The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission has given the green light for nine projects through the state’s Rail Transportation Assistance Program and another 25 through the Rail Freight Assistance Program, according to a statement from Gov. Tom Wolf.
The Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission has approved $40 million in state funding for 34 rail infrastructure improvement and maintenance projects throughout the state, according to a statement from Gov. Tom Wolf.
The funds will go to nine projects through the state’s Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) and another 25 through the Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP).
“Keeping our extensive rail freight system in good shape is a common-sense way to ensure a sound foundation for the state’s economy,” Wolf said of the funding approvals. “Pennsylvania is ranked first when it comes to operating railroads, and we are committed to working with this vital industry to serve the state’s business community and keep our job picture bright.”
The following projects will be funded via RTAP (listed by county):
• In Allegheny County, Allegheny Valley Railroad Co. will receive $1,032,168 to rehabilitate the 36th Street Trestle bridge to increase capacity by eliminating weight restrictions; Norfolk Southern Corp. will receive $20 million to alter 14 bridges by raising overhead clearances or lowering track to accommodate doublestack train cars; and U.S. Steel Corp. will receive $279,830 to rehabilitate approximately one mile of track, install two switches, and improve drainage;
• In Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clearfield, Elk, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, and Warren counties, Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad Co. will receive $1,861,142 to rehabilitate about 220 miles of track by rail grinding and replacing more than 2,700 ties and 35,000 feet of rail;
• In Cambria, Centre, and Clearfield counties, R.J. Corman Railroad Co. Pennsylvania lines will receive $1,071,485 to rehabilitate 65 miles of track including ties and ballast;
• In Dauphin County, Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad will receive $220,500 to rehabilitate about five miles of track, a wye and a turnout;
• In Susquehanna County, Central New York Railroad will receive $3 million to rehabilitate the Starrucca Viaduct and Bridge;
• In Washington and Westmoreland counties, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, LLC will receive $1,799,000 to install 14 miles of continuous welded rail;
• And in York County, York Railway Co. will receive $735,875 to repair three bridges and rehabilitate about 14 miles of track.
In addition, The following projects will be funded via RFAP:
• In Allegheny County, Tube City IMS, LLC will receive $700,000 to rehabilitate over one mile of track including ties, ballast, turnout reconfiguration, and surfacing; and Union Railroad Co. will receive $700,000 to rehabilitate over four miles of track including about 4,750 new ties and ballast;
• In Allegheny and Washington counties, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Co. will receive $700,000 to replace the deck timbers on four bridges;
• In Blair County, D Holdings will receive $700,000 to rehabilitate about 3,200 feet of track and five turnouts and pave an existing loading dock at a transload facility.
• In Bradford County, Lehigh Railway LLC will receive $244,125 to install a turnout on an existing siding at the Rock Station fracking sand facility;
• In Bucks County, Tyburn Railroad LLC will receive $420,000 to construct more than 1,000 feet of new track and install a crossover;
• In Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties, East Penn Railroad LLC will receive $594,912 to install 2,500 new ties and complete five miles of surfacing on the Wilmington Northern line and install 4,000 new ties on the Quakertown line;
• In Chester County, Arcelor Mittal Plate LLC will receive $274,179 to replace seven turnouts and reconstruct 327 feet of track throughout the company’s Coatesville steel plant; and Mittal Steel USA Railways, $308,315 to reconstruct 790 feet of track and replace six turnouts throughout the company’s Coatesville property;
• In Clearfield County, American Rock Salt will receive $700,000 to rehabilitate 4,500 feet of existing track, construct 1,000 feet of new track and install a new conveyor at an existing Clearfield County transload facility;
• In Cumberland County, Gettysburg & Northern Railroad Co. will receive $107,250 to rehabilitate and install a new turnout to an existing dead-end stub track siding to create a 2,400-foot turnaround track;
• In Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, Redevelopment Authority of Luzerne County will receive $175,000 for repairs to seven bridges including tie alignment and replacement, tree removal and walkway replacement;
• In Lackawanna and Monroe counties, Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad Co. will receive $639,249 to replace bridge timbers and back wall ties on the two Carbondale Main bridges and repair spalling and cracking on a bridge on the Pocono Mainline;
• In Lancaster County, Landisville Railroad LLC will receive $700,000 to rehabilitate nearly two miles of track, including surfacing, installation of eight turnouts, tie replacement and resurfacing of a public road crossing;
• In Lawrence County, The Hill Railroad Car Co. will receive $243,177 to relocate a turnout and install new ties and rail on the 1,350-foot South Sample spur; Kasgro Rail Corp. will receive $344,347 to replace and strengthen yard track at the company’s manufacturing and repair facility; and New Castle Industrial Railroad will receive $266,952 to realign and rehabilitate less than one mile of track including new ties, plates and two switches;
• In McKean County, Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad will receive $700,000 to rehabilitate more than 17 miles of track, including 7,500 new crossties, re-timbering of two mainline turnouts, reconstruction of a two-track highway crossing and ballasting and surfacing;
• In Mifflin County, SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority will receive $145,021 to rehabilitate less than one mile of the West Park track including ditching and drainage; and Standard Steel LLC will receive $303,450 to replace three turnouts and 1,500 feet of track at the steel plant;
• In Philadelphia, Philadelphia Regional Port Authority will receive $609,161 to rehabilitate the rail approaching and alongside the Tioga III warehouse at the Tioga Marine Terminal;
• In Pike County, Central New York Railroad will receive $210,000 to repair and strengthen various components of a four-span steel deck truss bridge over the Delaware River to New York;
• In Somerset County, JIDC will receive $176,656 to repair spalling on bridge abutments and piers and replace 300 ties on a siding;
• In Venango County, Oil Creek Titusville Lines will receive $69,825 to repair a two-span, through-truss bridge at Petroleum Centre;
• And in Wyoming County, Proctor & Gamble Paper Products will receive $249,900 to improve the company’s rail yard, including new rail and ties, stone ballast and resurfacing.
Pennsylvania approves $40m in state funding for rail infrastructure
