(The following story by Jim Stinson appeared on the Post-Tribune website on March 24.)
GARY, Ind. — With 1,000 carloads of grain at stake, farmers in LaPorte County are scrambling to save a rail line from Union Mills into Malden, and their plans include asking for money from Porter County government.
Dean Kaesebier, general manager for the LaPorte County Farm Bureau Association, said the track serves loading areas in Union Mills and LaCrosse.
Grain is then shipped to the key Malden operation in Morgan Township.
If the rail line is abandoned by CSX Transportation, it will leave farmers with only the alternative of trucking out the grain, a more expensive option. Instead, the association wants to purchase the 33-mile line with a little help from friends, including the county governments of LaPorte, Porter and Starke.
The association has asked CSX for a purchase price. Kaesebier said CSX wants $1.8 million.
“We obviously feel that’s high,” said Kaesebier, who added the association is still in talks with the train company.
David Hall, regional spokesperson for CSX, could not be reached for comment on why the line is being closed.
The association will offer a new price once it is able to assess what contributions it will get from the governments. Kaesebier said Starke County has all but committed financial resources, and that LaPorte County officials are interested in helping.
Kaesebier gave no dollar figures on what the association would like from the counties.
The association hopes to meet with Porter County officials before CSX closes the line at the end of March.
Porter County Commissioner Robert Harper and County Councilman Robert Poparad both said they hadn’t heard of the association’s dilemma.
Poparad, known for being a fiscal conservative, would only say the association could feel free to ask the council.