West Chester, Pa (January 3, 2025) – A short-line railroad operating in Chester County was awarded state funding to rehabilitate eight bridges and improve rail freight mobility, state Senator Carolyn Comitta said.
The East Penn Railroad, which operates 114 miles of track in eastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, was awarded $455,000 to rehabilitate eight bridges on the Octoraro, Perkiomen, Lancaster Northern, and York branch lines in Chester, Montgomery, Berks, and York counties.
The funding, which comes as part of $55 million in total state funding awarded to 30 rail infrastructure projects statewide through PennDOT’s Rail Transportation Assistance and the Rail Freight Assistance programs, was recently approved by the State Transportation Commission. In total, the investment is expected to create or sustain 344 jobs across the Commonwealth.
“Investments in our rail freight infrastructure help maintain and grow jobs, reduce the number of trucks on our roadways, strengthen our supply chain, and ensure businesses – especially farms and agriculture – can move goods to customers efficiently and smoothly,” Comitta said.
“Expanding and improving Pennsylvania’s rail freight network will support family-sustaining jobs and connect Pennsylvania communities to the global economy while bolstering local economic development,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “These investments will create opportunities for generations of Pennsylvanians to come and will provide key mobility across the Commonwealth.”
Formed in 2007 through a merger of East Penn Railways and Penn Eastern Rail Lines, the East Penn Railroad is owned by Regional Rail. It operates on 9 different lines with a roster of more than a dozen locomotives.
Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads, which is more than any other state. PennDOT is committed to working with private rail operators and rail-served businesses to construct new rail lines and assist in maintaining and improving Pennsylvania’s roughly 5,600 miles of freight lines.
###