News
Proposed Land Trade Presented at Council Study Session
City of Sheridan Administrator Stu McRae presented details of a proposed land trade to the Sheridan City Council during a study session Monday night. McRae said the land trade encompasses property along East 5th Street and would involve moving the historic locomotive that sits at the corner of Broadway and 5th Street to a piece of property that is located just on the other side of the 5th Street railroad crossing and kitty-corner to where the locomotive is currently located.
McRae said the estimated cost to move the locomotive to its new location is $300,000. The Council is expected to make a decision on the proposed land trade at an upcoming business meeting.
Dean Seever
April 27, 2021 at 8:49 am
Property directly across from the “Historic Sheridan Inn.” Doesn’t sound like prime real estate at all.
Debbie Pilcher
April 27, 2021 at 10:15 am
Big waste of money. The other side of tracks is a dumpy area.
Tom Becket
April 27, 2021 at 11:02 am
Exactly how much is this going to cost the tax payers?
Who will be responsible for paying to move the locomotive?
If this would cost the taxpayers anything and takeaway from the historic aspect of the railroad history of Sheridan, then there nothing to be gained here.
Steve Lowman
April 27, 2021 at 12:44 pm
Sounds like moving away from the Inn to the other side of the tracks. What benefit would that be to tourist and locals? Seems like a lot of money for not a lot of benefit!
mark steingass
April 27, 2021 at 1:18 pm
poor choice of new location for the locomotive….if this move would be accomplished there would be a loss of aesthetics in the immediate area of the Sheridan Inn and the original CB&Q Depot which is an important historical district
Mitch Smith
April 27, 2021 at 3:43 pm
Duh? Let me see, trade a very valuable tract of land for a dump tract, and then pay $300,000.00 to move the Historic Locomotive? Sounds about right for the members of the City Council! They never cease to amaze me with their stupidity……
Blaine Hadfield
April 27, 2021 at 8:24 pm
So, the article gives a cost but doesn’t explain the reasons for the move.
One issue is that there is a utility tunnel underneath the locomotive that is collapsing. At present, the locomotive is starting to sink. In time, there is a risk that will roll the locomotive. Even if the locomotive were to remain in the same location, it would still have to be moved so to repair the bed.
A second issue, and perhaps more central to the matters at hand, is that local business owners have plans to make some significant investments into this area of Sheridan. But, their interests are such that the locomotive needs to be relocated. An upshot is that the move will allow for a larger area with the explicit intent to celebrate Sheridan’s railroad history.
For those who have been working on this, it has been a major project. There have been a lot of complexities between various stakeholders, business owners, city officials and rotary committee.
mark steingass
April 28, 2021 at 9:29 am
If such a move of the locomotive were to be accomplished there would a dramatic increase of pedestrian foot traffic across the BNSF railroad crossing by tourists, amateur photographers, visitors, rail enthusiasts and their children (especially during regular tourist season) from the heart of the historical district to the new proposed location of the locomotive to take photos…with the reality of increased pedestrian foot traffic the status of the railroad “quiet zone” at the 5th street crossing would no doubt be reconsidered by the FRA and BNSF with the possibility of removal of that “quiet zone” status…
Connie Kukal
April 28, 2021 at 4:06 pm
I think you should spend the money on our roads and alleys and quit paying that fool $75,000 to paint main st and he doesn’t even take off the old paint. What an idjit