(The following story by Ed Marcum appeared on the Knoxville News-Sentinel website on June 6, 2010.)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Norfolk Southern railroad continues to keep an eye on New Market as a possible site for an intermodal facility as part of its Crescent Corridor, but has shifted its focus to other projects on the route.
Rudy Husband, director of public relations for Norfolk Southern, would not elaborate on the status of the proposed New Market facility where shipping trailers are transferred between trucks and trains, except that it still is under consideration. He indicated Thursday that developments were about where they stood when the railroad released details of its proposal to the public about a year ago.
“We do think the demand is there for an increased intermodal presence, but we haven’t really moved beyond anything more specific than that at this point,” Husband said. “Our focus as far as the Crescent Corridor right now is on our terminals in Memphis, Birmingham and Greencastle, Pa.”
The Crescent Corridor is a 2,500 mile rail network running through 13 states that Norfolk Southern plans to enhance with intermodal terminals and other improvements into a system linking the Gulf Coast to New England and with connections to the Port of Virginia and to the West Coast via Chicago. Some key points of the system include truck/train facilities in Memphis, Birmingham and several in Pennsylvania, plus track and signaling improvements at numerous points.
As with the terminals in Memphis, Birmingham and elsewhere, the facility proposed for New Market would allow trucking companies to transfer containers or trailers onto railroad cars to be shipped across the country. The New Market terminal would be able to handle about 180 trailers or containers a day. Norfolk Southern proposes to build it on 280 acres next to New Market Elementary School off Highway 11E.
While the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Jefferson County government officials have courted Norfolk Southern to build its facility in New Market, the proposal has drawn some opposition. A group of residents who said the large railroad facility would ruin the rural character of the community formed Jefferson County Tomorrow to try stopping the project. Norfolk Southern and county officials held a public meeting in July 2009 to discuss the proposal and the discussion sometimes got heated.
Phil Kindred, chairman of Jefferson County Commission, said not much information on the project has come out since.
“The only thing I have heard lately is that they (Norfolk Southern) are still moving forward and trying to get some options lined up on property,” he said. “That’s about what we have been hearing for the last several months.”
Jefferson County Mayor Alan Palmieri could not be reached for comment but said in an earlier interview that he had been unable to get information from Norfolk Southern on the status of the facility. Kindred said property owners are being quiet about whether they have been approached by the railroad.
Told about Husband’s comments, Kindred said they fit with his understanding of the railroad’s plans.
“Memphis and Birmingham are probably more important to them, however, New Market, or a site in this area, is still an important part of the Crescent,” Kindred said.
Aside from public opposition the railroad has encountered, Kindred said he believes the recession probably has slowed the railroad’s plans to move forward with the project.
“I don’t believe it will be soon, but I do believe eventually the facility will be built,” he said.