KEOKUK – At least three parties have expressed interest in purchasing the city of Keokuk’s swing-span railroad bridge, which connects the southern Iowa town to Hamilton, Ill…
http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Keokuk-bridge-030910
What the City of Keokuk figured they would end up giving away has drawn a bid of $500,000. The current user of the bridge is not pleased.
With appologies to Victrola1,
I followed through some of the links in this story which leads far from Keokuk,Ia and the Mississippi R.iver Bridge…
But first ypou’ll need to get Chad Thomas’s pop corn machine going and strap into your easy chair,
Find the Pepto for RWM and there you go! [:-,]
Heres a link to the Whole tale and headliner: http://www.railwaytotomorrow.com/index.html
1515 East Tudor Road, Suite 5, Anchorage, AK 99507
Phone: 907-279-1493 | Cell: 312-699-6002
Email: Craig Burroughs | Joseph Henri
Click here to read “THE FAST TRACK TO A BETTER WORLD” By Craig Burroughs
A teaser:
"…It is time to establish a modern, high-capacity electrified railroad across the vast northlands of Alaska and Siberia, connected via tunnels beneath the Bering Strai
Sam, that has to be one of the best/ funniest introductions on here in a long time. [bow] I couldn’t have done any better. Thanks for the laughs - I needed them this morning. Also, for running down those links. I like the ‘Home Page’ illustration - but that’s about all . . . [:-^]
Let me summarize this: He wants to get to Siberia via the Bering Strait and Keokuk, right ? Something seem a little disconnected geographically there ? [%-)] For ‘only’ $87 Billion ?
This whole scheme is about 22 days early, if you catch my drift . . . [swg]
I bet there are a few Nigerian businessmen who may want to jump on this!! 
No apology necessary. The taxpayers of Keokuk will be glad for the information.
Victrola1:
Been a long time since I was through Keokuk or that area. I remember a Toll Bridge at I think St Francis (or St Francisville?) toll was a buck(?) to cross a short truss bridge. That trip across the Keokuk Dam and its narrow bridge (Steel grate deck) from the Illinois side. And in 1993 the big flood on the Mississippi R.
That was the flood where the KJRR loaned an old Philadelphia Strafford Car (#161) it was the only way to cross the flooded river for quite a ways and the whole time of the flood. It hauled passenger traffic back and forth over the old Union Electric Dam (Miss R. dam #19).
Apparently, the KJRR owned four of these cars (Strafford Cars from the P&W Line) Here’s a link to a site with a photo and description of the Cars: http://www.phillytrolley.org/philwest.html
Further linked here is a History of the P&W Cars: http://www.phillytrolley.org/strafford.html
"… (excerpted) Following their retirement from SEPTA, some cars escaped the scrapper’s torch. Car #161 gained fame by operating across the Keokuk dam in Keokuk, Iowa during the Midwest floods of 1993. It and car #168 were later sold to the New York Museum of Transportation. Car #164 was later sold to the East Troy Electric Railroad where it is undergoing restoration…"
Hasn’t Craig Burroughs been involved in some other monkey business involving his old firm of Trans-Action Associates?[:-^]
You got it. You wouldn’t get me as a counter party to any deal involving him. At least three shortlines that I know filed fairly quickly under his leadership leaving unpaid bills.
There is a character for you-------he’s been involved in a number of interesting proposals[:-^]
Beaulieu, Paul, Barry:
Here is a thread from January of this year: http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/166656/1831725.aspx#1831725
Title:
“Info on Illinois short lines/Class 3 Craig Burroughs”
I remember that in doing research on Craig Buroughs and his rail related enterprizes, my impression was that the guy was a real bird seed salesman, (someone adept at 3 card monte, among other games [2c])
Victrola1 :
This last thread would be a really interesting read, and might be best done, accompanied by the tune of
" Trouble…Right Here in River City" from The Music Man.
Poking around the web, Lyndon LaRouche pops up as being tied to some zany railroad projects in the far north. Is there a connection?
From the Hawkeye article: Keokuk Junction, which owns the tracks on either side of the bridge, has two customers in Keokuk, Roquette America Inc. and Griffin Wheel, which are two of the city’s largest employers. Doesn’t that give them a front row seat in what’s going on?
" From Keokuk to infinity…and beyond!! "
The City of Keokuk apparently wants to be rid of the bridge. Every City needs money. The highest bidder and as a result owner could be anybody. Dig in your couch cushions.
mmmmm—do you think if C.Burroughs gets this bridge that it’ll be possible to run the bridge into the ground like he does ever’t’in’ else he’s touched?
Some of us just love the ironies that it is Burroughs and Pioneer Railcorp (G.Brenkman) having to deal with each other. There ought to be a popcorn machine just for that![(-D][(-D][(-D]
There’s more flakes here than in a box of Ivory Soap!
Yoyks! You’re gonna have to explain that one to the young’uns, I think!
Can’t remember the name of the restaurant in Keokuk, but they have the best ribs…A true fact for this thread 
Don’t you dare tell them. We geezers have to keep some secrets!!!
One of my e-mail groups had a posting regarding STB Finance Docket No. 35359.
Pacific Rim Ry Acquisition & Operation Exemption for the bridge and related trackage. I take it that they have bought the bridge?
Jeff
Looks like the exemption is granted: linked here:
http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/WEBUNID/B385260E00DCC9A3852576EA00718A4A
?OpenDocument