RICHLAND, Wash. — The Port of Benton has hired Washington short line operator Columbia Rail to operate the 16-mile railroad at the industrial facilities on land that once hosted the Manhattan Project nuclear weapon program.
The Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business reports that the port commission has approved a 24-month agreement under which Columbia Rail will pay $13,000 a month for use of the line and a locomotive repair facility, while the port will repay the money in the form of maintenance. It is a first step in restoring a line that has deteriorated to 5-mph operation; the port continues to seek state and federal grants to fund the needed repairs.
A prior operator, Tri-City Railroad Co., was evicted in 2022 over disputes over track condition and access to information. The new contract includes detailed maintenance requirements for Columbia, and mandates that it shares inspection reports and information about rail traffic.
Columbia Rail operates short lines and terminal switching — five operations in all — in Washington state and Oregon. The Journal of Business reports it had begun assessing the tracks prior to agreeing to the contract and has committed to returning several port-owned locomotives to operation.
Wow, I never knew that part of the area once hosted the Manhattan project.
The drama behind this is right out of the TV show Dallas.
TCRY (including its owners) and the Port of Benton have been at each others throat since before the lease agreement was signed. TCRY also has a federal lawsuit with the City of Richland for what is claimed as tampering with UP to undermine their switching agreements. Seems a whistleblower came forward claiming the City was contacting UP directly to interfere with TCRY operations.
Actually, an attorney for the City of Richland sent a letter to the UP saying if they didn’t put pressure on TCRY to allow the crossing (UP had no problem, TCRY wanted the city to pay) they would find UP in violation of an agreement made with the city. TCRY refused to budge unless the city paid their expenses, city refused. So UP revoked TCRY’s agent status. TCRY filed suit for retaliation.
The owners of TCRY also own another company (NWA) that was going to distribute biofuels through a rail served business park. Just as they were getting it setup and had a transload dock built, the Port decided to terminate their temporary rail service agreement for the branch line (a permanent one was not agreed to yet) so the port could get a crossing built to serve a regional mall. (same crossing as above)
It also appears that TCRY was collecting a number of inoperable engines in their engine shed and was down to 5mph operations, which the Port claimed was due to lack of track maintenance. The loss of the UP agency was costing TCRY money and it was showing in their MOW and ability to get parts to fix their motive power.
Egads, what a mess.