Guest column: Electric railroads? Bring it to South Dakota
As rail transportation is very high on President Biden s infrastructure list; this upgrade to South Dakota rail will receive much attention in Washington.
Written By:
William Hume / Guest submission | 7:00 am, May 8, 2021 ×
A segment of the Mitchell-Rapid City railroad line west of Mitchell. (Marcus Traxler/Republic)
Could South Dakota lead the nation with the first all-electric locomotive freight railroad. It sure is possible and the time to get the conversation going is now. Ringneck Western Railroad, a subsidiary of Watco Transportation and Logistics is purchasing 285 miles of railroad from Mitchell to Rapid City. May 25, 2021, is the date R&W takes possession. South Dakota DOT owned this historic rail line and leased it previously to Dakota Southern Railroad. This rail line was part of the former Milwaukee Road, and dates back to its beginning in 1880.
Election Day is here; bond issues, school board races to be decided
E-T Staff Report
Today is the day.
Months of campaigning, informational meetings and presentations will culminate as local voters get their final chance to head to the polls to decide a number of bond issues and elections across Erath County.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Erath County voters can vote at the following locations, regardless of where they live in the county: Erath County Courthouse, 100 W. Washington St., Stephenville; or Dublin County Annex, 219 S. Grafton St., Dublin.
City of Stephenville voters will decide on five proposed bond issues as well as two school board positions.
May 1, 1868: The Union Flag published a unique advertisement. âMr. Wm. S. Barkley has our thanks for a delicious bottle of pure grape wine. This proves to us conclusively that good wine can be made in this country. It also proves another fact, and that is, Mr. B. knows how to make it. Send and get a few bottles and try it and be convinced.â
The Union Flag was a newspaper published in Jonesborough, which was spelled that way on the masthead.
May 1, 1905: With a dateline from Johnson City, the Nashville Banner reported news about area railroads. âPreparations are being made to resume work on the South & Western Railroad, which line was, ten years ago, partly built and was then known as the â3 Câsâ line, which was to extend from Chicago by Cincinnati to Charleston, S.C., crossing the Tennessee Valley and the Southern Railway at Johnson City, Tenn.â