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Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeOpinionRJ Corman Railroad should pay to refurbish their bridge

RJ Corman Railroad should pay to refurbish their bridge

RJ Corman train and logoThe State of Tennessee has been asked in the name of the residents of Clarksville, Montgomery County and Stewart County Tennessee to issue a grant for the refurbishment of the RJ Corman Railroad bridge. This bridge passes over Riverside Drive in Clarksville before it crosses the Cumberland River on itā€™s journey to the TVAā€™s Cumberland City Power Plant in Stewart County. Both the railroad and the bridge are privately owned and operated by the RJ Corman Railroad Group LLC, a for profit company.

The Montgomery County Rail Service Authority requested a $1.5 million dollar transportation enhancement grant from the State Department of Transportation for this project. The grant uses federal funds administered by the state with matching local funds (80% Federal /20% Local). This would involve approximately $300,000Ā in matching local funds (state, county, city). This grant was spearheaded by a consultant for the RJ Corman Company who wrote it up and brought it to the county.

Map of the RJ Corman Railroad line servicing Clarksville, TNWhy is the RJ Corman Company not being required to pay all or a significant portion of the refurbishment costs for itā€™s bridge. The taxpayers are basically being asked to give the RJ Corman company corporate welfare. Sure, the county is asking forĀ theĀ grant, which is mostly free money as far as they are concerned, but in the end it still comes out of the taxpayers pockets.

The bridge could be reasonably called an eye sore, due to its current state. It is past the time to require the RJ Corman Company to perform the maintenance, that they should have been doing all along.

If the city or county wants other additions such as specific paint colors orĀ additional decorative lighting, then of course they should contribute towards the cost of those improvements, but sandblasting and painting should be the sole responsibility of owners ofĀ the bridge, the RJ Corman Company.

If we pay for the maintenance this time, we will likely end up paying for it from now on. The RJ Corman Company will have no interest in paying to maintain their bridge when they know that the city, county, and state will do it for them, for free.

The RJ Corman Railroad Bridge

References:

  1. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060711/OPINION01/607110303/1014
  2. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060710/NEWS01/607100322/1002/NEWS17


R.J. CORMAN RAILROAD Co.
LOCAL OFFICE: R. J. Corman Railroad Company
145 East 1st Street
PO Box 337
Guthrie, KY 42234Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 

Telephone: 270-483-9000
Fax: 270-483-9009
24-Hour Emergency #: 1-800-772-9091
E-mail: kwhyatt@rjcorman.com
Principle Contacts: R.J. Corman, Chairman of Board Pete Petree, President Keith Hyatt, Division Manager

RAILROAD AUTHORITY: Montgomery County Rail Service Authority
Montgomery County Courthouse
PO Box 368
Clarksville, TN 37041-0368Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 

Telephone: 931-648-5787
Fax: 931-553-5177
Email: dweiland@montgomerycountytn.org
Principle Contact: Douglas Weiland, Chairman

PRINCIPLE CONNECTIONS: CSX Transportation-Bowling Green and Guthrie, KY
AREA SERVED: This line runs from Bowling Green through Guthrie, KY to Cumberland City, TN and on the Logan Branch, a total distance of 92 miles. It runs approximately 35 miles into Montgomery and Stewart Counties of Tennessee.
PRINCIPLE SHIPPERS: Logan Aluminum, Precision Strip, Quebecor World, Zinifex Clarksville, Inc. and Standard Gypsum.
COMMODITIES CARRIED: Aluminum, steel, paper, sulfuric acid, grain, fertilizer, and dry wall
TOTAL INDUSTRIES SERVED: 36
TOTAL CARLOADS: 16,480 per year
EQUIPMENT: 52 locomotives, 138 boxcars, 90 bulkhead flat cars, 12 hopper cars, 2 gondolas
BRIEF HISTORY: RJ Corman Railroad purchased this line in 1987 from CSX Transportation.


Bill Larson
Bill Larson
Bill Larson isĀ  is politically and socially active in the community. Bill is a member of the Friends of Dunbar Cave. You can reach him via telephone at 931-249-0043 or via the email address below.
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