(The following story by John D. Boyd appeared on The Journal of Commerce website on April 6, 2010.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Perry County Port Authority, which operates an Ohio River cargo facility at Tell City, Ind., has contracted with a RailAmerica short line to run a port-owned track operation.
Under the agreement, RailAmerica’s Indiana Southern Railroad will manage the port’s Hoosier Southern Railroad and report to the port authority, that agency said.
Hoosier Southern was once part of the Norfolk Southern Railway system. The port bought it in 1991, and the short line interchanges traffic with NS at Lincoln City, Ind.
Indiana Southern already owns or runs six rail lines in Indiana, and operates over 196 miles of track between Indianapolis and Evansville. That area covers bituminous coal fields and corn farms.
Hoosier Southern has about 22 track miles, hauling basic materials including pig iron, coke, coal and woodchips that it picks up from barges at the port. Its Web site carries the slogan “where the rail meets the river.”
The port authority said the change to having an outside manager of the railroad was prompted by the recent retirement of the port’s CEO and vice chairman, Richard L. Neumann, who had long experience in the railroad industry.
Board Chairman Alvin Evans said it turned to RailAmerica as an expert in short line rail operations, and to tap Indiana Southern’s “expertise, resources and efficiencies.”