Frontier Rail
Paul Didelius establishes the Class III short line railroad Frontier Rail, leases an SD9, and begins assembling 55-car unit trains at the Railex industrial rail complex in Wallula, WA. The service, advertising 5-day non-stop transit of fresh produce from the West Coast to East Coast markets over UP & CSX lines, gives Didelius his first customer. The first train departs October 19, 2006.
Lake County Railroad
2009: Lake County of Oregon contracts with Frontier Rail to operate the 54 miles between Lakeview, OR and Alturas, CA, hauling lumber, perlite, and wood chips. Doing business as Lake Railway, the newly established LRY LLC also leases UP’s line from Alturas to Perez, CA, for a total of 134 miles and expanding Frontier Rail’s presence to three states.
Yakima County Railroad
December 2009: Paul Didelius files with the Surface Transportation Board to establish YCR Corporation as a Class III Short Line Rail Operator, leasing 22.19 miles from Yakima County, Washington for freight operation as Yakima Rail. Beginning in January 2010, the line transports mainly lumber products to its sole interchange point with BNSF in Toppenish, WA.
Cincinnati East Terminal
March 14, 2014: CCET, LLC, d.b.a. Cincinnati East Terminal – Didelius’ latest established Class III short line railroad carrier – leases a portion of Norfolk Southern’s CT Line, extending 24 miles from Clare, OH to Williamsburg, OH. Nicknamed the Peavine Line for its arduous hills and curvature, CCET begins operations on April 26.
CCET Expansion
February 6, 2015: CCET leases the remainder of the CT line to Seaman, Ohio, from Norfolk Southern. Seeking additional commercial opportunities, Cincinnati East Terminal more than doubles total mileage to 53.2 mainline miles, at the same time expanding Didelius’ engine fleet.
Washington Royal Line
May 20, 2016: Paul Didelius establishes WRL, LLC as a Class III rail carrier, doing business as Washington Royal Line over a 26-mile section of rail leased from the Port of Royal Slope in Royal City, WA. Beginning in Othello, Adams County, WA and continuing to Royal City, Grant County, WA, the line carries wheat, fertilizer, and agricultural products.