(The BLET’s Pennsylvania State Legislative Board issued the following on September 26.)
HARRISBURG, Pa. — An ambitious, interstate railway corridor is underway by the Class I railroad, Norfolk Southern. The corridor will link key markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Central Southeast with high quality rail intermodal services creating railroad jobs, deferring and reducing highway maintenance and expansion and easing truck congestion on highways.
The I-81 Crescent Corridor, which will run between Louisiana and New Jersey, will include two potential parallel routes and is designed to draw truck traffic off several interstate highways. The Corridor will also introduce 28 new trains and will improve 10 terminals along the Corridor that will call for new job opportunities for BLET members.
The Pennsylvania State Legislative Board of the Brotherhood of the Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announce their support of the Norfolk Southern I-81 Crescent Corridor. “The Pa. BLET is very enthusiastic about the establishment of the I-81 Crescent Corridor, not only will the Corridor reduce truck traffic congestion on our highways, but it will create additional job opportunities for railroad engineers, conductors and trainmen” said Ken Kertsez, Chairman of the PSLB BLET.
The establishment of the I-81 Crescent Corridor is the third and most ambitious major corridor initiative Norfolk Southern has undertaken. The I-81 Crescent Corridor will relieve the long-haul intermodal services along I-20, I-40, I-85 and I-81 which are largely undeveloped and are extremely congested. It is estimated that more than 1 million truckloads can be diverted to the Crescent Corridor rail service upon its completion.
Funding for the project will come from a combination of public and private investments. Virginia has committed $40 million but so far is the only state to sign on. Norfolk Southern is now seeking additional support from a variety of sources that will involve a mix of federal, state, and local funds plus Norfolk Southern’s own capital.
If efforts to raise investment dollars are successful, construction on the I-81 Crescent Corridor could begin in 2008, with the first new/improved services rolling out in 2009 and work wrapping up by 2013.
The Pennsylvania Legislative Board of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) represents some 1,300 employees of Class I Freight Railroads: Norfolk Southern, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National and CSXT, as well as passenger trains Amtrak and Septa. The Pa. BLET merged with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and is also a member of the Pa. AFL-CIO. More information on the Pa. BLET can be found by going to its website at: www.pslb-blet.org.