"We have to do the repairs under traffic conditions," Dingman said. "We don't have an alternative."


Officials want the project completed by October, at which time the OC&T passenger numbers are at their peak.

 Funding for the project is through a federal Transportation Enhancement Grant administered by PennDOT.

The local OC&T lines must contribute a matching share of the money. The grant writer for the project was C.J. Tisi, of the Oil Creek Railway Historical Society. Dingman is serving as project manager.



The Oil Creek and Titusville line pulls the passenger train for the railway society through the use of its engineer and conductor.



The Jersey Bridge isn't the only project on the docket.

 The Petroleum Center Truss Bridge is next on the project list.

 Dingman said the cleaning and rating of the span will take place when the deck replacement project is completed. Rating, Dingman explained, is when an engineering firm takes measurements and calculations at the site.

 Dingman said additional track will be built north of Route 27 west, near Peeples Garage, as part of the ongoing work on the OC&T line.