by bwparker1
RENDELL ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $7.4 MILLION FOR RAIL-FREIGHT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT:
On behalf of Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, state Transportation Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E., announced that $7.4 million has been awarded for projects that will help preserve rail-freight service and stimulate economic development across Pennsylvania. The 40 projects are expected to create 1,970 jobs. "Railroads and their intermodal transportation connections play an important role in building a strong jobs climate in Pennsylvania," Secretary Biehler said. "Transportation is an important ingredient in the economic- development mix. Keeping short-line and regional railroads in good operating condition means we're keeping the freight moving, supporting employers, jobs and families." PennDOT's Rail Freight Assistance Program funding will be used for the construction, maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of rail lines, rail sidings and grade crossings. A list of recipients and grant amounts follows:
Adams County: Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC, of Hanover, $245,000, for the construction of track and a hopper car unloading pit to provide rail service to the Hanover Quarry, Oxford Township.
Allegheny County: Tech Industries, Inc., of Pittsburgh, $250,000, for rehabilitation of track and construction of a spur and turnout to allow the metal treatment facility to ship via rail.
Bucks County: Bucks County Railroad Preservation and Restoration Corporation, of New Hope, $211,365, to rehabilitate the mainline between New Hope and Warminster to increase safety and operating efficiency.; East Penn Railways, Inc., of Langhorne, $121,660, for track rehabilitation in Perkasie Borough and East Rockhill Township and to remove an obstruction in the Perkasie Tunnel to allow larger load to pass through.
Carbon and Schuylkill Counties: Carbon County Railroad Commission, Jim Thorpe, $81,620, to rehabilitate the mainline of the Carbon and Schuylkill Railroad to accommodate increased rail traffic through Jim Thorpe, Rush and Nesquehoning.
Chester County: ISG Plate, Inc., of Coatesville, $216,111, to rehabilitate track within the steel mill operation to accommodate 286,000 lbs. load.; Kaolin Mushroom Farms, Inc., Kennett Square, $56,700, to construct a siding to support mushroom production and to ship and receive shipment of fresh and frozen produce by rail.; Octoraro Railroad, Inc., of Morristown, NJ, $250,000, to rehabilitate mainline track and sidings in Kennett Square, Oxford, Avondale and Nottingham.
Clearfield County: R.J. Corman Railroad Company/Pennsylvania Lines, of Nicholasville, KY, $250,000, to rehabilitate the Fulton and Shawville tunnels to increase safety and reduce derailments in Goshen and Lawrence townships.; The Clearfield Foundation, of Clearfield, $238,000, to construct a rail siding to serve the Clearfield Firemen's Industrial Park.
Columbia County: Brandt Mills, Inc., of Mifflinville, $22,470, for maintenance and construction of track in Briar Creek Township to enable the grain distribution center to ship wheat outbound by rail.
Crawford County: Oil Creek and Titusville Lines, Inc., of Gowanda, NY, $87,900, to upgrade the Titusville Mainline track to handle 286,000 lb. loads.; Titusville Redevelopment Authority, of Titusville, $140,084, to construct a siding to serve an intermodal transloading point within the Titusville Opportunity Park.
Cumberland County: Allen Distribution, LP, of Carlisle, $237,860, to construct a siding to provide inbound rail service to the food and beverage distribution facility within the Watts Business Center.
Erie County: Concrete Services Corporation, of Fairview, $250,000, to construct a rail siding to serve a concrete plant and a 150-acre brownfield site in Fairview and Girard townships.; Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority, of Erie, $224,700, to construct a siding for rail service to a freight ferry connecting Erie and Canada.
Fayette County: Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Company, of Brewster, OH, $250,000, for track rehabilitation on the Pittsburgh Subdivision in Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
Franklin County: Franklin Storage, LP, of Chambersburg, $233,100, to rehabilitate an existing siding that provides rail service to the intermodal warehouse facility in Guilford Township.
Lackawanna County: Northeast Architectural Products, Inc., d/b/a Daron Northeast, of Scranton, $84,805, to rehabilitate track at the masonry facility to continue to receive raw material and ship finished product by rail.
Lancaster County: Cherry Place Properties, LP, of Denver, $91,805, for the construction of a rail siding to a newly constructed produce distribution center in East Cocalico Township.; Stoltzfus Land Holdings, LLC, of Denver, $89,600, to construct a siding and unloading dock for a new food distribution warehouse.
Lebanon County: Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation, of Lebanon, $159,250, to construct a siding to provide rail service to the new North Lebanon Business Park.
Lehigh County: Buckeye Pipeline Company, LP, of Emmaus, $250,000, for the construction of a turnout and sidings to permit offloading of petroleum products and blend stocks, including butane and propane in Lower Macungie Township.
Luzerne County: HUD, Inc. t/a Emerald Anthracite II, of Nanticoke, $249,900, for the construction of track and an unloading facility to enable Nanticoke Intermodal Facility to receive fly ash and ship anthracite mine waste.; Mericle Properties, of Wilkes-Barre, $195,090, to construct an industrial sidetrack to serve a new 210,000-square-foot molding manufacturing facility at the Valmont Industrial Park in West Hazleton.
Lycoming County: Keystone Filler and Manufacturing Company, of Muncy, $107,065, for track rehabilitation to maintain rail service to the anthracite coal processing facility.
McKean County: Goodman Services, Inc., of Bradford, $210,350, to construct a rail spur for more efficient rail service to the scrap metal and paper recycling plant.
Monroe County: Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Company, Inc., of Scranton, $175,000, to rehabilitate track along the Pocono mainline to ensure continued rail service to 25 customers in Monroe and Northampton counties.
Montgomery County: Penn Eastern Rail Lines, Inc., of Langhorne, $231,315, to improve operating efficiency in Montgomery and Berks counties by rehabilitating track and bridges and constructing a passing track.
Northampton County: DP Advisors, LLC d/b/a DP Partners, of Harrisburg, $250,000, to construct a siding to provide rail service to a newly constructed warehouse in Lower Nazareth Township.; UGI Energy Services, Inc., of Wyomissing, $179,550, to construct track to provide rail service to a propane/butane supply terminal in Bethlehem.; United States Cold Storage, LLC, of Cherry Hill, NJ, $181,860, to construct a siding to provide rail service to a new cold storage facility at the Bethlehem Commerce Center.
Northumberland County: Don Cotner Farms, of Danville, $250,000, to construct track to provide additional railcar handling capacity at the feed distribution center in Rush Township.; Drug Plastics and Glass Company, Inc., of Boyertown, $99,750, for track rehabilitation and construction of track and of an unloading system to receive raw materials by the manufacturer of pharmaceutical grade plastic bottles in Ralpho Township.
Schuylkill County: Gilberton Coal Company, of Gilberton, $238,350, to rehabilitate track in Mt. Carmel Township so the company can receive by rail river silt and dredge material from New York City and Philadelphia for strip mine reclamation work.; Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, of Pottsville, $209,300, for construction of track and an unloading bridge at the new Seek Intermodal facility in Coaldale for the delivery of river silt and dredge material from New York City and Philadelphia for strip mine reclamation work.; Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Company, of Port Clinton, $231,000, to rehabilitate track on the Mahanoy and Shamokin branch to support increased rail traffic originating from the Gilberton Coal Company.
Westmoreland County: Inlander Limited, of Harrison City, $49,350, for rehabilitation of an existing siding to enable an industrial park in Derry Borough to receive bulk commodities and ship finished product by rail.; Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation, of Greensburg, $250,000, for track and bridge rehabilitation to maintain safe and reliable rail service in Hempfield and East Huntingdon townships.
Wyoming County: Delaware & Hudson Railway Company, Inc., of Clifton Park, NY, $250,000, for track rehabilitation and improvements to the Nicholson tunnel on the D&H freight mainline in Nicholson Township.
Pennsylvania leads the nation with 70 operating railroads. With 5,600 miles of track, the state ranks fifth in the nation in total track mileage.
On behalf of Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, state Transportation Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E., announced that $7.4 million has been awarded for projects that will help preserve rail-freight service and stimulate economic development across Pennsylvania. The 40 projects are expected to create 1,970 jobs. "Railroads and their intermodal transportation connections play an important role in building a strong jobs climate in Pennsylvania," Secretary Biehler said. "Transportation is an important ingredient in the economic- development mix. Keeping short-line and regional railroads in good operating condition means we're keeping the freight moving, supporting employers, jobs and families." PennDOT's Rail Freight Assistance Program funding will be used for the construction, maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of rail lines, rail sidings and grade crossings. A list of recipients and grant amounts follows:
Adams County: Vulcan Construction Materials, LLC, of Hanover, $245,000, for the construction of track and a hopper car unloading pit to provide rail service to the Hanover Quarry, Oxford Township.
Allegheny County: Tech Industries, Inc., of Pittsburgh, $250,000, for rehabilitation of track and construction of a spur and turnout to allow the metal treatment facility to ship via rail.
Bucks County: Bucks County Railroad Preservation and Restoration Corporation, of New Hope, $211,365, to rehabilitate the mainline between New Hope and Warminster to increase safety and operating efficiency.; East Penn Railways, Inc., of Langhorne, $121,660, for track rehabilitation in Perkasie Borough and East Rockhill Township and to remove an obstruction in the Perkasie Tunnel to allow larger load to pass through.
Carbon and Schuylkill Counties: Carbon County Railroad Commission, Jim Thorpe, $81,620, to rehabilitate the mainline of the Carbon and Schuylkill Railroad to accommodate increased rail traffic through Jim Thorpe, Rush and Nesquehoning.
Chester County: ISG Plate, Inc., of Coatesville, $216,111, to rehabilitate track within the steel mill operation to accommodate 286,000 lbs. load.; Kaolin Mushroom Farms, Inc., Kennett Square, $56,700, to construct a siding to support mushroom production and to ship and receive shipment of fresh and frozen produce by rail.; Octoraro Railroad, Inc., of Morristown, NJ, $250,000, to rehabilitate mainline track and sidings in Kennett Square, Oxford, Avondale and Nottingham.
Clearfield County: R.J. Corman Railroad Company/Pennsylvania Lines, of Nicholasville, KY, $250,000, to rehabilitate the Fulton and Shawville tunnels to increase safety and reduce derailments in Goshen and Lawrence townships.; The Clearfield Foundation, of Clearfield, $238,000, to construct a rail siding to serve the Clearfield Firemen's Industrial Park.
Columbia County: Brandt Mills, Inc., of Mifflinville, $22,470, for maintenance and construction of track in Briar Creek Township to enable the grain distribution center to ship wheat outbound by rail.
Crawford County: Oil Creek and Titusville Lines, Inc., of Gowanda, NY, $87,900, to upgrade the Titusville Mainline track to handle 286,000 lb. loads.; Titusville Redevelopment Authority, of Titusville, $140,084, to construct a siding to serve an intermodal transloading point within the Titusville Opportunity Park.
Cumberland County: Allen Distribution, LP, of Carlisle, $237,860, to construct a siding to provide inbound rail service to the food and beverage distribution facility within the Watts Business Center.
Erie County: Concrete Services Corporation, of Fairview, $250,000, to construct a rail siding to serve a concrete plant and a 150-acre brownfield site in Fairview and Girard townships.; Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority, of Erie, $224,700, to construct a siding for rail service to a freight ferry connecting Erie and Canada.
Fayette County: Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Company, of Brewster, OH, $250,000, for track rehabilitation on the Pittsburgh Subdivision in Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
Franklin County: Franklin Storage, LP, of Chambersburg, $233,100, to rehabilitate an existing siding that provides rail service to the intermodal warehouse facility in Guilford Township.
Lackawanna County: Northeast Architectural Products, Inc., d/b/a Daron Northeast, of Scranton, $84,805, to rehabilitate track at the masonry facility to continue to receive raw material and ship finished product by rail.
Lancaster County: Cherry Place Properties, LP, of Denver, $91,805, for the construction of a rail siding to a newly constructed produce distribution center in East Cocalico Township.; Stoltzfus Land Holdings, LLC, of Denver, $89,600, to construct a siding and unloading dock for a new food distribution warehouse.
Lebanon County: Lebanon Valley Economic Development Corporation, of Lebanon, $159,250, to construct a siding to provide rail service to the new North Lebanon Business Park.
Lehigh County: Buckeye Pipeline Company, LP, of Emmaus, $250,000, for the construction of a turnout and sidings to permit offloading of petroleum products and blend stocks, including butane and propane in Lower Macungie Township.
Luzerne County: HUD, Inc. t/a Emerald Anthracite II, of Nanticoke, $249,900, for the construction of track and an unloading facility to enable Nanticoke Intermodal Facility to receive fly ash and ship anthracite mine waste.; Mericle Properties, of Wilkes-Barre, $195,090, to construct an industrial sidetrack to serve a new 210,000-square-foot molding manufacturing facility at the Valmont Industrial Park in West Hazleton.
Lycoming County: Keystone Filler and Manufacturing Company, of Muncy, $107,065, for track rehabilitation to maintain rail service to the anthracite coal processing facility.
McKean County: Goodman Services, Inc., of Bradford, $210,350, to construct a rail spur for more efficient rail service to the scrap metal and paper recycling plant.
Monroe County: Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Company, Inc., of Scranton, $175,000, to rehabilitate track along the Pocono mainline to ensure continued rail service to 25 customers in Monroe and Northampton counties.
Montgomery County: Penn Eastern Rail Lines, Inc., of Langhorne, $231,315, to improve operating efficiency in Montgomery and Berks counties by rehabilitating track and bridges and constructing a passing track.
Northampton County: DP Advisors, LLC d/b/a DP Partners, of Harrisburg, $250,000, to construct a siding to provide rail service to a newly constructed warehouse in Lower Nazareth Township.; UGI Energy Services, Inc., of Wyomissing, $179,550, to construct track to provide rail service to a propane/butane supply terminal in Bethlehem.; United States Cold Storage, LLC, of Cherry Hill, NJ, $181,860, to construct a siding to provide rail service to a new cold storage facility at the Bethlehem Commerce Center.
Northumberland County: Don Cotner Farms, of Danville, $250,000, to construct track to provide additional railcar handling capacity at the feed distribution center in Rush Township.; Drug Plastics and Glass Company, Inc., of Boyertown, $99,750, for track rehabilitation and construction of track and of an unloading system to receive raw materials by the manufacturer of pharmaceutical grade plastic bottles in Ralpho Township.
Schuylkill County: Gilberton Coal Company, of Gilberton, $238,350, to rehabilitate track in Mt. Carmel Township so the company can receive by rail river silt and dredge material from New York City and Philadelphia for strip mine reclamation work.; Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, of Pottsville, $209,300, for construction of track and an unloading bridge at the new Seek Intermodal facility in Coaldale for the delivery of river silt and dredge material from New York City and Philadelphia for strip mine reclamation work.; Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Company, of Port Clinton, $231,000, to rehabilitate track on the Mahanoy and Shamokin branch to support increased rail traffic originating from the Gilberton Coal Company.
Westmoreland County: Inlander Limited, of Harrison City, $49,350, for rehabilitation of an existing siding to enable an industrial park in Derry Borough to receive bulk commodities and ship finished product by rail.; Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation, of Greensburg, $250,000, for track and bridge rehabilitation to maintain safe and reliable rail service in Hempfield and East Huntingdon townships.
Wyoming County: Delaware & Hudson Railway Company, Inc., of Clifton Park, NY, $250,000, for track rehabilitation and improvements to the Nicholson tunnel on the D&H freight mainline in Nicholson Township.
Pennsylvania leads the nation with 70 operating railroads. With 5,600 miles of track, the state ranks fifth in the nation in total track mileage.
