Pennsylvania Freight Rail Track Gets $700,000 for Rehabilitation

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The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation awarded $700,000 to Pittsburgh Intermodal Terminals Inc. to improve about 1 mile of freight rail track to bolster operations and generate jobs in Beaver County. The PennDOT grants are part of a package of 26 rail-freight projects to maintain and improve about 5,600 miles of freight lines statewide.

PIT on its website says it is “one of the largest river transfer and storage terminals in the Port of Pittsburgh.”

“Successful commerce is all about the smooth, seamless flow of goods,” state Rep. Rob Matzie said in a release Dec. 12. “Securing this funding allows us to improve rail track in critical areas so that freight will move more efficiently, boosting production capacity for our entire region. In addition, this project is going to create area jobs for workers. It’s a win-win all around.”

The project will involve replacement of ties and switch timbers, new ballast and surfacing, Matzie said.

Other grants will fund projects in Allegheny County:

• $399,105 to Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad to replace deteriorated open deck bridge timbers on the McKees Rocks Bridge.

• $700,000 to TMS International to rehabilitate and construct about one-half mile of track and increase storage capacity.

• $689,500 to U.S. Steel Corp. for track upgrades to accommodate increased rail volume from USS’ new hot-rolling mill in Braddock.

• $2.5 million to Allegheny Valley Railroad to repair a bridge located on a route used by three railroads in the Allegheny County region.

• $2 million to ATI Flat Rolled Products Holdings to add about 2 miles of track to increase rail capacity.

• $457,450 to Union Railroad Co. to build about one-third mile of new track and one new turnout on URR’s East Pittsburgh viaduct serving USS’ new hot-rolling mill.