ROYAL CITY - Jobs and industry growth could be just around the corner in Royal City. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) expects the Royal Slope Railroad (RSRR) to start running in May.

According to spokesman Tim Carroll, the WSDOT released a request for proposals to run the RSRR to rail operators on Feb. 6. By mid-March, Carroll said, there had been several responses.

"That's great," Port of Royal Slope (PRS) Executive Director Cathy Potter said.

Potter was surprised by the quick response to the RFP, but she sort of saw it coming. Two operators contacted her when they saw the RFP was about to come out.

"I had to tell them they had to go through the WSDOT," she said.

Although the short Royal-Othello line is owned by the WSDOT, it serves the Port of Royal Slope. A short spur serves the Port of Hiawatha, which abuts the PRS.

The line has been around for decades but has sat dormant for years. The PRS has been the driving force behind its rejuvenation with a concerted renovation program. It is ready for use.

"It means growth in new businesses and expansion of existing businesses," Potter said. "It will help our own local businesses be able to transport their products to market cheaper."

The completely refurbished freight line was made possible by a $750,000 grant from the state to the PRS. The PRS finished the job with $62,000 of inventory that can be used in maintaining the line.

The PRS did not spend any of its own money on the project, Potter noted, but individual members of the PRS put in time as volunteers.

Frank Mianecki, put in more than 100 hours of rail bed clean-up using his own equipment. Alan Schrom did the bid specifications for rehabilitation. That involved countless hours of research and consulting.

According to Carroll, the WSDOT is quite interested in the success of its partnership with the PRS. He said the criteria a prospective operator must meet is stringent.

"We want to make sure the operator has a solid plan and a good chance for success," he said. "You have to prove you can do it."

Along with operating and maintaining 26 miles of track, the operator will be tasked with creating an innovative economic development plan. It must be designed to provide competitive rail service for the region's rail shipping community.

The deadline for submitting a RFP is noon on March 19. By then, an operator selection committee should be in place. It will include former mayor/business man Justin Jenks, Grant County Economic Development Council Executive Director Jonathan Smith, a PRS representative, a WSDOT representative and one shipper or potential shipper.

"This section of track has been out of service for the last 16 years," Schrom said. "But, we're back in business thanks to a $750,000 grant from the Washington State Legislature."

According to Carroll, rail transportation is critical to keeping freight and Washington's economy moving.

He said short lines form an important part of the network for shipping many goods to foreign and domestic markets.