Georges Creek Railway

The Georges Creek Railway (reporting mark GCK) is a shortline railroad in Western Maryland that performs contract switching and owns a 14-mile line between Westernport and Carlos. The railroad is headquartered at 119 Pratt St. in Luke in the former Luke Post Office.[1] Gerald Altizer and Pat Stakem are the primary partners in the company.[2]

Georges Creek Railway
Overview
HeadquartersLuke, Maryland
Reporting markGCK
LocaleWestern Maryland
Dates of operationJuly 10, 2006 (July 10, 2006)–Present
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length14 miles (23 km)
Other
Websitehttp://www.wmwestsub.com/connellsvillesub/gckrail.html

Operating since December 2007[3] on CSX Transportation and plant trackage,[2] the firm does contract switching services for the Verso (formerly NewPage) Paper Mill in Luke.[4]

An article in the Baltimore Business Journal dated April 30, 2019 announced the closing of the paper mill in Luke by June 30, which will affect the employment of the GCK's Alco T-6.[5]

Dockets numbered 1293X and 1294X and filed with the Surface Transportation Board on February 3, 2020 state, "Eighteen Thirty Group, LLC (“Eighteen Thirty”) and Georges Creek Railway (“GCR”) file this Verified Notice of Exemption pursuant to the class exemption at 49 C.F.R. § 1152.50 for Eighteen Thirty to abandon and GCR to discontinue service over an approximately 7.54-mile rail line between milepost BAI 26.00 in Moscow, MD and milepost BAI 18.46 in Shaft, MD, all in Allegany County, MD (the “Line”). No local rail traffic has moved over the Line during the past two years. Any overhead traffic on the Line can be and has been rerouted."[6]

Acquisition of the Georges Creek Subdivision

The acquisition of track for the Georges Creek Railway began 2005, the year CSX had begun the process of abandoning their Georges Creek Subdivision due to two washouts along the right of way and few customers. In December 2005, the deed for the northern 8.54 miles of track from Morrison, Maryland to Carlos, Maryland was transferred to WMS, LLC which would go bankrupt a year later due to investor difficulties. The following year, the Eighteen Thirty Group, LLC and Georges Creek Railway, LLC, filed to acquire and operate the line as Class III common carriers, having purchased the line out of bankruptcy court.[7]

On May 15, 2015, Eighteen Thirty Group with the Georges Creek Railway, LLC filed a notice of intent to acquire 5.4 miles of rail line from CSX: 4.8 miles of the Georges Creek Subdivision between Barton and Westernport, and 0.6 miles of the Thomas Subdivision.[8] The GCK entered an agreement with Eighteen Thirty Group to operate on these lines.[9] This acquisition brought the entirety of the former Georges Creek Subdivision under the control of GCK.

As of March 2016, several right of way improvement projects have been undertaken, but the washouts have not been repaired, keeping the line north of the village of Moscow inoperable.

Equipment Roster

The Georges Creek Railway currently owns 11 diesel engines, two ex-MPA/WM hoppers, and one bay window caboose. The caboose, numbered 67 and in derelict condition, wears the reporting marks VGNX of the Eastern Virginia Railroad Historical Society.[10] The GCK's engine roster is enumerated in the table below.[11][12]

Number Model Type Propulsion Manufacturer Location Status Heritage
GCK 25 GP9 Road Switcher Diesel-electric Electro Motive Division Westernport, Maryland Active WM 25
GCK 39 GP9 Road Switcher Diesel-electric Electro Motive Division Westernport, Maryland Under Restoration WM 39
GCK 101 T-6 Switcher Diesel-electric American Locomotive Works Luke, Maryland Active PRR 8427
GCK 144 S2 Switcher Diesel-electric American Locomotive Works Capreol, Ontario Stored WM 144
GCK 153 S6 Switcher Diesel-electric American Locomotive Works Syracuse, New York Stored SP 1064
GCK 154 S6 Switcher Diesel-electric American Locomotive Works Barton, Maryland Stored SBRR 42
GCK 303 FA2 Cab Unit Diesel-electric American Locomotive Works Barton, Maryland Stored WM 303
GCK 7436 SD38P Road Switcher Diesel-electric Electro Motive Division Westernport, Maryland Stored WM SD35 7436
GCK 7471 SD40M-2 Road Switcher Diesel-electric Electro Motive Division Westernport, Maryland Active WM SD40 7471
GCK 7445 SD40 Road Switcher Diesel-electric Electro Motive Division East St Louis, Illinois Stored WM 7445
GCK 7496 SD40 Road Switcher Diesel-electric Electro Motive Division Roanoke, Virginia Stored WM 7496

See also

References
  1. "Contact Info". Georges Creek Railway. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  2. Sawyers, Michael A. (2006-08-04). "Trains in Georges Creek". Cumberland Times-News. Cumberland, MD.
  3. "Georges Creek Railway". Archived from the original on 2014-02-20. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  4. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4206296
  5. https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2019/04/30/western-maryland-paper-mill-to-close-impacting-675.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=article_du&ed=2019-04-30&u=yGOE2LeZWovJq9txV0FcRdL81p4&t=1556652857&j=88119151
  6. https://prod.stb.gov/proceedings-actions/filings/
  7. Director Of Proceedings. "DUNCAN SMITH AND GERALD ALTIZER-CONTINUANCE IN CONTROL-EIGHTEEN THIRTY GROUP, LLC AND GEORGE CREEK RAILWAY, LLC Notice Of Exemption". stb.dot.gov. Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  8. U.S. Surface Transportation Board, Washington, D.C. (2015-05-15). "Eighteen Thirty Group, LLC–Acquisition Exemption–Lines of CSX Transportation, Inc." Federal Register, 80 FR 28046.
  9. Georges Creek Railway, LLC. (2015-05-01)."Verified Notice of Exemption of Georges Creek Railway, LLC." Notice filed with the Surface Transportation Board. Docket No. FD 35928.
  10. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rspicture.aspx?id=756957
  11. Altizer, Gerald. "George's Creek Railway Roster". Yahoo Groups. Yahoo!. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  12. Craig, R.; Gunnoe, Chase. "George's Creek Railway Motive Power". The Diesel Shop. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
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