Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 08:50:48 -0500 
From: Steve_Lammert@transarc.com
Subject: PA doublestack plan

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	HARRISBURG, Pa. (UPI) -- Double-stack railroad containers would be
free to move across Pennsylvania, creating thousands of new jobs, if a
plan announced by Gov. Robert P. Casey Friday is approved by the
legislature.
	At a Capitol news conference, Casey announced that a deal has been
struck with two railroad companies on a $77 million dollar plan to
remove obstacles to use of the giant containers.
	Under the proposal, 84 structures would be raised or cleared on the
Conrail line running east-west across the state. Another 25 projects
would be undertaken on the north-south Canadian-Pacific/Delaware &
Hudson line runing from New York to Reading.
	The state would invest $34 million in the project.
	However, the state legislature must agree to rewrite some budget
language before the money becomes available.
	Casey said the double-height containers are the ``fastest growing
segment of the transportation industry'' and that delay in fixing the
track-paths would put Pennsylvania at a competitive disadvantage.
	``This project is as important to our transportation network in the
1990's as our inter-state highways were in the 1950's,'' Casey said.
	According to Casey's estimates, the entire project would mean over
22,000 new jobs in the state by the year 2000. Some of the jobs would
come directly from the construction work involved; other jobs would flow
from transportation cost savings to private businesses.
	``We are either going to join and lead this revolution or be left
behind,'' Casey said.
	Conrail CEO James Hagen praised the governor's commitment to the
project, calling it ``another example of his long-term vision.''
	``Conrail's double-stack route from western Pennsylvania through
Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Altoona and Harrisburg to Reading and the rest of
eastern Pennsylvania will link markets within the commonwealth and help
Pennsylvania businesses compete in regional, national, and world
markets,'' Hagen said.
	Conrail will put up $39.4 million for the project. Canadian-
Pacific/Delaware & Hudson will invest $3.3 million for work on its
portion of the line from Binghamton, New York to Reading, where it meets
the Conrail line.
	Casey said that talks were underway with officials from the CSX line,
once known as the Baltimore & Ohio line, to upgrade its track-paths as
well. The CSX lines run from Baltimore through the southwest corner of
the state to Ohio, and from Baltimore to Philadelphia.
	In his analysis of the economic benefits of the Conrail and C-P/D&H
projects, Casey said that they would result in 2,696 new manufacturing
jobs by 2000. Those jobs would come, he said, as businesses applied
savings from transportation costs to plant and equipment improvements.
	``We expect a net saving in transportation costs of $250 million
between 1995 and 2000,'' Casey said.
	Other job growth projections are based on the assumption that out-of-
state businesses will relocate to Pennsylvania because of the improved
transportation opportunities.
	Casey said that double-stack capacity would be of special
significance to Pennsylvania because of its ``strategic position''
geographically in terms of large market and population centers.
	Casey said that legislation authorizing the state to finance its
share of the project would be introduced in the House and Senate
immediately.

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  Steve Lammert          | Gulf Tower           | Internet: shl@transarc.com
  System Designer        | 707 Grant Street     | Voice:     +1 412 338-4443
  Transarc Corporation   | Pittsburgh PA  15219 | FAX:       +1 412 338-4404
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Newsgroups: rec.railroad