone was purchased for MBTA by IPH, so MBTA was the one writing the checks.

By the sound of things, Warren County is contemplating seizing Saratoga and North Creeks remaining on line assets and auctioning them off in order to recoup SNC overdue taxes etc.

are the assets on county property?

For those of you waiting for the auction, don’t hold your breath. The equipment is gone. Some parts still remain but will be long gone before any legal action can be completed.

J-

Gone where? It was still in North Creek yard on August 29th. I have not heard of anything moving off the property via the Saratoga interchange with CP.

The verb is will be aka the future. I think The Man is saying whoever owns the equipment can remove it before a court can issue a lien or even an injunction.

People have been working for like two months now to pack up all the stuff that was up there and get it out. It will all be gone soon enough.

Anybody know where the BL2's are headed?

That's a good sign that IP is paying as much attention as it can to securing their assets.

All the equipment was moved from North Creek to Corinth. Nothing left up there but some skids of parts that need to be shipped out and a backhoe and some old hirail trucks that are being moved out shortly. SNC 52 and SNC 5 worked together to remove the equipment and secure it.

J-