ORDC approves shortline projects, agrees to administer Leipsic rail connection

A project to create a new connection to three railroads from the Iron Highway Industrial Park at Leipsic, Ohio, will be administered by the Ohio Rail Development Commission, after ORDC Commissioners approved the move at its regular meeting. ORDC will administer the funding for the project on behalf of the Ohio Department of Transportation. The funds were awarded by ODOT's Transportation Review Advisory Committee. The $800,000 project will improve rail connections to the Iron Highway Industrial Park, which includes a designated Ohio Jobs Ready site and already hosts the POET Ethanol Facility. The park is served by three railroads: Norfolk Southern, CSX and the Indiana & Ohio (RailAmerica) Railroad. Also approved was a project to rehabilitate the Wooster Branch of the RJ Corman Line, a 3.5 mile line that serves six rail shippers that employ 300 people. RJ Corman Lines is currently working with local economic development officials on ways to generate more business. The track rehab project will aid in that effort by allowing safer, more reliable rail service. It's estimated by ORDC that the improved track will also keep 2,516 trucks annually off of local highways and save costs for local shippers by slightly more than $274,000 thousand dollars. Thirteen miles of the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway's Sandy Line in Stark and Tuscarawas County will also get a major rehab with new safety ties to enable better safety and service. The line's major shipper is American Refining, which ships carloads of oil on the line. The upgrade of ties will enable more carloads of oil, enhance safety and help retain 25 jobs. It will also keep 6,780 trucks a year off of local highways. ORDC Commissioners also agreed to allow an extension of a lease on the state-owned Glass Rock Line, an abandoned and unused line for more than 10 years. The lease extension will allow additional time for a proposed tourist railroad, the Zanesville & Western, to complete planned track and safety repairs and brush clearing. The Z&W has until the end of June 2012 to complete the work. The line runs from Avondale in Muskingum County to the village of Glass Rock in Perry County. A long-sought flood control remedy along the state-owned Panhandle Line was also approved. The project, aided by an $85,000 grant from ORDC, will enable a storm water culvert to be installed near the village of Marne in Licking County. The work will be done by a contractor hired by the Ohio Central Railroad (Genesee & Wyoming), with nearby additional flood control work to be done by the Licking County Engineer. The installation of the culvert resolves a severe flooding problem.