Members of the public will have the chance to offer their input on the lease of North Judson’s short-line railroad. Last month, the town council selected Lake State Railway to lease the line. Tonight, the town’s holding a public hearing on the lease at 6:30 at North Judson Town Hall.
One of the groups impacted by the deal is the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum. It’s had to suspend its excursion trains beyond English Lake and into LaCrosse, under the terms of a short-term extension of the town’s operating agreement with the Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad. Meanwhile, that particular section of track was used to store freight cars in recent months.
Once public comments are gathered this evening, the town plans to meet with representatives from the museum, Lake State Railway, Co-Alliance, and any other interested customers to set up a schedule for the line and agree upon some common goals. The new operator will also have to negotiate rates with the railroad’s freight customers.
