| Goodbye to CKR |
|
As reported here on 3/16/01, and now by several of Kansas's
leading newspapers - the CKR has sold majority of its assets
and branchlines to the SKOL railroad. The sale is to be
completed on or around April 21st. The sale involves several hundred miles of rail line, 30% of which is up for abandonment or being considered for abandonment by CKR. The abandonment decisions are to be returned by the STB on April 21st too. South-central Kansas rail shippers, who have seen steadily declining service, soaring land lease prices and abandonment of hundreds of miles of rural tracks, are welcoming the news. "I think if we were dealing with a new owner, things might change," said Charlie Swayze, manager of the Farmers Equity Co-op at Isabel and one of the most vocal supporters of shortline service in the state. "I certainly can't see how service could get much worse than it is now." But for Wichita city officials who hope to remove a railroad bridge over Cowskin Creek in west Wichita as early as this summer, it could mean delays or complications. Please review the following for more details. It is not clear the exact date that SKOL will take over operations. It may be shortly after the commencement of the sale - but certainly prior to Kansas wheat harvest. The availability of cars from the SKOL will be watched closely,
as the SKOL is purchasing CKR's cars - which were still insufficent
to service the number of shippers on the line. The SKOL does
not have an excessive of amount of grain cars either.
|