Posted 1:07 am Friday, June 25, 2010
Abandoned Henderson Rail Line Reopens Under New Ownership
By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer
HENDERSON -- Residents rushed to see a locomotive Thursday as it glided along railroad tracks near the Depot Museum Grounds in Henderson, blowing its whistle the entire way.
Staff Writer
HENDERSON -- Residents rushed to see a locomotive Thursday as it glided along railroad tracks near the Depot Museum Grounds in Henderson, blowing its whistle the entire way.
Phrases such as "I love it" could be heard among the crowd, and some parents pointed out the railway vehicle to their children when it went by.
Once the train stopped, residents took tours of the locomotive and enjoyed hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn. Children also received pennies that were smashed on the railroad.
It was all to celebrate the grand opening of the Henderson/Overton Rail Line, which marks the return of rail service to Henderson.
The 14.1-mile rail line stretches from Overton to Henderson and was abandoned by Union Pacific Railroad about a year ago.
It is now up and running again thanks to the Rusk County Rural Rail Transportation District, which purchased the spur from Union Pacific in May for $1.026 million. The district has hired Blacklands Railroad to run the rail service.
"I see this as kind of the end of the beginning," rail district President John Cloutier said of the grand opening. "We did our homework and the community responded very well to its need, and now we need to capitalize on that as a community and find a way to make sure we support and encourage the business growth online and provide new economic opportunities for the folks of Rusk County and southern Smith County."
ABOVE: Henderson Mayor Buzz Fullen speaks about what the opening of the railroad means for the community and local businesses during a grand opening ceremony Thursday.
He said the 133-year-old spur originally brought in food from surrounding areas, such as Palestine and Nacogdoches, and was used for transportation up until World War II. Through historical research, it was also found that people were meeting loved ones at the rail when they returned home from World War I and World War II, Cloutier said.
He also recalled that there was a man who got stuck in Henderson around Thanksgiving because there were too many turkeys on the train.
In the last 40 to 50 years, though, it has primarily been a freight rail that moved lumber from Henderson, Cloutier said.
Now that it's running again, the predominant users of the rail line will be a broad range of commercial businesses.
"We intend to have … everything from frac sand to saltwater disposal," Cloutier said. "You could even see coal on that thing some day."
State Rep. Chuck Hopson, R-Jacksonville, whose district encompasses Rusk County, told attendees that the region still has a 10 percent jobless rate.
But the hope is that old businesses expand and new businesses take root because of the rail line, he said.
Ray Mitchell, general manager of West Fraser Mills, said the spur will cut a good percentage off the company's transportation cost.
Rick Hanning, community relations manager for Luminant Power, said Luminant has been supportive of the rail line since efforts began.
Although the company is not connected to an outside rail -- unless it's bringing in coal from out-of-state -- there will be options for it to consider partnering with the rail district on, he said.
Local officials and residents had nothing but good things to say about rail service reopening.
"This is a very good economic thing for this county …," Henderson Mayor Buzz Fullen told residents Thursday. "Be proud of what we've got. Be proud of what we've accomplished."
Rusk County Judge Sandra Hodges commended Cloutier for all of his work in bringing rail service back to Henderson, saying, "When he gets tenacious, he is on a role."
Deanna Wooley said she came to the opening because she wanted to be a witness to the locomotive passing through.
The longtime Henderson resident remembers when the train ran behind her house in the 1950s and 1960s.
"It was good for the industry and the area I lived in," Mrs. Wooley said. "We had a saw mill and brick plant."
Another resident, Gay Allen, said she remembers doing a report on the rail line when she was 16.
Her father-in-law, who was born in 1898, also used to put water in the locomotive, Ms. Allen said.
"I remember ... tracks across the highway where you had to watch the train," she said. "I'm so tickled to see it back."
Cloutier expects the first run of freight to be within a week.
Wayne Defebaugh, owner of Blacklands Railroad, said the short-line operator will start off running rail service once or twice a week.
"I think it's a good expansion for us and good for the community," he said. "I look forward to all of it."
