SHORTLINE SERVICES
Services
- Shortline Management
- Asset Valuation/RRIF Loan Assistance
- Business Plan Development
- Market and Financial Analyses
Main Line has provided management support for several shortlines, currently including Carolina Coastal Railway. Previoulsy, Main Line managed the Landisville Terminal & Transfer Company and the New York & Ogdensburg Railway. Main Line was retained to lead a restructuring of the Massachusetts Central Railroad, with its Principal serving in the role of Executive Vice President. Main Line provided the management oversight during the start-up of the Raritan Central Railway, and provided operations, marketing, and financial management for the Octoraro Railway.
Main Line has valued more than thousands of miles of rail property and numerous yard facilities, including more than 150 shortline properties. These assignments have developed going concern values and values for continued railroad use, as well as values for other use (net liquidation) and replacement cost new less depreciation values. These studies have been used to determine acquisition values and have been utilized by lending institutions to obtain financing. Main Line has provided assistance to several railroads in the application process for the Federal RRIF loan program. Such clients have included Dakota Minnesota & Eastern, Iowa Pacific, Montreal Maine & Atlantic, Riverport, and Texas Mexican Railway.
Strategic marketing studies have been completed for several shortlines. These include analyses of bulk transfer and warehousing facilities, intermodal operations, rate analyses, and market extensions. Condition assessments have been completed for several lines, including the development of rehabilitation programs. Business plans for financing or for reorganizing operations have been concluded for both regional and shortline railroads.
Main Line has been retained by several agencies to assist in assessing existing operators or selecting new operators for publicly-owned lines. For Salem County, NJ, Main Line developed the bid package and the selection criteria used in picking a new operator for an 18-mile line, while for Clark County, WA, Main Line analyzed the existing operation and market potential to determine performance parameters on the county-owned shortline. Main Line was retained by Luzerne County, PA, and Franklin County, PA to assist in developing bid packages for locally-owned trackage and by the Port Authority of New York to assist in developing criteria for selecting an operator for various lines in its region. Main Line has also been retained by purchasers of shortlines to develop operating plans, assess market potential, and determine asset values of potential purchases.
