Oregon Watchdog: Smith urges STB to require repair of closed rail line

OREGON U. S. SENATOR
Gordon Smith
Press Release: April 24, 2008
Contact: Lindsay Jackson, 202-224-3753

Smith to Rail Line: Step Up
Urges STB to require CORP to repair closed line

- Washington, DC - Senator Gordon Smith today called on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to pressure Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad (CORP) to live up to the responsibility that comes with running a rail line. At a hearing before the STB today, Senator Smith criticized CORP’s response to the closure and urged the STB to force CORP to take immediate action.

“Buying a railroad is not like buying a burger franchise,” Smith said. “There is tremendous responsibility to serve the public good that comes with owning a railroad. Entire communities - the livelihoods of families - depend on it. Anyone not interested in meeting those obligations better think twice.”

Allyn Ford, President of Roseburg Forest Products, also testified this morning regarding the tremendous impact the closure is having on his company and the entire region. Roseburg Forest Products is spending an additional $167,000 a month since the rail closure to ship products from the coast by truck.

Last September, CORP closed the rail line connecting Coquille and Eugene because of safety concerns. The seven month long closure is having a massive economic impact on the region, costing local companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses and additional transportation costs and forcing job cuts. Last week, the STB ordered Rail America and CORP to demonstrate why the service failure is not unlawful and why they should not be required to make repairs and resume service immediately. CORP has until May 12 to respond.
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