From:
lakemper@pioneer-railcorp.comTo:
rtrail-opponent@terraworld.netSent: Monday, April 17, 2000 03:56 PM
Subject: Illinois trail-nuts
TO: Dale E. Anderson
FROM: Daniel A. LaKemper, Pioneer Industrial Rwy. Co.
Dear Mr. Anderson:
I was given your name as being with the Mid-America Division of the National Association of Reversionary Property Owners.
Pioneer Industrial Railway operates a railroad in Central Illinois. We are being pressured to abandon our line, against our will, and that of our shippers, by militant trail advocates and their political allies, and allies in the press. They flagrantly lie about the railroad, and when we attempted to sue them for libel, we were sanctioned by the local court for chilling their "free speech rights". Because we want to keep the railroad open, the local "newspaper" has labeled us "villians"! Welcome to the People's Republic of Central Illinois!
We are hoping to get some help from other trail opponents (and perhaps we can help you in some of your battles). Using taxpayers money to put an active railroad out of business for a trail is a new level of idiocy. It has to be nipped in the bud.
Hope to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Daniel A. LaKemper,
General Counsel,
Pioneer Industrial Railway Co.
Dear Dan:
Thank you for your interest and communication.
This sounds like typical rail trail bamboozlement. Yours is a bit different in that you describe the dismantling of a working railroad.
In Kansas the majority, if not all were conceived of non- operating rail lines. At this point, the trail situation here has slowed down considerably because we fight them continually.
There is no way to deal with trail groups but to consider them as an enemy of the constitution and private property rights no matter in what area or state they exist.
They all have the same goal, get THEIR rail trail using any means possible including trampling the constitution, private property rights and/or their fellow neighbors and citizens.
Of course, I don't know as much about other areas as here but this sounds like a new method of attack by rail trail zealots.
From what you say, this is a rape of even the rail trail act. Do you know what tax source they are using in their attempt to kill the railroad?
ISTEA funds and railbanking is not part of putting railroads out of business, so I am curious as to what federal or state taxes they are using.
Luckily, Kansas has some legislators who are working to help in the rail trail mess. Do you have contact with your legislators at local, state, or federal levels? If not, I would urge you to do so and find out where they stand on the rail trail situation.
Regretfully, some legislators have forgotten the constitution and have fallen into the rail trail boondoggle. Here in Kansas we have Congressman Jim Ryun who is working for rail trail justice. Also there are some other federal, state and local legislators who likewise see the folly of the rail trail situation.
However, there are still too many lawmakers who haven't the guts to stand up and defend private property owner rights and the constitution's 5th amendment.
Without a continual hard struggle by citizens who are willing to stand up against the anything goes methods of trail supporters, these crooks will run over and crush the rights of us who believe the constitution should prevail.
Once again, thank you for your interest and contact. I assume you have been to my website, if not, the address is listed below.
Good luck and I hope to hear more from you in the future. One thing is paramount, DON'T give up. That is what rail trail outfits thrive on.
Sincerely,
Dale E. Anderson
Executive Director
Nat'l. Assn. of Reversionary Property Owners (NARPO)
MidAmerica Division
120 South Elm, Garnett, KS 66032-1011
Phone: (785) 448-5832
Fax: (785) 448-3680
Internet URL: