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Five days after awarding more than $900,000 in Rail Freight Assistance Program funds to 10 rail-preserving projects, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Feb. 11 granted more than $6.1 million in state capital budget funds to five freight-railroad infrastructure-repair projects:
• Allegheny Valley Railroad Co., $2,127,000, to replace cross ties, rail and switch timber, and rebuild track along 20 miles of the 24-mile short line's Allegheny, Brilliant and River branches;
• Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad Inc., $1,320,000, to replace rail, cross ties and turnouts, repair a bridge deck, rebuild a road crossing, and raise, line and surface 10 track miles, enabling the 369-mile short line to more safely and efficiently stage coal trains in its yard;
• Allegheny and Eastern Railroad Inc., $1,320,000, to replace jointed rail and cross ties, repair a bridge deck, rebuild a road crossing, and raise, line and surface 55 track miles, enabling the 154-mile short line to operate at higher speeds and switch more efficiently;
• Delaware and Hudson Railroad Co., $1,170,930, to replace rail, cross ties and bridge timber along 120 mainline miles, including its Taylor Yard (Delaware and Hudson is owned by Canadian Pacific Railway); and
• Lackawaxen-Honesdale Shippers Association Inc., $250,000, to assist the association in purchasing a 24-mile line to maintain service between Hawley and Honesdale.
PennDOT's Bureau of Rail Freight, Ports and Waterways oversees funds used to construct, maintain, repair and rehabilitate rail lines, sidings and grade crossings to help preserve the state's 70 railroads, which operate 5,600 track miles.