World Photos by Lou Sennick
Weeds and small trees are growing on the rail line between Coos Bay and Coquille in this view of the tracks near Greenacres. The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is seeking control of the line from North Bend to Coquille, either through purchase or lease agreement with the Union Pacific Railroad, so improvements can be done on that section of the railroad.
Union Pacific still owns the section of rail line between North Bend and Coquille.
Port officials are talking with railroad giant Union Pacific about leasing or purchasing the tracks from Coos Bay to Coquille. The short segment of line is considered crucial to operating the railroad successfully.
Repairs are under way on four tunnels along the 111-mile Coos Bay Rail Link between Eugene and Coos Bay. The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is looking for more funds to be able to re-open the line sometime next summer or fall. But the port really needs use of the spur from Coos Bay to Coquille for the line to chug into business.
Two of the big shippers that will help pay for service are Georgia-Pacific and Roseburg Forest Products.
“We need some kind of operating agreement (with Union Pacific) to serve those two customers,” said Martin Callery, director of communications.
The port has approached UP, which technically still has a lease agreement with Central Oregon Pacific Railroad, to work a deal.
Usually silent on local rail issues, Union Pacific’s director of corporate communications did respond to questions this week about railroad talks.
“Union Pacific has had discussions with the port about that piece of property,” Tom Lange said.
And that’s all he said in an e-mail.
The port already received $2.5 million in federal funds to repair four tunnels along the line. It has hired LRL Construction of Tillamook to do the work, which began last Tuesday.
But repairs are needed to the tracks and bridges along the line before rail service can resume, Callery said. So the port recently submitted another application for federal stimulus funds, some of which could be used to help upgrade the UP track. The deadline to apply for the funds expired Tuesday, and federal officials are expected to award funds sometime this winter, Callery said.
Callery predicted the port could re-open the line by next September ” if the port can pull together enough money. The port purchased the rail line in May from CORP, which closed the line in September 2007 over safety concerns regarding three tunnels.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Comment Policy
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
No deliberately false information.
No obscenity or racially offensive language.
No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
No information that invades another person's privacy.
No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.
Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
It is not "as long as the tax payer pays", it is a long as it takes for the people of this area to wake up and demand that the Port be returned to the locals. As long as it is a state port it will continue to be run by people who don't have a clue on what it takes to make a little port like ours function economically. A petition, state wide or local, to remove the port from state control is the only thing that will ever curb their ridiculous spending.
Do whatever it takes to get the railroad up and running again. It is vital to the economy of the South Coast. Jobs that can support a family are the result of good planning with the railroad at the center of things. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR ONCE...
Port leasing or purchasing the tracks from Coos Bay to Coquille?????
I'd like to know how they figure to fix their existing problems first, let alone lease or purchase more, guess as long as the USA Citizen tax payer keeps payin their taxes, this Ghost rail line traveling FAST to brokesville, Oregon will continue...
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines