From the 7/25/05 Newark Advocate:

 

Local scenic railroad has hopes to return

Some claim organization failing to maintain rails

By JASON MCALISTER

Advocate Reporter 

 

HEATH -- The Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad should be up and running sometime this year, possibly with Thomas the Tank Engine leading the way, says the nonprofit group that leases and maintains the rail line through southern Licking County.

 

But since the group, The Newark Heath and Buckeye Lake Scenic Railway Corp., shut down the operation in June 2003, the railroad's owner and some Heath residents say the tracks are poorly maintained and the project is going nowhere. There's even been talk of turning the tracks into a bike path.

 

On the Web

Check out Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad operations on the Web at: http://home.insight.rr.com/pcaravan. [/color]

 

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050725/NEWS01/507250304/1002

 

I wish them luck.

 

Often, tourist railroads are started by people with lots of enthusiasm and the ability to get startup donations of money and equipment, but with little understanding of the cost and complexity of railroading. Track maintenance alone can be staggeringly expensive to hire and exhausting to volunteer labor. Many of these operations are running on such a thin shoestring that one minor accident or equipment breakdown can finish them off.

 

Even the best operations in popular tourism centers have to have savvy management and usually some amount of private and public largesse to keep the wheels turning, and  still have to collect fairly hefty fares. Buckeye Central's turf isn't exactly Strasburg, Pennsylvania and their nondescript collection of rolling stock crawling over weedy, rickety track in the flatlands isn't going to attract throngs from far away. The nearest population centers are closer to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic RR, a well-established and well-funded operation that provides a quality experience.

 

Actually, a recreational trail with historic markers and artifacts related to the railroad might be a better use for the real estate.

 

And I like trains.

From the 9/2/05 Newark Advocate:

 

 

Scenic railroad seeks commissioners' help

By JASON MCALISTER

Advocate Reporter

 

NEWARK -- The nonprofit group that maintains the Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad asked Licking County's commissioners to help secure a federal grant to fund long-term maintenance of the tracks, which run from Hopewell Drive in Newark to U.S. 40 in Hebron.

 

The group had operated a family-oriented ride on the tracks up until June 2003, when the cost to maintain the tracks became too expensive.

 

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050902/NEWS01/509020311/1002

 

From the 11/29/06 Newark Advocate:

 

 

Buckeye Central Railroad's future still in doubt

By MARK SZAKONYI

Advocate Reporter

 

HEATH -- Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad leaders have a vision for the organization's future, but several Heath officials and residents are skeptical after hearing promises of change before.

 

The group has come under fire from the community for allowing its old train cars to become eyesores and shelters for vagrants.

 

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061129/NEWS01/611290317/1002/rss01

 

Buckeye rail cars will go to Zanesville

Former line might be turned into bike path

By ABBEY STIRGWOLT

Advocate Reporter

 

HEATH -- Twelve Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad cars were moved Saturday and Sunday to a temporary resting place.

 

"Right now (the cars are) sitting just north of Hopewell Drive, and (they) will be moving to an area just outside of South Zanesville," said Eric Curtis, president of the Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad. "Then we're going to start up a new scenic railroad."

 

The future of the railway cars and the track they're leaving behind is being planned.

Any updates on this? Is the line dismantled?

^I think the scenic rail line is trying to move to the Glass Rock Branch (SE of Zanesville).  As for the rail line that Scenic Rail used to run on, it is being converted into a bike path.  That conversion from rail line to bike path is in court - there is a court case between property owners along the rail line and the foundation wanting to build the bike path.

They just had a new lease approved by the Ohio Rail Development Commission that will eventually allow them to run tourist train operations, as long as they meet certain conditions aimed at making upgrades and repairs to the rail line to make it safe for excursions: brush clearance, new ties & ballast, track inspections, etc.