Indiana Rail Road Company Keeping Crane Rail Service

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(BEDFORD, IN) - The Indiana Railroad Company has announced that the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Crane will still be rail served by the company.

The base will still receive rail service despite a proposed plan for abandonment of a portion of the Indiana Rail Road main line in Lawrence and Martin Counties.

According to a press release issued from the Indiana Railroad Company, the company is in the process of filing a petition with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board in Washington D.C. to allow the abandonment of just over 21 miles of railroad from Bedford to Burns City in Martin County.

Thomas Hoback, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Indiana Railroad Company stated "we want to make it clear that the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center will still be rail served, the base is an important rail customer and we move freight for them on a regular basis."

Hoback says that the proposal to abandon the line came as a result of there not being enougth rail business remaining to justify costly renovation on the line.

CSX Railroad Company has similar plans with their rail lines in Lawrence County although this company is filing for a discontinuance of service with the Transportation Board unlike the abandonment of the line which Indiana Railroad Company is petitioning for which would mean the complete removal of the tracks.

Mitchell Mayor Dan Terrell says that by CSX filing of the discontinuance of service is a prelude to total abandonment.

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