DNR begins $30 Million Monon South Trail Development

[BigMoose]

Wonder how they’re going to get across the White River at Bedford?

View attachment 315897

They are not. That section of the Monon was under a different abandonment proceeding filed back in the 90s.

Its hard to explain, CSX filed to abandon it, and was granted permission in abeyance. Once the other railroad with trackage rights quit using it, the abandonment became effective. Hence why the yellow/orange line does not go all the way to Bedford.

 

[ancjr]

I will have too look, but I know a couple of the class actions got tossed. You really have to do a ton of sleuthing looking at various dockets. As is usual in this stuff, the news posts the initial juicy tidbits about the cases being filed.. never a follow up

You have to go digging through casetext.com stuff to find them.

I was not aware of any cases that were seeking to stop or delay the trail at all, news or otherwise.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

They are not. That section of the Monon was under a different abandonment proceeding filed back in the 90s.

Its hard to explain, CSX filed to abandon it, and was granted permission in abeyance. Once the other railroad with trackage rights quit using it, the abandonment became effective. Hence why the yellow/orange line does not go all the way to Bedford.

I see. The bridge that used to cross the White River got burned down a few years ago. (IIRC).

 

[BigMoose]

I was not aware of any cases that were seeking to stop or delay the trail at all, news or otherwise.

There were suits of all types.. People wanting compensation, people demanding the land (which would have stopped the trail), another railroad suing that it wasn't given fair chance to preserve the corridor as a railroad.

There were far more suits filed then what the news filed.

 

[BigMoose]

I see. The bridge that used to cross the White River got burned down a few years ago. (IIRC).

Well not burnt down, but damaged badly... and that was only one of two incidents.

I need to find the dates, but at some point someone set the wood ties atop the steel bridge aflame
(and this was a serial firebug that was going around attempting to do this to other Indiana bridges)

Then some dimwit went and released the brakes on some stored cars south of the bridge. They derailed and damaged the bridge further.

CSX Neglect didn't help once the bridge was beyond repair... a huge logham damaged the bridge pilings.

You can see the derail mess on google earth.

 

[ancjr]

I know it was interesting to see how careful and respectful CSX employees were with all the railroad equipment and property, and then the scrap contractors came through, sometimes the next day, breaking and smashing everything they could.

 

[ancjr]

Well not burnt down, but damaged badly... and that was only one of two incidents.

I need to find the dates, but at some point someone set the wood ties atop the steel bridge aflame
(and this was a serial firebug that was going around attempting to do this to other Indiana bridges)

Then some dimwit went and released the brakes on some stored cars south of the bridge. They derailed and damaged the bridge further.

CSX Neglect didn't help once the bridge was beyond repair... a huge logham damaged the bridge pilings.

You can see the derail mess on google earth.

View attachment 315899

There's a good sized washout behind the Walmart in Salem as well.

 

[BigMoose]

I know it was interesting to see how careful and respectful CSX employees were with all the railroad equipment and property, and then the scrap contractors came through, sometimes the next day, breaking and smashing everything they could.

Hah, difference between union workers on the railroad... and the fly by night scrap outfits, that want to be out of there ASAP.

 

[BigMoose]

There's a good sized washout behind the Walmart in Salem as well.

There is a picture of that.. it revealed some interesting history. (or maybe its another I am thinking of, there are several washouts).

In one place near Salem the railroad washed and revealed big blocks on Indiana Limestone the railroad had use to shortcut making a fill, the water neatly removed the small ballast, but left the huge limestone chunks

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Well not burnt down, but damaged badly... and that was only one of two incidents.

I need to find the dates, but at some point someone set the wood ties atop the steel bridge aflame
(and this was a serial firebug that was going around attempting to do this to other Indiana bridges)

Then some dimwit went and released the brakes on some stored cars south of the bridge. They derailed and damaged the bridge further.

CSX Neglect didn't help once the bridge was beyond repair... a huge logham damaged the bridge pilings.

You can see the derail mess on google earth.

View attachment 315899

I was thinking they tore it the rest of the way down.

 

[BigMoose]

Here it is.

 

[ancjr]

There is a picture of that.. it revealed some interesting history. (or maybe its another I am thinking of, there are several washouts).

In one place near Salem the railroad washed and revealed big blocks on Indiana Limestone the railroad had use to shortcut making a fill, the water neatly removed the small ballast, but left the huge limestone chunks

Yes, those limestone blocks are apparent in many places between Borden and Campbellsburg that I know of.

 

[ancjr]

There was a smaller washout just outside of Borden on the north side as well. It was mostly repaired.

After seeing the condition of the trail, and what would need to be done to pave and maintain it, I just don't see it being completed or sustained....

 

[ancjr]

Hah, difference between union workers on the railroad... and the fly by night scrap outfits, that want to be out of there ASAP.

I tried to be as nice to all of them as I possibly could. I think they'd all agree if you asked them.

 

[BigMoose]

I was thinking they tore it the rest of the way down.

I haven't been down that way in a bit. But Railroads generally won't remove those big bridges unless forced too.

Since abandonment was approved on that section, they don't have to make legal filings for anything they do on that section.

I did see where CSX removed that track in 2022

The bridge was there at least in 2018.

Burnt/CSX/L&N/Monon Bridge over East Fork White River near Bedford, IN

Satellite (no Bridge Hunter? I saved the satellite image to catch the log jam) Carlton Crasher posted several photos with the comment...

industrialscenery.blogspot.com

 

[snorko]

I haven't been down that way in a bit. But Railroads generally won't remove those big bridges unless forced too.

Since abandonment was approved on that section, they don't have to make legal filings for anything they do on that section.

I did see where CSX removed that track in 2022

The bridge was there at least in 2018.

Burnt/CSX/L&N/Monon Bridge over East Fork White River near Bedford, IN

Satellite (no Bridge Hunter? I saved the satellite image to catch the log jam) Carlton Crasher posted several photos with the comment...

industrialscenery.blogspot.com

When a line is abandoned and the NITU (notice of interim trail use) is completed, the RR is required to remove the ties and rails but must leave all bridges, trestles and such structures in place.

I don't know about cases being thrown out but Blevins (Cessna) v US and Popp v US were settled before trial.

 

[BigMoose]

When a line is abandoned and the NITU (notice of interim trail use) is completed, the RR is required to remove the ties and rails but must leave all bridges, trestles and such structures in place.

The section near Bedford (that includes the White river bridge) was a straight up abandonment, no NITU. (old style pre railbanking)

It's one of the weirder things, but the owner of the line CSX was given permission to Abandon the track back in the 90s, however the section was in use by a Trackage rights holder. At first this was the SOO LINE, which had trackage rights over CSX from Bedford to Louisville. So the abandonment could not be effective until the trackage rights user filed to abandon those rights. (Held in abayance) The rights passed to Canadian Pacific, Who sold the trackage rights (and the connecting line) to the Indiana Rail Road.
Indiana Rail Road filed to abandon those trackage rights sometime after 2009, and thus the consumation of the abandoment for the Bedford section was effective imediately.

It is a process that is rarely done.. but it freed CSX from certain obligations in Bedford.

 

[ancjr]

Southern Indiana landowners could be eligible for thousands of dollars

"A lot of landowners are pleasantly surprised," Attorney Lindsay Brinton said.

www.whas11.com

 

[jamil]

Southern Indiana landowners could be eligible for thousands of dollars

"A lot of landowners are pleasantly surprised," Attorney Lindsay Brinton said.

www.whas11.com

So let me get this straight. I paying taxes which go towards building the trail. And now I’m gonna be helping to pay for the lawsuit because they’re building the trail.

Good that these property owners are getting compensated for the land grab. I just wish the people whose brain fart this was to make the ***damn trail, had to pay for both. Or better yet, just let the people keep their property.

 

[ancjr]

So let me get this straight. I paying taxes which go towards building the trail. And now I’m gonna be helping to pay for the lawsuit because they’re building the trail.

Good that these property owners are getting compensated for the land grab. I just wish the people whose brain fart this was to make the ***damn trail, had to pay for both. Or better yet, just let the people keep their property.

I think the .gov also had to buy land back they they had given to CSX. I'd love for someone to investigate and give an actual total.