The city of Stillwater forced abandonment of the BN tracks in 2005 between the Zephyr building and the UP tracks just to the south of Sunnyside Marina and townhomes. So the Zephyr has been isolated since then. It started last week, the cranes, long semi trailers etc at the Zephyr building. It looks like all 6 passenger cars have been moved to the coal car yard for the Kind power plant and then the cars were moved onto Anderson Windows property. I live in this area. Now I haven’t seen the cranes near the King plant for several days. Both engines are still in Stilwater. One on a trailer by PD Pappys bar. The other is on a trailer at the Zephyr property along with 3 of their trucks still on rails. One truck is on a semi trailer. One wheel of one of the trucks is worn so much it is cupped. I got pictures but I don’t know how to post them. I get emails from Google when new stuff comes up. It seems like the semi drivers said everything weighed more than planned and they are waiting for more money to finish the moving, so they headed out of town. The city of Stillwater stopped rebuilding of a parking lot and crosswalk in downtown so the train could move. Now what? One gal I have worked with once worked for the Zephyr and she said it was poorly managed. I bought their old 83 F350 weed spraying truck around 2004 after it was totalled from hoodlums setting the cab on fire. They looked and looked for the title forever and finally had to get a replacement title from the state of Minnesota. The Zephyr owner got 4.3 million from the state in the last 8 months so I would think his checking account is not dry. He “has to” move the train out so they can start pulling up the tracks to make the right of way into a bike/walking trail.
I guess the logical question is, why didn’t they move the cars and engines out on the rails, before they path was cut?
The Zephyr was still operating until the end of 2008.
OK. I see what’s going on now. Since this kind of move was made for shipment by railroad, I wonder why they didn’t just have a housemover move them to the closest active rails? You’d have to believe that their next destination would be somewhere on a rail line.
The word on the web that there are two parties showing interest in the train. Another rumor is the train will go to Washington state.
What I hear is that the contractor bid the job and underestimated what it would take and has now defaulted on his contract. Hopefully the owner of the Zephyr required a Performance Bond.
The Zephyr will, eventually, be put back on active rails at the Anderson Windows plant in Bayport for movement for refubishing prior to delivery to its new owner.