Intermodal facility being explored |
Intermodal facility being explored |
Aug 20 2007, 01:01 PM
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#1
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Spends WAY too much time at CBTL Group: Admin Posts: 16,426 Joined: 8-December 06 From: Michigan City, IN Member No.: 2 |
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=54065.42
QUOTE Co. Committee To Look At Intermodal Officials to start advisory task force to ensure ‘transparent’ process in development. Laurie Wink The News-Dispatch LA PORTE - An advisory task force is being created to help county officials evaluate prospective developers and sites for an intermodal freight terminal in La Porte County. County Commission President Barbara Huston said in a press release Friday the commissioners are developing an "orderly and fair process" that would involve public input. The task force will have 15 to 20 members. The convergence of rail lines, coupled with closeness to major interstate highways, has positioned La Porte County as a prime location for a facility that could create jobs and boost economic development. It would serve as a place where cargo is transferred between trucks and trains. Two railroad companies are said to be eying locations here, but are saying little publicly about their plans. Some property owners have said they have been approached by a real estate company that has been buying options on farmland in southern La Porte County. "We will put a very public, transparent process in place to evaluate developers and sites before we ever give approvals to anyone," Huston said. Huston said the county has received multiple inquiries from real estate firms, venture capital groups, railroads and real estate investment trusts interested in prospective county locations. She said county attorney Shaw Friedman and county economic development coordinator Matt Reardon will coordinate contacts and issue a request of interest to identify serious proposals. Her own preference is to use the Kingsbury Industrial Park as the site of the intermodal facility, but she and the other commissioners are open to all possibilities, she said. |
Aug 23 2007, 08:40 PM
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#2
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 4-April 07 Member No.: 182 |
Realistically, how much new construction can even be done in the Kingsbury "Industrial" Plant. I once heard that much of the property was off-limits because of half buried unexploded ordinance. I guess a bulldozer rolling over a howitzer shell would get the land leveled real quick-like.
Here's the kind of stuff you'll be clearing off that property: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2466792 If I had to guess why CSX wants to build in Union Mills and not Kingsbury, it would be that they used to own another north-south rail line that ran through UM. The line from UM southward was sold; the line north of UM was abandoned and ripped up. It is possible that they still own a nice chunk of land north of UM that they just want to add on to. I will go to the geeky railfan forum that I lurk on and pose this to them... Put simply, mean reversion is a bitch. -Vitaliy Katsenelson
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Aug 24 2007, 01:57 PM
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#3
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 4-April 07 Member No.: 182 |
Realistically, how much new construction can even be done in the Kingsbury "Industrial" Plant. I once heard that much of the property was off-limits because of half buried unexploded ordinance. I guess a bulldozer rolling over a howitzer shell would get the land leveled real quick-like. Here's the kind of stuff you'll be clearing off that property: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2466792 If I had to guess why CSX wants to build in Union Mills and not Kingsbury, it would be that they used to own another north-south rail line that ran through UM. The line from UM southward was sold; the line north of UM was abandoned and ripped up. It is possible that they still own a nice chunk of land north of UM that they just want to add on to. I will go to the geeky railfan forum that I lurk on and pose this to them... Ok. Here is a response I got on the railroad forum: My understanding is CSXT owns a large area of land next to their tracks near Wellsboro (Union Mills) and have been leasing it out to farmers all this time. I'm not sure how big or who originally owned the land. It could be from the Pere Marquette or old B&O land, I'm not sure. My understanding is that an unnamed developer is wanting to build this yard, with a partnership with CSX. I don't know if this developer owns any land of their own near here or not. NS is proposing to build their own intermodal yard near La Porte. I'm not sure if this is a partnership also or strictly a NS project. CSX is also looking into putting an intermodal yard in part of the old Gibson Yard in Hammond, Indiana. Rumor is that the state needs to replace the Indianapolis Boulevard bridge over the site, and CSX is trying to convince them to raise it up high enough to fit a MI Jack lift under it. Understand also, that a lot of the "proposed" sites are probably just a smoke screen to draw attention away from the sites they really want. They might not even be anywhere near NW Indiana. Put simply, mean reversion is a bitch. -Vitaliy Katsenelson
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