Rail bypass still under debate
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

While the effort to re-route the incoming Kansas City Southern Railroad around rather than through the city of El Campo can't claim any victories, city leaders are finding solace in the fact the dialogue remains open.

KCS railways is in the process of returning rail to and through Wharton County coming from the east with hopes of being to Kendleton by the end of the year.

The rail plans are to be operational at some point in 2009.

So far those plans include running tracks down already existing right-ofway in the heart of El Campo and near the northern boundaries of the city of Wharton.

KCS has indicated it would examine other avenues if presented, but have stressed they are operating on a time line with a completion goal.

Hope remains, El Campo Mayor Phillip Spenrath said.

"We are going to exhaust everything possible. TXDoT (the Texas Department of Transportation) is still working on alternatives," he said. "No one has said no yet."

But central to any question of line relocation is funding.

And the city of El Campo is unlikely to be able to provide the potentially millions of dollars it would take to ac- quire new right-of-way.

"I don't see us funding that," Spenrath said.

The state has not made any indications of providing funding either as statewide reports predict shortages in upcoming highway department budgets.

A KCS meeting in Wharton earlier this month laid out the current rail company plan using existing right-ofway with 80 to 90 bridges and culverts over the course from Houston to Victoria.

In Wharton County, line construction is expected to start in January 2008 and take 12 to 18 months with crews working from both the north and the south ends of the line. At this point, KCS is still willing to consider an alternative around the El Campo city limits, according to C. Doniele Kane, the KCS assistant vice president of corporate communications and community affairs.

"KCS continues to work closely with TxDOT and local officials in El Campo and Victoria to explore right-of-way acquisition alternatives for railroad bypasses around El Campo and Victoria," she said in a late Friday e-mail to the Leader-News. "In El Campo, KCS is working directly with TxDOT and local officials to identify alternatives for bypass right-of-way acquisition to replace KCS' current right-of-way through El Campo. That window is not closed."

She added, "KCS has a construction timeline it must meet, but will do everything it can to work with local and state officials to find a solution for alternative right-of-way acquisition for a permanent El Campo bypass."

No deadline was released.

Once complete, KCS hopes the Houston to Victoria line will carry six trains each day with an increasing volume as the route becomes established.