2002 - 2003

Central Columbiana Port Authority Press Release. 2002.
Columbiana County Port Authority swings $2 million cargo facility

Signal Rail Transfer, Inc. is in a lease agreement with the CCPA for building a Intermodal Cargo Transport Facility on state Route 154 near Rogers, Ohio. This will be a 9.2 acre rail-truck transport facility, capable of handling 3,400 rail cars per year.

Story -
The CCPA Board of Directors Monday night approved a lease agreement with Signal Rail Transfer, Inc., a new corporation preparing to launch a two-phase, $2 million intermodal cargo transport facility on state Route 154 just west of Rogers.

According to Port Authority Executive Director Tracy Drake, the first phase involves a $700,000 investment in the 9.2 acre rail-truck transport facility, with the Port kicking in $200,000 of its own. The site should be operational within a month and capable of handling 3,400 cars rail cars per year.

Drake indicated that during phase one development, the facility will handle mostly construction and demolition cargo transfers, but phase two will expand operations to include finished lumber and other building materials such as brick, tile, glass and "anything capable of bulk transfer."

Drake described the deal as a significant step forward for the Port's Central Columbiana and Pennsylvania Railway, which will serve the Signal site.

"This is vindication of what we're doing with the railroad in the county," he said. With CCPA already planning to add jobs and with 10 - 20 jobs expected at the SRT facility, Drake added, "This is what we meant to happen when we acquired the rail line...This will make Columbiana County a rail-track transfer hub. It's what we're about."

Tim Robbins, chief operations officer of CCPA, said the railway expects to close a deal on five new locomotives by the end of the week. As for adding employees, he said, "It takes a lot more than the six people we have to run the railroad - especially one that's busy."

If Signal Rail even comes close to its 3,400 car expectation in its first year of operation, it will put CCPA over its first-year goal of 1,000 cars. And if phase two development brings n the 9,000 cars annually that SRT projects, CCPA will eclipse the approximately 8,000 car-per-year total the former Youngstown & Southern line reached in its heyday.

Signal Rail Transfer, Inc. was created by Amos Rawson and Tom Lyons, who also operates A&L Salvage in Lisbon, "which has a reputation as being one of the best landfill operations in teh state," Drake said.

During the first five years of the 15-year lease agreement, SRT will pay the Port $1,000 per month in rent. Rent increased to $2,000 per month during the second five years and to $3,000 in the final five years. If SRT chooses to extend the agreement past 15 years, the monthly rate increases by $1,000 per month every five-year period.

Drake said he soon hopes to announce agreements with two other companies planning to develop plants along the CCPA line at Negley or Darlington.

Railpace Magazine. March 2002 Issue.

Railpace Magazine. August 2002 Issue.

Youngstown Vindicator. August 14, 2002
Thank you to Frank (fatnrat) for bringing this article to my attention!

Railpace Magazine. September 2002 Issue.

Business Journal. Mid-September 2002 Issue.
Thanks Frank for scanning and sending a copy of this article to me!

Click on pages to enlarge.

Say Goodbye to the Geep9s. September 19, 2002
Found on the FECRS.com News Page. http://www.fercs.com/news.html

The F.E.C. is getting rid of many of the E.M.D. model GP9 engines that long-time fans have come to know and love. Railfan reports state that engines 656 and 660 were spotted in Mulberry Yard on Saturday, 21 September, 2002 by Stan Jackowski on their way to Seminole Gulf Railway on Florida's west coast. His webshots album shows several views of the pair at Mulberry.Another cut of GP9s was spotted headed north to Ohio by a CSX railfan who posted this report on Trainorders.com:

Date: 09-19-2002 14:12
Subj: Ex-FEC GP-9's on Q340-19
Author: K8DTI

CSX Q340-19 departed Cincinnati for Willard, Ohio at 1535. Lead unit is SD80AC #808 with a HLGX C36-7 trailing. Of particular note are five ex-Florida East Coast GP-9's going to Lowellville, Ohio with CQPA reporting marks. They are dead in tow behind the SD80 & C36. The train passed Hamilton, Ohio at 1640. This train will go through Dayton, Lima, and Deshler enroute to Willard.

Morning Journal Web Site. September 24, 2002

Another partnership of sorts Port authority assists in securing funding for landfill

By TOM GIAMBRONI, Journal Staff Writer September 24, 2002

Boardman Town Crier. September 26, 2002

Tim ties the knot. Congratulations!

Railpace Magazine. October 2002 Issue.
Courtesy of Steve and Frank.

Morning Journal. October 10, 2002
CQPA Cars Jump Track

7

Business Journal Online. October 25, 2002
Short Line to Get $300,000 to Install Gates, Lights

EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio -- The Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania Railroad is slated to receive $300,000 in federal safety funds that will allow it to install gates and flashing lights at two crossings in Fairfield Township, Columbiana County.

James Seney, executive director of the Ohio Rail Development Commission, announced the funding Oct. 24 following a meeting in with state Rep. Charles Blasdel, Fairfield Township Trustees Robert Hume and Fred Grappy, and Crestview schools Superintendent John Dilling. They met in the offices of the Columbiana County Port Authority.

The gates and flashing lights will be installed where the 36-mile short line crosses state Route 517 and Crestview Road. A truck failed to get across the tracks in state Route 517 about a month ago, causing the railroad's engine to ram it and push the vehicle some 125 feet before coming to a halt. No one was seriously injured.

Cost per crossing will run from $140,000 to $150,000, Seney says, and could be disbursed to the railroad this year. They will be disbursed by July 1, he says, and the railroad should, upon receipt, quickly install the gates and flashing lights. The rail commission, in partnership with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, spends $15 million a year on rail safety.

The bulk of those funds come from the rail commission's Federal Safety Funds.

Railpace Magazine. November, 2002 Issue.
Courtesy of Frank.

Railpace Magazine. December 2002 Issue.
Courtesy of Frank.

Boardman News. December 12, 2002 Issue.
Courtesy of Ron Novak.

CTC Board Railroads Illustrated. January 2003 Issue.
Courtesy of Frank.

Railpace Magazine. January2003 Issue.
Courtesy of Frank.

Youngstown Vindicator. April 19, 2003 Issue.

Railway debris irritates officials

The township has no jurisdiction over the railway. By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR. VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER BOARDMAN — Township officials say they are tired of fielding phone calls from residents about debris and rail ties along the Youngstown & Southern Railway, and they want someone to clean up the area. The railway, a 36-mile line running from Youngstown to Darlington, Pa., saw its first train in June 2001 after several years of inactivity. Curt Seditz, township administrator, said since the line's reactivation, township officials have fought a constant battle to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the tracks and increase safety at intersections. The concern over intersection crossings prompted trustees to ask U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, during a recent visit if there were any funds available for railroad intersection upgrade. "The question is, is there any money available to upgrade the railroad intersections to their maximum level of safety, primarily, the intersection at [U.S. Route] 224?" Seditz asked. The township would like to see cantilevered gates, overhead lights and improved pavement where needed along the line, Seditz explained. Strickland said his office would look into any available funding. Trustees have also said the appearance of the tracks has prompted complaints from residents. Discarded railroad ties, weeds and other debris lie along the tracks in the township. Cited in court The ties and debris prompted zoning officials to cite the railroad in court as being in violation of zoning regulations. The court proceedings were eventually dropped because the township has no authority to regulate the railroad. It is under federal jurisdiction.

The township sent another letter late last year to Tracy Drake, executive director of the Columbiana County Port Authority, owner of the railway, asking that the tracks be cleaned up to meet zoning codes. The township received a two-line letter from the port authority saying any named zoning violations are "pre-empted by federal law." Understands limits Township Trustee Tom Costello said he understands that the township has no jurisdiction over the railroad, but contended that should have no bearing on keeping the line neat for those living in the township. "All I am asking is that if you are going to operate in the township, be a good neighbor. Part of that means cleaning up your property," he said. Drake said the port authority, which leases the line to Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania Railway Inc., wants to be a good neighbor, but must make sure the needs of its customers are being met. "It needs to be cleaned up and we want to clean it up, but the first thing we must do is make sure we are servicing our customers, which is what the business is about in the first place," he said. "We have a problem on our end because we have so much business we are just trying to stay on top of that." Drake said the line sees about 3,000 rail cars annually. That number, he said, will double in about six months to a number of annual cars never before seen on the line. Where the funds go According to Drake, much of the funds that could go to cleanup and beautification of the line has been spent fighting lawsuits brought on by "big time developers in Boardman and the former [rail line] owners." Several factions have opposed the line's reactivation in court. Drake said the ties will be removed as soon as there is time to do so between servicing customers. He could not give a definite time frame. Seditz said the township road department has continued to maintain the section of line from the Youngstown border south to Mathews Road. He said a group of people started the maintenance years ago and the township did not want to let it fall into bad shape. Costello is not certain if that maintenance will continue because he has concerns about allowing township employees on the railroad property. He also said it is unfair that township citizens pay to maintain the port authority's property.

jgoodwin@vindy.com

Morning Journal. April 24, 2003 Issue.

Bonds will help company expand Lisbon area landfill
By TOM GIAMBRONI

4/24/2003

LISBON — County commissioners took action Wednesday to help with the acquisition and expansion of a local landfill.

Commissioners provided the necessary approval for Liberty Waste Services of Pittsburgh to sell up to $15 million in bonds to finance the purchase of A & L Salvage and expand its construction and demolition debris landfill south of Lisbon.

A & L received a license in the late 1990s from the county health department to open a 181-acre landfill, located off Black and Applegate roads in Center Township.

Stephen M. Callahan, operations director for Liberty Waste, told commissioners they are acquiring the company and plan on immediately expanding the portion of the landfill able to accept waste from 22 acres to 52 acres.

The bond money will used to finance the purchase and landfill expansion, and acquire more equipment. He said the total cost is expected to be about $12.5 million, but they may need more money, depending on the interest rates at the time the bonds are sold.

The county Port Authority on Monday approved the issuance of up to $15 million in industrial revenue bonds (IRBs) for the project, but commissioners also had to give their consent. IRBs are tax exempt and sold to investors, with the money generated available to applicants at lower interest rates.

In addition to the landfill, A & L also operates a railroad unloading station off state Route 154 just west of Rogers. The site is used to unload waste bound for the landfill and transfer it by truck to the site. The railroad — the Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania Railway — is owned by the port authority and leased to an Arkansas short-line rail operator.

Callahan said he knew nothing about the recent directive from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which has threatened to take over the health department’s landfill licensing and monitoring responsibilities. The OEPA claims the health department has failed to enforce state regulations and it was given six months to resume compliance.

A & L was one of the landfills cited by the OEPA as violating regulations by disposing of solid waste in its dump, which is only licensed to accept construction and demolition debris.

“The regulations are very specific about what you can take and what you can’t,” Callahan said.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com

Columbiana County Port Authority Press Release. 9/12/2003.
(http://www.ccpa-ohioriver.com/RR%20Project%20Loan.html)

Port Authority receives $2.1 million loan for railroad project

9/12/2003

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) today approved a loan of up to $2.1 million to the Columbiana County Port Authority to rehabilitate 29.8 miles of track between Youngstown and the Pennsylvania state line.
The segment of track had been used by the former Youngstown & Southern Railroad until it was taken out of service in November 1996. The Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania Railway has operated on the line since March 2001 under a contract with the port authority.
James E. Seney, executive director of the ORDC, said the track improvements are needed to handle the increase in carloads the Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania has experienced.
“We have run into a problem that most short lines in the state would like to have. The car loadings along the line have developed faster than the railroad could make track repairs,” Seney said. “A line that handled 300 or 400 carloads a year when it was prematurely shut down in 1996 will soon have 7,000 carloads a year. ORDC’s loan will get the track in shape to handle the increased traffic.”
Seney said the Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania hauls about 2,750 carloads a year from nine customers, with the majority of traffic coming from construction and demolition landfills.
“Although the new construction and demolition traffic will make the line viable, ORDC’s real interest is in what the line will mean for present and future economic development,” Seney said.
“We see rail as a tool to help business along the line keep their transportation costs down so they can better compete. The availability of rail transportation is a major factor in determining where businesses grow and prosper so that they can provide well-paying jobs for the area,” he said.
The railroad’s customers include Allied Erecting, Banner Supply, Wester Supply, Boardman Block and Concrete, 84 Lumber, Donahue Rail Car and Darlington Brick. There are several vacant factory buildings and industrial development site along the line.
The ORDC earlier provided the port authority with $2 million to replace 8,000 ties and to upgrade crossing warning signals and surfaces.
Seney said the loan will be repaid by the railroad with its profits.
“We believe this is very worthwhile project,” said James E. Betts, chairman of the ORDC.

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/Press%20Releases/091103%20CCPA%20loa n.htm
 
OHIO RAIL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
50 W. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 644-0306 (t) / (614) 728-4520 (f)
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: James E. Seney
 
September 11, 2003 (614) 644-0306
 
COLUMBUS – The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) today approved a loan of up to $2.1 million to the Columbiana County Port Authority to rehabilitate 29.8 miles of track between Youngstown and the Pennsylvania state line.
 
The segment of track had been used by the former Youngstown & Southern Railroad until it was taken out of service in November 1996. The Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania Railway has operated on the line since March 2001 under a contract with the port authority.
 
James E. Seney, Executive Director of the ORDC, said the track improvements are needed to handle the increase in carloads the Central Columbiana and Pennsylvania has experienced.
 
"We have run into a problem that most short lines in the state would like to have," Seney said. "The car loadings along the line have developed faster than the railroad could make track repairs."
 
"A line that handled 300 or 400 carloads a year when it was prematurely shut down in 1996 will soon have 7,000 carloads a year. ORDC’s loan will get the track in shape to handle the increased traffic."
 
Seney said the Central Columbiana and Pennsylvania hauls about 2,750 carloads a year from nine customers, with the majority of traffic coming from construction and demolition landfills.
 
"Although the new construction and demolition traffic will make the line viable, ORDC’s real interest is in what the line will mean for present and future economic development,’ Seney said. "We see rail as a tool to help businesses along the line keep their transportation costs down so they can better compete. The availability of rail transportation is a major factor in determining where businesses grow and prosper so that they can provide well-paying jobs for the area."
 
The railroad’s customers include Allied Erecting, Banner Supply, Wester Supply, Boardman Block and Concrete, 84 Lumber, Donahue Rail Car, and Darlington Brick. There are several vacant factory buildings and industrial development sites along the line.
 
The ORDC earlier provided the port authority with $2 million to replace 8,000 ties and to upgrade crossing warning signals and surfaces.
 
Seney said the loan will be repaid by the railroad with its profits.
 
"We believe this is very worthwhile project," said James E. Betts, Chairman of the ORDC.

Morning Journal. September 26, 2003 Issue.

Crossing repairs to affect Route 7

State Route 7 in Rogers will be closed beginning at 7 a.m. Monday at the railroad crossing for repairs by the Central Columbiana and Pennsylvania Railway. The marked detour from the south will use Routes 154, 170, 46 and 558 to take traffic east and north before returning to Route 7 in East Fairfield. The repairs are only expected to take one day.

PUCO Press Release. 10/2/2003.
(http://www.puc.state.oh.us/puco/mediaroom/MediaRelease.cfm?doc_id=607)

PUCO Orders Upgrades at Railroad Crossings in Columbiana and Mahoning Counties

COLUMBUS, OH (October 2, 2003) – The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today approved construction authorization from the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) directing Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania Railroad (CQPA) to install flashing lights and roadway gates at the following rail-highway grade crossings in Columbiana and Mahoning counties.

CQPA must submit site plans and cost estimates for the project to the PUCO and ORDC by January 2, 2004. Construction must be completed no later than October 2, 2004. Funding for the project will come from the Federal Grade Crossing Program.

To increase public safety during the completion of the project, the PUCO will assist local government with the cost of improvements such as rumble strips, illumination, improved signage or other safety enhancements at the project location. Funding for these improvements will come from the state grade crossing safety fund, not to exceed $3,000 per crossing.

The PUCO is responsible for evaluating public grade crossings to determine the need for installing active warning devices. In 2002, the PUCO ordered Ohio’s railroads to install flashing lights and roadway gates at 112 crossings in Ohio. These efforts touched nearly every county in the state. Crashes at Ohio’s public railroad crossings have dropped by more than 75 percent over the past 20 years.

The Ohio Rail Hotline, at (866) 814-RAIL (7245), provides Ohioans with a toll-free resource answering all their railroad crossing questions. For more information regarding these crossings, access the railroad industry section of the PUCO Web site at www.PUCO.ohio.gov.

-30-
03-1994-RR-FED
 

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is the sole agency charged with regulating public utility service. The role of the PUCO is to assure all residential, business, and industrial consumers have access to adequate, safe, and reliable utility services at fair prices while facilitating an environment that provides competitive choices.

CONTACT: Communications Division, Office of Public Affairs at (614) 466-7750 / (614) 752-8802(f)

Morning Journal. October 08, 2003 Issue.

Railroad success leads to more repairs needed, contracts awarded
By TOM GIAMBRONI

EAST LIVERPOOL — The railroad purchased several years ago by the county Port Authority has become such a successful business venture that an additional $2 million worth of repairs is needed.

The port authority board on Tuesday awarded contracts to four companies to perform additional rehabilitation and repair work on the former Youngstown & Southern Railroad line that runs from Struthers to Darlington, Pa.

The 36-mile railroad, most of which runs through the county, was purchased in the late 1990s by the port authority, which is leasing the line to an Arkansas company that is operating it as the Central Columbiana & Pennsylvania Railway (CCPR).

Two years ago, the port authority received a combination of $2 million in grants and loans from the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) to fund the initial repairs and rehabilitation of the railroad.

Port Authority Executive Director Tracy Drake said Tuesday the initial repair work was supposed to get the line up and running to accommodate an estimated 1,800 carloads of traffic per year. But the money didn’t stretch as far as they thought.

In addition, business has increased to 2,800 carloads this year from nine customers, and the railroad is expected to handle 7,000 carloads of traffic in 2004 based on contracts secured by CCPR.

“It wasn’t enough,” Drake said of the work funded with the initial $2 million.

“It would have been enough if we operated at 1,800 cars per year.”

The next round of repairs is being funded with a $2.1 million loan recently awarded by the ORDC to the port authority. The money will be loaned in turn to the CCPR, which will repay the port authority with money from its earnings over the next six years.

Drake assured board members CCPR’s projected earnings are sufficient to repay both loans and also turn a profit.

The following is the list of the contracts awarded Tuesday:

• Thompson Industries of Russellville, Ark., $611,000, to replace 23,000 railroad ties.

• Ohio Track Inc. of Youngstown, $74,000, to rehabilitate four miles of railroad siding at the northern terminus of the line in Struthers, which is used as the staging area for the CCPR.

• Acme Construction Co., with local offices in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, $1.28 million, to upgrade and rehabilitate the nearly 30 miles of tracks that run through Ohio.

• Railworks Inc. of North Jackson, $112,000, to eliminate clearance and drainage problems at the underpass in Columbiana.
Drake said the ORDC wants them to keep the combined costs as close to $1.9 million as possible, despite loaning them $2.1 million, because “they have other projects they would like to do.”

The port will do this by purchasing rock ballast directly and shipping it to the work site. Another cost-cutting move is to limit brush cutting to urban areas only.

The upgrades will bring the railroad up to Class One standards, with work scheduled to begin as soon as possible and be completed by the end of! the year, weather permitting.

“Because of the success of the line we have to do this quick,” said Steve Cooper, board member and fiscal officer.
tgiambroni@mojonews.com