Reading & Northern Railroad hires Raffa for marketing role

Jim Raffa has joined Reading & Northern Railroad and will serve in a marketing role.

Raffa joins Reading & Northern from R.J. Corman Railroad Co.'s recently acquired Lehigh Railway and Luzerne & Susquehanna Railway, where he was a vice president of sales and marketing.

Raffa began his railroad career in 1989 with the Reading & Northern's predecessor, Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad, as a trackman. After the Reading & Northern Railroad was formed in 1990, he transitioned to coal traffic manager and real estate manager.

Raffa now will be in charge of market development. In his new position, he will focus on Marcellus Shale-related opportunities and the energy sector, Reading & Northern officials said in a press release.

Reading & Northern is poised to re-enter the frac sand market with a new facility close to the shale drilling area, they said. Raffa will also work on propane opportunities and the potential movement of LNG. He will report to Reading & Northern President Wayne Michel.