From an e-mailed press release......

 

Ohio Rail Development Commission •  News Release

1980 West Broad Street • Columbus, Ohio 43223

Website: http://www.rail.ohio.gov

 

Two Columbus Rail Projects Get A “Go” From ORDC

Commissioners Also Approve Loan Modification for Columbiana County Port Authority Rail Line Improvements

Columbus (Monday, November 14, 2011) –  ORDC Commissioners have approved two related rail projects near downtown Columbus that will improve safety and rail service,  help create 13 new jobs and retain 160 more. 

 

Commissioners approved a $250,000 grant for the rehabilitation of a 1.6-mile long portion of the Neilston Line (which branches off of the Panhandle Line just east of downtown Columbus) and relocation of a mainline rail crossover on the Panhandle Line.  The ORDC grant will supplement an Ohio Department of Development project.

 

The line already serves PSC Metals and will soon serve Yenkin-Majestic on the east side of Columbus. The grant also leverages $250,000 from the Columbus & Ohio River Railroad (Genesee & Wyoming) to cover construction costs.

 

An estimated 500 new carloads of freight will be generated by the project, as well as the 13 new jobs at a Haz-Mat transloading facility that will be served by the rail spur.  The new crossover on the Panhandle Line will also improve service by allowing train crews to switch trains in and out of the Neilston Line, even when unit trains are parked on the Panhandle Line waiting for pick up.

 

A revision of loan terms for the Columbiana County Port Authority for the rehabilitation of the former Youngstown & Southern rail line was also approved by Commissioners.  Revising terms of the $2.1-million dollar loan will enable a buyer to move ahead with its purchase of both the rail line and the Penn-Ohio Landfill. The buyer also intends to develop a bulk transload facility on the rail line.

 

The project is estimated to create 15 to 20 new jobs at the landfill at Negley, 5 jobs at the transload facility and another 5 railroad operations jobs.  The developments will also support additional trucking jobs at the transload facility.

 

###

Polar Express to benefit from Panhandle lease pact.

By Jon Baker

TimesReporter.com staff writer

Posted Nov 16, 2011 @ 11:56 PM

 

   

DENNISON — Concerns over guaranteeing the future of the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum’s Polar Express excursion dominated a public hearing Wednesday on a proposed 25-year lease of the Panhandle Rail Line.

 

The Ohio Rail Development Commission is seeking public input on a plan to extend the length of the lease with the Ohio Central Railroad Co. of Coshocton from five years to 25 years on the 160-mile rail line, which runs through Coshocton, Harrison and southern Tuscarawas counties.

 

Officials expect the new lease to be approved sometime next year as the current one expires in June 2012.

 

Read more at: http://www.timesreporter.com/communities/x1944401286/Polar-Express-to-benefit-from-Panhandle-lease-pact

While freight is the railroads' meat and potatoes, look at what gets the headlines -- the passenger service. Still, too many freight railroad company officials and others have failed to appreciate how passenger service can actually help their business.

While freight is the railroads' meat and potatoes, look at what gets the headlines -- the passenger service. Still, too many freight railroad company officials and others have failed to appreciate how passenger service can actually help their business.

 

Indeed. For the major carriers, passenger service was as much for public relations as it was for revenue. Much of the public animosity toward railroads for noise, grade-crossing accidents,  traffic delays, and hazmat issues has evolved in the years since they first drastically downsized their passenger operations and then got out of the business altogether. Even though railroads keep huge amounts of freight off the public roads and streets, reduce the consumption of petroleum in commercial transportation, and reduce air pollution associated with those activites, probably most people don't see them as serving to the public any more. The railroads' names have ceased to be associated with memorable family vacations and holiday travel in the minds of generations of people of all economic classes, all over the America.

 

<rant>

The short-sightedness and narrow view of some railroad management ties in with what I think has brought about the decline of many American industries, industries that were founded and nurtured and run by people who had a fascination, a passion for a particular product or technology or activity. As that generation aged out, descendants or outsiders who didn't have that passion moved into leadership and decision-making positions. The founders' enthusiasm for the operations end of the business and often their loyalty to the employees and co-workers who had grown with them were replaced by enthusiasm for and loyalty to theories learned from business-school professors and textbooks that taught how to maximize short-term profits to the exclusion of all other concerns. Consolidations and mergers and buyouts and takeovers have resulted in decisions being made by lawyers and MBAs in corporate offices hundreds of miles away, who have no interest in or understanding of the operations or products, and who would be perfectly content running a railroad or a construction industry one month and a cosmetics or fashion chain the next, so along as their salary and bonuses continue to grow. America has been taken over by people who have become wealthy buying and selling money, with no concern or perhaps even awareness of the long-term problems their short-term solutions create.

 

The real insight, energy, and commitment in the contemporary railroad industry resides largely in the better-run short lines and regionals, where owners/managers share office space with dispatchers and clerks and sometimes get in the cab or are on site with track gangs. They know their customers on a first-name basis, and they go to lunch with the mayors of the towns their tracks pass through.

</rant>

 

I've already been accused of being a commie pinko fag -- more than once. Go ahead, I'm used to it.

Marcellus Shale gas exploration, ethanol production net new-business growth for Norfolk Southern

 

By Julie Sneider, Assistant Editor

 

From Jim Schaaf’s perspective, few opportunities hold as much potential for new-business growth than natural gas exploration in the Marcellus Shale.

 

As group vice president of metals and construction for Norfolk Southern Railway, Schaaf is in a position to know. His group is responsible for moving carloads of sand, cement, pipe and other materials that NS’ customers need for drilling operations in the geological formation, which stretches deep underground from Ohio to West Virginia, across most of Pennsylvania and into southern New York.

 

Geologists have known for a long time about the vast amount of natural gas trapped under the Marcellus Shale, so why the excitement about it now? Recent technological advancements in horizontal drilling and hydraudlic fracturing have enabled drilling companies to break through the shale to reach the natural gas reserves. As part of the fracturing process, water, sand and chemicals are pumped into the well bores under pressure to crack the rock and release the gas deposits. Hauling those materials to drill sites is where NS and a number of its short-line partners enter the picture, says Schaaf.

 

Read more at:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/pr/article.asp?id=28776

 

Adding to the above news article, rail advocates are organizing a campaign to promote rail infrastructure improvements in the Mahoning Valley.

 

We are calling this regional initiative RESTORE:

Rail Enhancements = Sustainable Transportation, Opportunity, Revitalization & Employment

 

RESTORE

A rail enhancement program for the Mahoning Valley

 

We are seeking expressions of support from interested stakeholders, but first encourage their principals to view a presentation available here:

 

http://freepdfhosting.com/3150e52473.pdf

 

 

+ What is RESTORE?

A proposed public-private program to restore rail infrastructure

which supports the revival of the Mahoning Valley’s industrial

economy to serve energy, manufacturing and supplier markets.

 

+ Why RESTORE?

Inspired by Chicago’s CREATE program to address its rail

traffic congestion, Mahoning Valley’s RESTORE seeks to

revive or reconnect rail system assets that were downgraded

over 35 years of deindustrialization.

 

+ Why RESTORE rail?

Rail is a low-cost, high-volume, energy-efficient means of

moving goods and people to promote economic efficiency,

industrial development and job creation.

 

 

Sample Letter of Support

 

Ken Prendergast

RESTORE

[email protected]

(216) 288-4883

 

Dear Mr. Prendergast,

 

Thank you for sharing with me your RESTORE presentation on the need for creating a

coordinated, programmatic rail infrastructure improvement effort for Northeast Ohio.

Such a program would increase the attractiveness of the Mahoning Valley as the leading

job-creating "tool box" for tapping the Marcellus/Utica shale.

 

We at ________________ are in agreement with All Aboard Ohio that such a rail

infrastructure improvement program is needed and that it be carried out as a public-

private partnership. A regional entity could host the program, coordinate planning and

funding, and organize the interest and expertise of various regional interests.

 

Please keep us apprised of your progress as you advocate for a regional rail infrastructure

improvement program. We are excited about its job-creating prospects and, should you

need other assistance from ________________ in the future, please do not hesitate to

contact me.

 

Sincerely,

 

_____________________________

 

 

Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions before sending your letter of support. E-mailed letters are preferred. Thank you.

 

This is part of the proposed RESTORE program to improve rail freight infrastructure in the Mahoning Valley. This project would link the Mahoning Valley with Cleveland's industries and water port by rail. No direct rail link currently exists, especially one owned/operated entirely by regional/shortline (Class II/III) railroads despite the fact there are numerous small and medium-density traffic shippers between the cities, including the Port of Cleveland's largest user -- Thomas Steel Strip of Warren -- plus scrap steel companies, steel pipe distributors, frac sand distributors and even Short-Sea Initiative auto parts shipments.

 

 

 

 

The routing through Kent certainly isn't the most direct, efficient or community-friendly as it requires a reverse move on the south side of town. The result is that a slow-moving freight train would have to block street crossings through town twice! If rail traffic is minimal to start out with, then this routing may not be a problem. But if traffic levels rise to more than a few trains per day, then the Kent Cutoff ought to be considered.....

 

 

 

Details, from west to east.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the idea-sharing!

Love the idea of using the old LE&P to avoid the circuitous route thru Kent. I'm sure the city fathers would appreciate that as well! 

The cool part is that there would be no new grade-crossings on this newly (re-)constructed line, minimal grading, and only one new bridge needed (over Hudson Road at the west end of the Kent Cutoff where there was a bridge previously) as all other roadway bridges (over or under) are still in place. And considering the distance (4 miles), I think it's pretty remarkable that only 4 parcels would have to be acquired or otherwise gain site control via lease or easement.

 

Here's a guesstimate of what it might cost to build the Kent Cutoff....

 

property      $1,000,000

track            $4,200,000

grading        $5,000,000

Hudson  Rd  $1,000,000

Cuyahoga    $1,000,000

turnouts      $  510,000

trail              $2,000,000

 

subtotal      $14,710,000

30% contgcy$  4,410,000

engineering $    880,000

 

TOTAL          $20,000,000 (VERY rough estimate!)

CSX Introduces Improved Carbon Calculator

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - November 29, 2011 - As millions of Americans head to stores or make online purchases, CSX has launched an improved Carbon Calculator aimed at helping consumers and businesses better understand the key role freight rail plays in a sustainable supply chain.

 

"CSX's online Carbon Calculator not only helps our customers make smart supply chain decisions, it also helps educate consumers about the path items take to get to store shelves or their front door," said Carl Gerhardstein, assistant vice president, environmental systems and sustainability. "This tool demonstrates our commitment to responsible business and helps consumers understand how freight rail positively affects the life-cycle of the goods they buy."

 

To demonstrate the efficiencies of CSX's network, the calculator compares the carbon emissions generated by freight rail to those of long-haul trucks over similar routes. Consumers are able to choose from a number of variables - from the type and volume of goods transported to the length of the route - to estimate the average carbon emissions reduced by shipping via rail.

 

The tool also plays an important role for businesses, helping them optimize their supply chains as they bring goods to market more sustainably than ever before. The calculator provides shippers an opportunity to better understand the environmental benefits of shipping their goods via rail.  The tool shows how intermodal shipments - combining both truck and rail transport to maximize efficiency - can drastically reduce carbon emissions.

 

Check out CSX's enhanced carbon calculator on www.CSX.com to learn how freight rail can reduce the environmental footprint of businesses and consumers alike. 

 

About CSX

 

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation's leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia. CSX's network connects more than 240 short line and regional railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Follow CSX on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX).

 

Contact:

 

Lauren Rueger

1 (877) TELL-CSX

 

This could also go in "What other states are doing"......

 

Rail will benefit from Governor Cuomo's $785 million Regional Council funding

Friday, December 09, 2011

 

New York State awarded $785 million for the Regional Economic Development Council initiative, continuing New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's efforts to redesign the way state government works in order to drive economic growth and create jobs.

 

Announced in July, Regional Councils represent a fundamental shift in the state's approach to economic development from a top-down development model to a community-based, performance-driven approach, which empowers individual areas to develop comprehensive strategic plans that invest in regional solutions to create jobs and economic growth. As part of the Regional Council process, a Strategic Plan Review Committee was chosen to analyze and rank the strategic plans for each region competing for $200 million in specially targeted economic development funding.

 

The plans are the result of months of consideration by the Regional Councils and input from the public in each region. The process included holding more than 100 public meetings, forums and community workshops across the state. Thousands of New Yorkers contributed to the development of the plans through these events.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/rail-will-benefit-from-governor-cuomos-785-million-regional-council-funding-4810.html

 

See also the map on the second page at:

http://www.wellsboroandcorningrailroad.com/Overview.pdf

I keep forgetting to post this....

 

Improving area’s rail options

December 11, 2011

Tribune Chronicle | TribToday.com

 

Attempts to convince General Motors to build diesel and hybrid Cruzes in Lordstown brings to the surface the Mahoning Valley's rail deficiencies. Much more than job security at GM Lordstown is at stake.

 

Already planning to build a diesel version of its popular Chevrolet Cruze compact car next year, General Motors Co. reportedly is preparing to go even further to a plug-in electric-gasoline model. Word from Australian automotive web sites is that GM is working on a Cruze for 2014 that will combine battery and gasoline power trains.

 

One factor that could weigh in GM's location decision could be the cost of receiving hybrid parts from foreign suppliers. According to transportation logistics experts, some companies prefer to ship overseas goods into the Port of Cleveland and then have shorter rail and highway routes to Midwest destinations such as Lordstown. Because rail and highway is more expensive than water, shipping into East Coast ports increases the cost.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/565220/Improving-area-s-rail-options.html?nav=5007

I keep forgetting to post this....

 

Improving areas rail options

December 11, 2011

Tribune Chronicle | TribToday.com

 

Attempts to convince General Motors to build diesel and hybrid Cruzes in Lordstown brings to the surface the Mahoning Valley's rail deficiencies. Much more than job security at GM Lordstown is at stake.

 

Already planning to build a diesel version of its popular Chevrolet Cruze compact car next year, General Motors Co. reportedly is preparing to go even further to a plug-in electric-gasoline model. Word from Australian automotive web sites is that GM is working on a Cruze for 2014 that will combine battery and gasoline power trains.

 

One factor that could weigh in GM's location decision could be the cost of receiving hybrid parts from foreign suppliers. According to transportation logistics experts, some companies prefer to ship overseas goods into the Port of Cleveland and then have shorter rail and highway routes to Midwest destinations such as Lordstown. Because rail and highway is more expensive than water, shipping into East Coast ports increases the cost.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/565220/Improving-area-s-rail-options.html?nav=5007

 

Excellent editorial, but it could have been better had the authors focused on a specific call to action as a rallying point.

I can't rate it as excellent because of the ignorant statement they made about the 3C Corridor funds that Kasich turned back. 

Excellent editorial, but it could have been better had the authors focused on a specific call to action as a rallying point.

 

You mean something like RESTORE (which was formerly approved last night)? ;)

 

 

I can't rate it as excellent because of the ignorant statement they made about the 3C Corridor funds that Kasich turned back. 

 

I agree. The editor and I had a discussion about this yesterday. He was receptive and wants me to meet with the newspaper's editorial board next year.

Restoring the rail

December 18, 2011

By LARRY RINGLER - Business Editor ([email protected]) , Tribune Chronicle | TribToday.com

 

Piles of sand are expected to be a hot commodity in the Mahoning Valley in coming years. So will tons of scrap steel and steel pipe, along with huge amounts of natural gas liquids and waste water.

 

Those products will be the building blocks of what economic development officials believe will be the area's new economy for decades - gas and oil drilling in the Utica and Marcellus shale rock formations under eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and nearby states.

 

How to get vast quantities of material in and out of the area efficiently is a question that some experts feel can be partly answered with one word: Railroads.

 

"I talked to an oil executive, and he said Ohio has to be ready in terms of rail capacity. Rail and (shale) are linked closely," said said Eric Planey, the Regional Chamber's vice president for international business attraction.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/565483/Restoring-the-rail.html?nav=5003

Rail Enhancements = Sustainable Transportation, Opportunity, Revitalization & Employment

 

Join RESTORE on Thursday, January 12, from noon to 1:30 p.m. for a lunch presentation in the Powers-Gibson Room (Fourth Floor) at The Youngstown Club, 201 East Commerce Street, Downtown Youngstown.

 

Kindly order your own meal from the regular lunch menu; a special burger menu will also be available.

 

Come hear about RESTORE, a new advocacy effort supported by businesses, communities and economic development interests to promote job creation through more public-private rail freight infrastructure improvements in Ohio. RESTORE is starting out by focusing its efforts on the Mahoning Valley, where new or restored track connections, sidings, rights of way and other infrastructure are critical to support continued manufacturing growth in the region.

 

Please RSVP by 5 p.m. Jan. 10 to [email protected]

 

Have a happy holiday season and a happy new year!

 

 

Ken Prendergast

RESTORE

850 Euclid Ave., Suite 1026

Cleveland, OH 44114-3357

(216) 294-0012 office

(216) 288-4883 cell

[email protected]

Fortune 500 oil and gas company moving to Massillon

By Matthew Rink

IndeOnline.com staff writer

Posted Dec 23, 2011 @ 07:16 PM

 

MASSILLON — A multi-billion-dollar, Fortune 500 supplier to the oil and gas industry has leased a vacant distribution center in the city as energy companies ramp up efforts to tap the Utica shale reserves for natural gas.

 

National Oilwell Varco, a Houston-based company, will occupy the former home of PolyOne Distribution Inc., 4075 Millennium Blvd. SE,  a 72,000-square-foot building with an additional 5,000 square feet of office space, according to Mayor Frank Cicchinelli.

 

A press release announcing the lease does not state the company’s identity, and Doug Sibila of Sibila Family LLC, the building’s owner, would neither confirm nor deny National Oilwell Varco as the new tenant. Sibila said the tenant has asked to keep a “low profile.”

 

....Railroad line is a crucial portion of the business, Sibila said, because of the size of the materials used to service wells.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x1282423996/Fortune-500-oil-and-gas-company-moving-to-Massillon

Nice... here it is on Google Maps:

http://g.co/maps/33xbw

 

Looks like this plant is being rehabbed as well:

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.772963,-81.401672&spn=0.003352,0.005845&gl=us&vpsrc=6&t=k&z=19

Funny thing, the link takes me to the correct location but the imbedded map shows Timken's Harrison Steel Plant, which is a small bar mill in Canton. Showing the Harrison plant is relevant here too, as it and Timken's Gambrinus Plant (also in Canton) are getting $50 million worth of modernization...

http://www.ohio.com/news/timken-to-upgrade-two-steel-mills-1.166277

Whoops. They were supposed to be two links - I didn't even know I could embed anything in like that. Upgrade? That place looked abandoned for a while, or long closed and mothballed, but in the 45 degree view, it looks like it was being rehabbed. Good to see the steel industry at least rebound.

A very thorough article. And only one of the three Ohio counties (Ross) with frack sand is still served by rail today. RESTORE those tracks! And the only way you can affordably get sand to Ohio is by water. Problem is there isn't a single water port in Ohio served by a short-line freight railroad....

 

Ohio sand turns to gold as drilling boom comes to Buckeye State

By Bob Downing

Beacon Journal staff writer

Published: December 26, 2011 - 12:35 AM

 

His family-owned company produces the special sand needed for the drilling boom in Ohio’s deep layer of Utica shale.

 

The sand is perfect for the hydraulic fracturing process — or fracking — which uses force to open cracks in the shale and free up natural gas, oil and other lucrative products.

 

The sand is nearly 100 percent quartz. It is round and spherical. It is hard and strong. It is resistant to water and chemicals. It is a sand that flows almost like a liquid. It can survive heavy pressures deep underground.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/ohio-sand-turns-to-gold-as-drilling-boom-comes-to-buckeye-state-1.252220

REMINDER....

 

Rail Enhancements = Sustainable Transportation, Opportunity, Revitalization & Employment

 

Join RESTORE on Thursday, January 12, from noon to 1:30 p.m. for a lunch presentation in the Powers-Gibson Room (Fourth Floor) at The Youngstown Club, 201 East Commerce Street, Downtown Youngstown.

 

Kindly order your own meal from the regular lunch menu; a special burger menu will also be available.

 

Come hear about RESTORE, a new advocacy effort supported by businesses, communities and economic development interests to promote job creation through more public-private rail freight infrastructure improvements in Ohio. RESTORE is starting out by focusing its efforts on the Mahoning Valley, where new or restored track connections, sidings, rights of way and other infrastructure are critical to support continued manufacturing growth in the region. Read more at:

http://freepdfhosting.com/bd9048fea0.pdf (1.8mb)

 

Please RSVP by 5 p.m. Jan. 10 to [email protected]

No video posted even though they shot some at this meeting (see above)....

 

Rail Advocacy Group Presents Plan for Area

Jan. 12, 2012

 

As many see the beginning of an economic boost from the Marcellus shale industry, a rail advocacy group wants to make sure the area is prepared.

 

A group called RESTORE, which stands for "Rail Enhancements equal Sustainable Transportation, Opportunity Revitalization and Employment" met Thursday to present a plan for the area's rail system.

 

Members of the group said the Mahoning Valley lost some of its once vast rail system, but investing in rail line revitalization will be key to future job and economic growth.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.wkbn.com/content/news/local/story/Rail-Advocacy-Group-Presents-Plan-for-Area/y2dxRfYCsUaleEuuoDhMXA.cspx

 

Freight rail industry enjoying 'new golden age' thanks to intermodal service

By McClatchy Newspapers

Sunday, January 22, 2012

 

HARRISBURG — It's a Sunday afternoon and there's a huge traffic jam on a bridge that crosses the Susquehanna River, with truck trailers and containers on both sides waiting to get to their final destinations in the densely populated Northeast.

 

But this gridlock isn't occurring on a highway.

 

Rather, it's on the century-old, stone-arch bridge that now carries the trains of Norfolk Southern Railway to far-flung destinations such as Chicago, New York, New England, Baltimore and Atlanta. Half a century ago, most of those trains would have carried coal, ore and manufactured goods stuffed into old-fashioned boxcars. Many still do, actually.

 

But what's causing the traffic jam is something else: The "boxcars" belong to trucking and shipping companies, such as UPS, J.B. Hunt and Schneider International, filled with consumer products bound for the shelves of big-box stores such as Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot.

 

Read more:   http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_777812.html#ixzz1kJv3co6b

Think of this:

 

J.B. Hunt, which started out as a small trucking company, is now the largest publicly traded transportation and trucking company in the U.S. It's founder first rode the rails in 1989 with Union Pacific and was very much impressed. Today, 40% of its revenues and 50% of its profits come from intermodal transport.

Good news. I also posted this e-mailed press release in the Cleveland port thread....

 

 

Port of Cleveland’s Cargo Volume Grew 31 percent in 2011

More growth expected as Port expands rail system in largest construction project in a decade

 

JANUARY 25, 2012 – The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority reported that overall cargo tonnage increased 31 percent in 2011, largely the result of growth in steel, iron-ore and oversized “project” cargo handled by Port facilities.

 

The Port handled 3.4 million tons of cargo last year – the highest volume since 2008. General cargo volume rose 16 percent as both steel and project cargo posted increases; while bulk cargo increased 33 percent, as more iron ore was handled by Port operations.

 

“Trade through our port showed strong growth in 2011, which is another indicator of an economic rebound underway in our region,” said Port CEO Will Friedman. “With this momentum we are working harder than ever to develop better waterborne freight connections with global markets to help Ohio firms compete for and win business, and ultimately create new jobs.”

 

Overall tonnage transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway increased 2.5 percent in 2011.     

 

Separately the Port Authority’s Board of Directors agreed today to enter into a contract for nearly $3.9 million to construct an on-dock rail loop that will make the Port more competitive.

 

The Port selected Great Lakes Construction Company, a Cleveland-based company to build the 5,500 feet of additional track. The project is slated to be completed before the end of October, and was made possible by an Ohio Department of Development Logistics and Distribution Stimulus Loan of $3,025,000. The Port will fund the remainder of the project from its capital budget.

 

“We are excited to move forward with the rail expansion, which exemplifies the strategic investments the Port is making to grow its maritime operations and spur more economic activity in Greater Cleveland,” said Board Chair Bob Smith.  “We are also grateful to the Ohio Department of Development for its vital role in turning this project into reality.”

 

The rail loop will connect existing on-dock tracks, giving the two Class 1 railroads serving the Port access to the entire general cargo facility and providing enhanced opportunities for rail-to-ship and ship-to-rail cargo handling. This expanded rail service will give local companies more efficient and cost-effective shipping options, and better position the port to handle more railcars at one time, increase exports, and reach customers in a broader geographic area.

 

Cleveland Commercial Railroad, LLC will manage the scheduling and operations of the Port’s expanded rail system, and market it to area companies.

 

The board also authorized the Port to enter into a contract for up to $65,000 with Martin Associates to analyze the business case for launching regularly scheduled liner service between Cleveland and ports in Europe, and possibly Canada. Such service would provide new options for transporting both containerized and non-containerized cargo, offering Ohio shippers a competitive and reliable alternative to established routings, and advancing the Port’s strategic aim of diversifying its cargo base. Regularly scheduled service could also provide unprecedented opportunities to export goods from Northeast Ohio by ship directly to world markets.

 

Martin Associates previously completed market analyses for the Port Authority and recently concluded a bi-national analysis of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System. Under the new contract it will conduct market research and identify viable service design options that the Port can use as the basis for an ocean-carrier solicitation program that will begin later this year.

 

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority operates the Port of Cleveland, a leading gateway for waterborne trade on the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System. Nearly 18,000 jobs and 1.8 billion in economic activity result from the roughly 13 million tons of cargo that move through the Cleveland harbor on average each year. The Port also provides innovative financing services for a wide range of development projects in Northeast Ohio, and is leading initiatives to solve critical infrastructure challenges along Cleveland’s waterfronts.

 

-30-

KJP, I grew up in Cleveland but I live in southern Ohio now, ...I remember the opening of the St. Lawrence seaway and a lot of shipping during the 50's and 60's.  The thing that always restricted the Cleveland port was that the shipping shut down from Dec.-March because of ice.  There was always some talk of the US & Canada using their icebreakers to keep the seaway open but it was never deemed cost effective.  But I'm talkin' 30-40 years ago, just wondering nowadays has this changed?  With global warming is year-round shipping possible now? 

 

Also noticed your earlier posts on this thread where you posted the Trains magazine double-track national route map.  With today's signaling and train control systems double track isn't as important as it once was; double STACK is the big money-maker now as you probably know.  Didn't look at all your posts, so maybe you're onto this already but Trains recently published a similar DOUBLE STACK route map---Ohio and particularly northern Ohio are very lucky---already most major rail lines are double-stack.  I remember CSX and the City of Cleveland had their act together way back in the 70's and raised the clearances on all the bridges thru Cleveland.  Ohio, and particularly northern Ohio are now in a very enviable position.   

I don't know if the cost-effectiveness has changed for keeping the seaway and Great Lakes ports open year 'round, but I didn't know until very recently that they could keep the Great Lakes open all year. And from what I understand is that even when the ice covers the lakes, it's not thick enough that it requires Coast Guard ice breakers to keep them open. A big ship's bow is strong enough to get through most mid-lake ice nowadays. It's the ice closer to shore that's the thickest, but that's also where the traffic is likely to be heaviest so there will be paths of thinner ice or perhaps none at all.

 

I also learned very recently that there are very few Great Lakes ports that are served by short-line (Class 3) and regional (Class 2) railroads. This is not an accident. The big Class-1 railroads have physically blocked almost all Class 2/3 access to Great Lakes ports, including Cleveland's. The reason is that, while Class 2/3 railroads will handle lighter-density, short-haul, carload traffic, the big Class 1 railroads won't. It's not cost-effective for them. Instead, they prefer to have all the trans-oceanic shipping come into the East Coast ports (which are more expensive) and then ship by rail to Ohio (which is more expensive than using ships into Great Lakes ports and doing the last 50-200 miles by Class 2/3 rail).

 

This is one factor holding back Ohio's manufacturing economy.

1/30/2012 10:00:00 AM    Rail Industry Outlook

AAR: Class Is budget record $13 billion for capex, seek more than 15,000 new hires in 2012

 

Today, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) announced that major U.S. railroads plan to spend a record $13 billion on capital expenditures in 2012 to expand, upgrade and enhance their networks. In addition, the Class Is plan to hire more than 15,000 people this year to replace retiring workers and add new positions.

 

Capex investments include intermodal terminals; new track, bridges and tunnels; new locomotives and rail cars; and modernized safety equipment. In recent years, railroads have been spending about 17 percent of their annual revenue on capex compared with about 3 percent by the average U.S. manufacturer, AAR officials said in a prepared statement.

 

Read more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/prdailynews/news.asp?id=29708

I'm sure Wheeling and Lake Erie serves the Erie shore...that may be the only one.

I'm sure Wheeling and Lake Erie serves the Erie shore...that may be the only one.

 

They do, but only via trackage rights over Norfolk Southern tracks to the docks at Huron. And apparently the trackage rights agreement restricts W&LE from hauling most anything except grain and perhaps coal.

 

The only other one I can think of is Bessemer & Lake Erie, a Class II regional railroad, which handles iron ore from Conneaut to Pittsburgh and coal from the interior out to points unknown.

The Wheeling also serves Toledo.

 

Do they serve the docks? If so, hopefully it's on their own trackage so they're not subject to the same restrictions NS places on them at Huron.

I'm sure Wheeling and Lake Erie serves the Erie shore...that may be the only one.

 

They do, but only via trackage rights over Norfolk Southern tracks to the docks at Huron. And apparently the trackage rights agreement restricts W&LE from hauling most anything except grain and perhaps coal.

 

The only other one I can think of is Bessemer & Lake Erie, a Class II regional railroad, which handles iron ore from Conneaut to Pittsburgh and coal from the interior out to points unknown.

 

B&LE was bought out by CN a couple of years ago. Don't know what impact that would have.

B&LE was bought out by CN a couple of years ago. Don't know what impact that would have.

 

Which is even more scary considering that CN and CP are even more adamant about making sure ocean shipping doesn't come into the Great Lakes. They would prefer it be off-loaded at the west or east coasts and shipped by rail inland.

 

While I am a rail advocate, I'm first a Northeast Ohio advocate. The reason why Ohio boomed economically from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s was because of canals first (getting natural resources to the East Coast) and the Great Lakes after that (moving ore, limestone and coal primarily for steel-making). The cheap water transport is why that happened here, then rail moved the resources the first or last 50-150 miles. If we want this region's industry to grow again, then we need to remove the Class I freight railroads' stranglehold on Great Lakes ports.

Do they serve the docks? If so, hopefully it's on their own trackage so they're not subject to the same restrictions NS places on them at Huron.

 

There own tracks and they own a swing bridge across the Maumee River that was just rehabbed last year.

Ohio Rail Development Commission •  Press Release

 

1980 West Broad Street • Columbus, Ohio 43223

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail

 

Ohio Rail Development Commission approves $400,000 grant to help rehabilitate Ashland Railway lines

 

COLUMBUS, OH. (Monday, January 30, 2012) – On Thursday, January 19, 2012 the Ohio Rail Development Commissioners approved $400,000 towards the rehabilitation of the Ashland Railway (ASRY) lines from Mansfield to Ashland.  This grant will help ensure the line continues to thrive and keep important, rail-dependent businesses in the area by repairing the track, increasing speed from 10 mph to 25 mph, saving both time and money for everyone using the line.

 

In coordination with local economic development officials, the railroad has been very aggressively marketing sites along its Mansfield to West Salem line.  Evan Scurti, the Director of Ashland Area Council for Economic Development, explains that “This is a very important project.  Over the past 20+ years, Ashland has witnessed how a very competitive global economy often leads to business decisions that negatively affect industrial Midwest towns.  However, we have had some exciting recent successes due to our competitive advantages.  A short-line railroad that is investing in itself is a prime example of an asset that is helping us fuel industrial growth.”  ASRY industrial development efforts have resulted in two new customers on the Mansfield to Ashland segment this past year. 

 

One new customer, McFarland-Cascade, near Mansfield, uses the railroad to move telephone poles.  In addition, ASRY has added a new Barbasol plant in Ashland to its customer base in the last year.  Mayor Glen Stewart emphasized that “The Ashland Business Park is centrally located between Cleveland, Akron, and Columbus, with very easy access to I-71 and US 250.  This has attracted great companies who are distributing products across North America and the world.  The ASRY and State investments into the railroad will further strengthen our reputation as a premiere location for efficient supply and product shipments.”  Atef Halaka, President of Barbasol, LLC, explained that Ashland Railway’s services were a key factor that attracted [barbasol] to Ashland during their 2008 site selection process.  “Transportation is one of our second or third highest costs and the use of rail is and will continue to be imperative to our success”.

 

State Representative Dave Hall, 97th District, who strongly supported the approval of the grant expressed that “This is excellent news and I am thrilled for the City of Ashland.  The railway grant is a major victory for the community, and I applaud the Ashland Economic Development team and Ohio Rail Development Commission for their outstanding work.  Without a doubt, these funds will enable local officials to improve the city and create jobs.”

 

 

Amazing that this rail line is abandoned east of West Salem for only about 8 miles to where it could reconnect with the Wheeling & Lake Erie....

A month-old article, but even more relevant now. Sadly, only three counties in Ohio produce silica sand -- Geauga (Chardon), Knox (Mount Vernon) and Ross (Chillicothe). Of those three, the county that's closest to the Utica and Marcellus basins in Geauga which has no longer has rail access. Fairmount Minerals in Chardon is one of the largest producers in the US. And Knox has very limited rail access....

 

 

FTS Sees Railcar Shortage From Fracking Sand for 12 Months

January 13, 2012, 6:08 PM EST

By David Wethe

(Updates with analyst comment beginning in 10th paragraph.)

 

Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- FTS International Inc., a hydraulic fracturing company that is planning an initial public offering this year, sees a shortage for the next 8 to 12 months for railcars needed to haul fracking sand to wells.

 

“Railcars are in very high demand,” Kevin McGlinch, senior vice president of FTS International, said in an interview today at its Fort Worth, Texas headquarters. The cars are used for moving grain and “also, within the energy space, there’s us and lots of other people trying to get these same cars at the same time.”

 

Railcar orders more than doubled to 20,165 in the third quarter of 2011 from a year earlier, according to data from the Railway Supply Institute. The order backlog for U.S. freight cars more than tripled to 65,044 in the same period.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-13/fts-sees-railcar-shortage-from-fracking-sand-for-12-months.html

Posted cool Ohio railroad construction pics at:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,23808.msg604291.html#new

Port Authority Joins with Rail, River Groups

Thursday, February 16, 2012

By George Nelson

 

VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- The Western Reserve Port Authority Wednesday approved a contract with a rail advocacy group to conduct a study of rail infrastructure improvements aimed at assisting the growing oil and gas industry and attracting other companies with an interest in rail.

 

The port authority, which operates the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport, approved the $10,000 contract with Project Restore -- which stands for Rail Enhancements -- Sustainable Transportation, Opportunity, Revitalization and Employment -- to identify the top five strategic rail linkages, said Sarah Lown, senior director of economic development for the port authority. Reestablishing rail linkages could assist oil and gas companies expanding or coming to the Mahoning Valley, and attract other firms dependent on rail, she said.

 

"The idea is to identify the top five rail links that need to be established," which ones can be restored, looking at historical use, whether easements are in place and other issues, Lown said. "We’ll identify partners and stakeholders, what resources or funding is needed so we can restore those linkages between the lake and the river. If all goes to plan, there's going to be much more freight rail needed if the oil and gas shale industry expands in the region," she said.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://businessjournaldaily.com/economic-development/port-authority-joins-rail-river-groups-2012-2-16

http://www.fra.dot.gov/roa/press_releases/fp_FRA%2006-12.shtml

 

U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY LAHOOD ANNOUNCES $17 MILLION FOR RAIL LINE RELOCATION PROJECTS ACROSS THE U.S.

 

U.S.Department of Transportation

Office of Public Affairs

Washington, D.C.

www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

News

 

 

FRA 06-12

Friday, March 02, 2012

Contact: Kevin Thompson

Tel.: 202-493-6024

 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that twelve cities and states will share $16.9 million to relocate, replace, and improve segments of railroad track under the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)’s Rail Line Relocation and Improvement competitive grant program.

 

The FRA received more than $67 million in state and local government requests for these funds, which will be used to enhance safety, livability, and economic development in American communities.

 

“The overwhelming number of applications we received for this program shows that state and local officials recognize the economic boost that comes with improving transportation infrastructure,” said Secretary LaHood.  “These investments will help advance President Obama’s vision of an ‘America Built to Last’ by putting people back to work on transportation projects while creating livable communities and stimulating economic growth.”

 

FRA’s rail line relocation competitive grant program funds projects that reduce the adverse effects of rail infrastructure on safety, motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic, community quality of life, or economic development.  Funding for these grants is made available through annual appropriations and requires a 10 percent contribution from the project sponsor.  Rail line relocation dollars announced today will fund the following projects:

 

Massachusetts – Massachusetts DOT – Patriot Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Initiative – $2,000,000 to complete preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for the removal of 19 obstructions in two tunnels and 17 roadway, railroad or pedestrian bridges that would prevent a double-stack train from operating along the Patriot Corridor between Mechanicville, New York, and Ayer, Massachusetts. A large component of the overall project involves raising the vertical clearance of the 4.75-mile Hoosac Tunnel in Florida, Massachusetts.  Removing the vertical obstructions will improve freight operations and capacity by allowing double-stacked container trains to operate over the line.

 

Pennsylvania – County of Lycoming – Lycoming Valley Railroad Improvement – $2,437,388 for construction improvements to track and related rail infrastructure in Lycoming County that suffered damage from Tropical Storm Lee in September 2011.  The work will restore rail freight service to customers and eliminate costly re-routings.

 

South Carolina – South Carolina Department of Commerce – South Carolina Public Railways S-Curve Realignment – $248,934  to relocate and realign an S-curve in North Charleston that has contributed to several derailments.  The reduced curvature will also improve operating efficiency by alleviating restrictions on train speeds and enhancing line capacity.

 

Alabama – City of Sylacauga – Sylacauga Railroad Interchange Relocation – $1,595,994  to relocate an interchange two miles west of downtown Sylacauga in order to alleviate traffic delays and congestion caused by blocked grade crossings at the town’s primary North-South thoroughfare and three other roadways.  The construction of two new sidings will also increase freight capacity.

 

Florida – City of Ocala – Florida Northern Railroad Relocation and Railway Improvement – $2,220,000 to relocate a rail line running along a city street to improve safety in an area with a history of motor vehicle-train collisions.  The project will further improve safety and freight rail operations by replacing degraded track and upgrading advance warning systems at four highway-rail grade crossings.

 

Iowa – City of Sioux City – Southbridge Rail Yard – $2,000,000 to construct a new rail yard in Sioux City to alleviate traffic congestion and safety issues caused by freight trains blocking grade crossings.  The new rail yard will also enhance railroad switching operations and accommodate current and future freight demand.

           

Indiana – Indiana DOT – Daviess County-Elnora Siding – $1,608,029 to construct a new siding in Elnora to improve freight capacity and efficiency by eliminating a bottleneck that prevents northbound and southbound trains from passing each other.  The project will also allow the Indiana Southern Railroad to relocate its switching and staging operations to the new siding.

 

Indiana – City of Indianapolis – Indianapolis Downtown Rail Relocation – $896,949 to complete preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for the relocation of freight traffic from downtown Indianapolis to the nearby Indianapolis Belt Railroad.  Ultimately, separating freight and passenger rail service will improve the safety and efficiency of current operations.

 

South Dakota – South Dakota DOT – Sioux Valley Railroad Relocation – $1,803,801 to relocate a section of rail that runs along the side of a hill near the Big Sioux River at the South Dakota/Iowa border.  This relocation will eliminate frequent service interruptions that are required to maintain the existing track.

 

Alaska – Alaska Railroad Corporation – MP 407 Curve Realignment – $819,900 to realign a curve and stabilize the embankment at Mile Post 407 of the Alaska Railroad.  This segment of track is located along a tributary of the Nenana River that has experienced numerous flood events, including flooding that resulted in a disaster declaration in 2008.  The project will ensure the continuation of operations on the line.

 

California – City of West Sacramento – Port of West Sacramento Loop Track – $960,567 to construct a loop track at the Port of West Sacramento, which will improve freight capacity and efficiency by enabling switching and storage operations to take place solely on Port property.  The project will also significantly reduce the amount of time a major highway-rail grade crossing is blocked by freight traffic and provide for a more secure perimeter at the Port.

 

Texas – City of Big Spring – Rail Spur Rehabilitation – $299,423 to rehabilitate approximately two miles of spur track that serves an industrial park in Big Spring.  These improvements will allow freight rail services to be provided to additional local manufacturers and suppliers.

 

####

As pipelines stall, railways keep oil flowing

Claudia Cattaneo  Mar 2, 2012 – 8:05 PM ET |

The Financial Times

 

On any given week, three to seven CP Rail trains laden with crude oil from the North Dakota Bakken field whisk across North America, bypassing the pipeline bottlenecks in mid-continent that are depressing oil prices and unaffected by the noise in Washington, D.C., that is holding back the Keystone XL pipeline.

 

It’s a roaring business. In 2009, when Calgary-based Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. started dabbling in crude oil transportation, it moved 500 of its black barrel-shaped cars out of the basin. Last year, its oil trains carried 13,000 cars and soon CP could be moving 70,000 cars or more a year out of the North Dakota Bakken tight-oil field alone.

 

With each tank car containing 650 barrels of oil, that’s 126,000 barrels a day — a significant pipeline on rail.

 

Read more at: http://business.financialpost.com/2012/03/02/as-pipelines-stall-railways-keep-oil-flowing/?__lsa=3618755d

REMINDER!

 

RESTORE MEETING

Rail Enhancements = Sustainable Transportation, Opportunity, Revitalization & Employment

 

YOUNGSTOWN MEETING  -- March 8th/Thursday -- 12 noon; Powers-Gibson Room (Fourth Floor) at The Youngstown Club, 201 East Commerce Street, Downtown Youngstown.

 

Kindly RSVP to [email protected]

 

 

AGENDA: Lunch presentation on RESTORE freight rail analysis for the Western Reserve Port Authority, discussion of what criteria RESTORE will use to identify, analyze and suggest rail freight infrastructure projects for the Mahoning Valley. Your ideas, input and suggestions are encouraged!

 

Kindly order your own meal from the regular lunch menu.

Energy boom called driver of rail growth

By Kiah Collier

Published 09:52 p.m., Wednesday, March 7, 2012

 

The domestic energy boom is driving the economic recovery for railroads, a rail executive told the Transportation Club of Houston at a luncheon Tuesday.

 

David Garin, vice president of industrial products for Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway, said the company's business is nearly back to where it was in 2006 before the recession.

 

What's propelling growth now, however, is not demand for shipment of housing-related material, like lumber, but of energy-related cargo.

 

Read more at: http://www.chron.com/business/article/Energy-boom-called-driver-of-rail-growth-3390412.php

^ What a coincidence! v

 

Missing links in railroads

Effort would refurbish some lines in area

March 9, 2012

By LARRY RINGLER - Business Editor ([email protected]) , Tribune Chronicle | TribToday.com

 

YOUNGSTOWN - The hard work of identifying and attracting businesses to again make the Mahoning Valley a hotbed of railroad activity began Thursday when a group of leaders met to set goals and timetables.

 

"It's exciting to see our strategic seed money of $15,000 get the ball rolling," Andres Visnapuu, member of the Western Reserve Port Authority, which contributed $15,000 to the effort. "We want to attract common sense projects."

 

Emerging from the meeting at the Youngstown Club was a mission to identify five "immediate need" infrastructure improvements that can be done in two years costing no more than $5 million.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/569003/Missing-links-in-railroads.html?nav=5021#.T1oQCyIfvN0.email

This is going to be a HUGE project -- a billion dollars in total -- that will also probably require reactivation of the Cadiz Branch rail line.......

 

Cadiz to sell 207 acres to company for $1 million

By Ruth Ann Nabb

TimesReporter.com correspondent

Posted Mar 05, 2012 @ 11:17 PM

 

CADIZ —

Village Council has approved an option to sell 207 acres in the Harrison County Industrial Park to MarkWest Energy for $1 million.

 

The Harrison complex will include 200 million cubic feet per day of cryogenic processing capacity and is expected to begin initial operations in mid-2013, officials said.

 

Additionally, the Harrison fractionation facilities, which will be able to market natural gas liquids by truck, rail and pipeline, will be connected to MarkWest’s processing and natural gas liquids pipeline network in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and will provide for the integrated operation of the two largest fractionation complexes in the Northeast, officials said.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.timesreporter.com/communities/x570350543/Cadiz-to-sell-207-acres-to-company-for-1-million

Interesting. I think it's the same line with the Pennsylvania/Penn Central/Conrail overpass built in the 1960s over old US 22 that led to the massive strip mines south of the city. There was another branch into the heart of the city, still with an abandoned overpass on US 22, but that's been gone for quite some time. This would branch off by the old preparation plant.

 

I remembered tracing out those lines not too long ago. The tracks are still there, but it is now completely grown over.

Since development of the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania started several years before the Utica shale in Ohio, it will probably be a couple more years before we see projects like these. The question is, where? And will similarly large projects be afforded here in Ohio? Unfortunately, while Pennsylvania lawmakers approve ten$ of million$ per year for rail freight development projects, Ohio invests maybe 10 percent of that amount....

 

January 26, 2012

Rail service is 'new day for Allenwood'

By Evamarie Socha

The Daily Item

 

ALLENWOOD -- A new, recommissioned bridge linking the railroad to Great Stream Commons will be a key to revitalizing the largely dormant industrial park, Union County officials told Gregg Township residents during a public hearing Wednesday night.

 

The meeting was held to update township residents about the plan that will see rail service return to Allenwood and adjoining communities, which haven't seen such service in about 30 years, said county Commissioner John Showers.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x950976611/Rail-service-is-new-day-for-Allenwood

 

Check out the bridge pics at the above link! There is no bridge, just rotting abutments.

 

And here's a proposed reactivation of a 20-mile rail line, half of which was abandoned and the other half railbanked, recommended by the STB's staff. A board vote on whether it concurs has yet to take place. If it concurs, watch and see if other abandoned lines are proposed for reactivation, including here in Ohio....

 

Friday, November 18, 2011

STB issues EIS for planned 20-mile Corman line

 

The Surface Transportation Board announced Friday that its Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) has issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the R.J. Corman Railroad Company/Pennsylvania Lines Inc. (RJCP) proposed construction of a 20-mile line between Wallaceton and Gorton, in Clearfield and Centre counties, Pa.

 

“The FEIS reflects OEA’s evaluation of six alternatives during the environmental review of Recap's proposals,” said the STB. “These are: An alternative to the Proposed Action (known as the Modified Proposed Action); three 'no-build’ alternatives; and a ‘no-action’ alternative. Based on consultation with federal, state, and local agencies, public input, and its own independent environmental analysis, OEA found that the Modified Proposed Action would be the environmentally preferable alternative and recommends that, should the Board authorize the project, it should authorize the Modified Proposed Action, subject to OEA’s final recommended environmental mitigation.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/news/stb-issues-eis-for-planned-20-mile-corman-line.html