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October 31, 2005
'Unsightly' train cars are railroaded out of townCommission says vehicles are a nuisanceByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - They're the little engines that couldn't, wouldn't and haven't moved. An assortment of railroad vehicles - a diesel engine, box car and rail car - parked near Lake Avenue sparked the ire of city officials, who want them gone. The city commission declared the box car collection, where the homeless have often taken shelter, a public nuisance. The city recently filed suit in circuit court to force their removal. "I am glad that the city is finally going to do something about it, and I hope they hurry up," said Norman Alexander, who lives near the site. Dan Hill, the city's code enforcement officer, documented a number of attempts - a few successful - to relocate the train cars and fix up the area. Named in the suit is John Marino of Manassas, Va.; Delaware Transportation Equipment; Robert Carr of Traverse City; and the Clinton County Arts Council. The suit states the defendants own assorted vehicles that constitute a "fire hazard" and jeopardize the public health, safety, peace, comfort and convenience of the city. Elaine Twichell of the arts council said her group acquired a rail car in September and wants to restore it for display at its historic railroad depot in St. Johns. Money has kept the train renovation project off the tracks, she said. The group estimated it could cost $10,000 to move the train. Twichell had the car shrink-wrapped to protect it and is raising money to pay for its move. She said she's a "little bit upset" the city filed suit, but has a "tentative date" for when she hopes to move the car. She would not say when that date was. Carr, another defendant, said he owns the trailer on which the arts council rail car sits. He also owns a green box car located nearby that he said "has been spoken for." Carr said he agrees with the city that the area should be tidied. "It's time for everybody to take their things and do what they plan to do with it," he said. Hill said the city had trouble cleaning up the property because the railroad vehicles frequently changed owners and moved across property lines from private to railroad property. Some parties were located out-of-state, which also complicated the situation, he said. Alexander said the area has been an "unsightly" spot of concern in his neighborhood for about 10 years. "I am glad that they are finally doing something about that, it makes it look like a railroad junkyard," he said.
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Record-Eagle/Douglas Tesner
