(The following appeared on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website on May 13, 2010.)
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The state is giving out a total of $12.9 million in grants to improve 11 small railroads in 10 counties, officials said today.
In Allegheny County, the Allegheny Valley Railroad will get $1.4 million to modernize its Glenwood intermodal yard; the Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad will get $1.3 million to restore service in its Scully Yard and on some tracks on Neville Island; and the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway Company will get $526,653 to replace tracks in two tunnels.
PennDOT spokeswoman Erin Waters said the grant money, from the state’s 2009-2010 Rail Freight Capital Budget/Transportation Assistance Program, is meant to help railroads maintain or expand their capacity to serve more businesses.