Digest: BNSF to resume taconite payments in Superior, Wis.

BNSF to resume taconite payments to Superior, Wis., homeowners
BNSF Railway will resume taconite-dust cleaning payments to homeowners near its taconite loading facility in Superior, Wis., after having stopped some of the payments earlier this year. Wisconsin Public Radio reports the payments, which the company has paid out for almost 50 years to cover the cost of power-washing or other activity to remove the coating from homes, will resume for homes within a half-mile of its Allouez Taconite Facility. “While I understand that this adjustment will not cover every single property currently affected by the taconite dust, the plan provides meaningful relief to the vast majority of those that have been receiving payments,” city council member Jenny Van Sickle in a news release. The railroad had stopped some payments, saying it had found “irregularities” in some payments [see “Digest: U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear case over Brightline bonds,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 6, 2020].

Patriot Rail to acquire Salt Lake, Garfield & Western

Shortline operator Patriot Rail Co. will acquire Utah’s Salt Lake, Garfield & Western and related storage and transload service providers in a deal announced this morning. Financial terms were not disclosed; the deal is subject to regulatory approval and closing conditions. The 26-mile rail line hands more than 6,000 cars annually and connects with Union Pacific and BNSF Railway. It is the first line added by Patriot since the company was acquired by infrastructure investment firm First Sentier Investors. Patriot currently operates 12 short lines in Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Washington, and California.CSX derailment damages bridge over I-94, will lead to road closure in Dearborn, Mich.
At least one car of a CSX Transportation train has derailed on a bridge over Interstate 94 in Dearborn, Mich., damaging the bridge, closing freeway exits, and meaning the freeway will require a full closure when equipment arrives to address the derailed equipment. WWJ Radio reports the derailment occurred about 5:30 a.m. today, and has a railcar hanging over the exits to Wyoming and Michigan avenues.