RailAmerica buys Marquette

[That Guy]

Its a done deal.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/railam ... 2012-02-01

[SD80MAC]

Heard this going around the CSX yard in GR last week, thought it was just railroader gossip. Wow.

[atrainguy60]

I didn't know Railamerica was thinking about buying Marquette.

[sd70accsxt700]

Wonder what the MQT guys think of this.

[That Guy]

They also bought a 70% share in the Wellsboro and Corning Railroad in PA today.

http://investor.railamerica.com/phoenix ... highlight=

[rsinoms]

Wonder what the MQT guys think of this.

Because Marquette Rail is employee owned... The employees would have to vote on the deal.

[sd70accsxt700]

This is true

[i995impalass]

Its a done deal.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/railam ... 2012-02-01

It will be a done deal when the STB approves it.

[Notch 8]

Thats too bad, The Marquette had a personality.... Maybe they or Watco can suck up the MSO
RailAmerica has been very aggressive in growing their company's size, My guess is the employee's of the Marquette made out fat ! Maybe the will put the track back in over to Saginaw !


Mike

[redside20]

I wound have never guessed that they would even consider Marquette..I was looking at the GLC-Ann Arbor as a more viable option for a takeover..but Marquette..who knew.

[GLC 392]

I had been hearing this for a few months i was hoping this wasn't true but oh well.... And another one falls into the hells of the Holding companies.. AKA RA and WATCO. I know what i will be doing next time i come home now.

[AARR]

What will happen to the Christmas train?

How about the railfan friendly attitude of MQT?

[GLC 392]

I will say they will be shot in the foot, maybe not the railfan part as i would expect most of the employees should still be there but i can't see RA doing/allowing a Christmas train they will see it costly to use the diesel fuel, i hope i am wrong though.

[Raildudes dad]

I heard it from a Watco employee yesterday. He said they were after MQT also but RA "won".

[AARR]

If Watco had won MQT would they have been allowed to run trains between GDLK & MQT or would cars still have to be interchanged with CSX?

[GLC 392]

There were 3 or 4 companies looking to buy including RA, Watco and G&W.

[Raildudes dad]

If Watco had won MQT would they have been allowed to run trains between GDLK & MQT or would cars still have to be interchanged with CSX?

My source says the contract say interchange w/ CSX only

[PlymouthStationGuy]

This might be my warped sence of humor but the only thing I can say is thishttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE

[AARR]

This might be my warped sence of humor but the only thing I can say is thishttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE

I know what yu mean. It seems the Short Line Companies are buying up lines left and right. I suppose it is becoming so expensive to operate a railroad that deeper pockets are needed to invest in the infrastructure and short line portfolio's have deeper pockets and better access to funding and investment dollars.

I am not happy iwth what RA has done with the former CMGN here lately and hoping they turn things around there.

[Saturnalia]

Man this stinks. Anyone know how much will stay the same? MQT was such a good railroad......why sell?