WEST VIRGINIA STATE RAIL AUTHORITY
UPGRADE OF WV CENTRAL RAILROAD
UPGRADE OF SOUTH BRANCH VALLEY
RAILROAD
VARIOUS COUNTIES
WEST VIRGINIA
TIGER DISCRETIONARY GRANT
APPLICATION
SEPTEMBER 15, 2009
WEST VIRGINIA STATE RAIL AUTHORITY
UPGRADE OF WV CENTRAL RAILROAD
UPGRADE OF SOUTH BRANCH VALLEY
RAILROAD
VARIOUS COUNTIES
Contact Information
Mr. Robert L. Pennington, P.E., Director
Program Planning and Administration Division
West Virginia Department of Transportation
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, West Virginia 25305
Email: Robert.Pennington@wv.gov
Telephone: 304-558-3113
Project Description
The WV Central Railroad (WVCR) and the South Branch Valley Railroad (SBVR)
projects are RAILROAD projects that involve the opening of 13 miles of track and
upgrading 30 miles of rail for the WVCR and the replacement of 11 miles of lightweight,
jointed rail and the rehabilitation of 35 bridges for the SBVR. THIS WORK IS
SITUATED IN RANDOLPH AND POCAHONTAS COUNTIES FOR THE WVCR PROJECT AND
HAMPSHIRE, HARDY AND GRANT COUNTIES FOR THE SBVR PROJECT. BOTH
PROJECTS ARE WITHIN THE 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, WEST
VIRGINIA.
This application is for the upgrade of two of West Virginia’s most important rail lines;
the WVCR and the SBVR. The work to be performed on the WVCR is to put 13 miles of
track into service by the replacement of ties, associated drainage, and the spreading of
ballast along with the replacement of 30 miles of light-weight rail, replace ties and spread
ballast. For the SBVR, the work will entail the replacement of 11 miles of light-weight,
jointed rail and the rehabilitation of 35 bridges.
The beginning of the WVCR project, near Slaty Fork, is located at approximately
N38○24’59”, W80○07’29”. The beginning of the SBVR project, near Petersburg, is
located at approximately N38○59’08”, W79○07’30”. Maps indicating the layout and
location of these projects are attached to this application.
Grant Funds, Sources and Uses of Project Funds
The total estimated cost for both of these projects, described herein, is $31,587,900,
which is the amount requested under the TIGER Discretionary Grants program. It is
anticipated that this TIGER Discretionary Grant would provide for 100 percent of the
construction of the WVCR and SBVR projects.
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Grant Recipient for the Project
The grant recipient would be Mr. Paul Mattox, P. E., Secretary of the West Virginia
Department of Transportation.
1. Primary Selection Criteria
a. Long Term Outcomes
i. State of Good Repair
• WV Central Railroad
The WVCR is located near the center of the state and passes
through Barbour, Randolph, Pocahontas and Webster Counties. It
was purchased from CSX Transportation on September 26, 1997.
The railroad is comprised of the former CSXT Belington, Tygart
and Laurel Subdivisions and Dailey Branch. The WVCR connects
with CSXT’s Cowen Subdivision at Tygart Junction. A private
company under contract with the state operates the WVCR. The
Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad (D&GV) performs all
marketing, train service and routine maintenance on the line. The
state restores out-of-service sections and develops long-term
maintenance programs.
The state owned WVCR is a 133 mile railroad which includes 123
miles from Tygart Junction, WV to Bergoo, WV and a 10 mile rail
spur to Dailey, WV. Currently, this line is in service for passenger
excursions to up to Mile Post (MP) 89. The requested funding for
this project would open the railroad to MP 102 at Slaty Fork, WV.
It would also upgrade a 30 mile section of the railroad that is
currently in service, to allow for heavier freight traffic. This
proposed project is based on a new business and their desire to ship
limestone. The owners of the quarry expect to transport one
million tons of limestone in their first year of operation. Since the
quarry is located in an area of the state that is served by two lane
roads, this volume of stone cannot be realistically shipped by
trucks. The amount of trucks needed and the distance required to
transport this material does not make it feasible to move this
product by a means other than rail.
The cost to open the 13 miles of railroad, including an upgrade to
the Slaty Fork yard, and upgrading the 30 miles of rail within the
existing 89 miles would cost $22,500,000 on the state’s part.
The repairs for the WVCR will include the following:
13 miles from MP 89 to MP 102 will be put into service
• Replacing and/or cleaning 75 culverts
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• Rip-rap replacement – 12,000 tons
• Tie replacement – 11,000 ties
• Spread ballast – 6,500 tons
• Surfacing of the entire 13 miles
• Vegetation Control
Track Upgrades from MP 0 to 89 for heavier freight
• Replace 30 miles of light weight rail
• Tie replacement – 24,000 ties
• Spread Ballast – 24,000 tons
• Surface and Regulate 30 mile section
With the proposed improvements to the WVCR, the anticipated
reduction of maintenance costs is expected to be $1,075,000 per
year. This represents the routine maintenance that would be
necessary if the WVCR would move the proposed volume of
freight with the track in its current condition.
The existing lightweight, jointed rail found on a large portion of
the WVCR is not adequate for the proposed tonnage. Aggregates,
such as limestone, are transported in open top hopper cars with a
loaded gross weight of 263,000 to 315,000 pounds. Cars this
heavy will cause the light weight rail to flex under load more so
than the heavier rail. This flexing loosens bolts, shortens crossties
life, causes a poor surface and can cause rails to break. Train
speed must be restricted to prevent derailments due to the
harmonic rolling motion that develops as cars move over
successive low joints. The age of the rail is another issue. Over
the years, the tonnage carried on these rails has caused fatigue in
the steel. The old rail is not “control-cooled”; a process that
releases hydrogen gas trapped in the steel that can lead to shatter
cracks and transverse fissures which can result in broken rails.
The remoteness of this rail line will make the clearing of wrecks
and track repair after derailments particularly difficult and
expensive. Newer, heavier welded rail will address these concerns.
The 132-pound rail is readily available and is strong enough to
handle even the heaviest of cars. Welded rail will remove
thousands of rail joints from the track thus making for a smoother,
faster and safer ride. It will also reduce the ongoing maintenance
costs for the track.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
The SBVR is also owned and operated by the West Virginia State
Rail Authority. This line provides freight and passenger service to
the state’s eastern panhandle. It had formerly operated as the
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South Branch line of the Chessie System’s Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad (now CSXT). When Chessie turned over the rail line to
the state on October 11, 1978, West Virginia became the first state
in the nation to both own and operate a commercial freight
railroad.
The SBVR is comprised of a 52.4-mile route from Petersburg to
Green Spring where it links to the CSXT mainline, which connects
Cumberland, Maryland to Martinsburg, West Virginia. The SBVR
generally parallels the South Branch of the Potomac River – from
which the railroad gets its name. Crossing Hampshire, Hardy and
Grant Counties, the SBVR serves the towns of Romney,
Moorefield and Petersburg. Primary categories of freight include
grain, lumber, polymers and other chemicals. The railroad is
headquartered in Moorefield. State employees perform the
maintenance and the freight operations while a private operator,
under contract with the state, runs the excursion train.
This project would replace eleven miles of jointed rail with 132-
pound continuous welded rail. Rail of this weight has been
selected as the standard for the main track because it can support
the weight of the heaviest anticipated railcar. This size of
continuous welded rail has already been installed in many areas of
the railroad to replace the light-weight rail. The elimination of the
joints helps to avoid the “harmonic roll” action that results from
the type of covered hopper cars the SBVR handles. This will
permit an increase in safe train speeds through the “trough” area
thus reducing transit time and overall operating costs. The
removed jointed rail would then be used at other locations on the
railroad.
The SBVR’s largest customer and the largest employer in the
valley, Pilgrim’s Pride feed mill, receives their entire product in
covered hoppers. By upgrading the track to better handle these
types of cars, Pilgrim’s Pride, who currently employs over 1,800
people, will benefit.
In addition to the replacement of rail, the rehabilitation of 35
bridges, located all along the SBVR, will be included in this
project. Continued maintenance and upgrades to the railroad
bridges is necessary for the safety and reliability of this portion of
the railroad infrastructure.
Romney rail spur – Also included in this project is the installation
of a rail spur into the Romney Business Park. Building this spur
will separate the tourist train operations from the freight service;
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therefore, improving the safety of the tourist operations and the
freight service. In addition, this will clear the “Cold Storage” side
track to allow the SBVR to move its 65-car freight trains in a more
efficient manner. Currently, seven locomotive units are needed to
get the entire freight train over the steep grades north of Romney.
The ability to store a portion of the freight train at “Cold Storage”
would make it possible to bring the train over the steep grades in
two pieces prior to taking the train on to the Pilgrim Pride’s feed
mill in Moorefield. This will reduce the number of locomotive
units that must be maintained for service, which results in savings
in maintenance and fuel expenses. Also, the Business Park spur
can be used as a loading/unloading area for other potential freight
customers.
According to the US Department of Commerce estimates, every $1
of rail infrastructure investment generates a $3 return to the
economy, which is a 200 percent return on the investment. These
two projects are expected to generate almost $95,000,000 for their
respective, local economies.
ii. Economic Competitiveness
• WV Central Railroad
Freight service is currently available on the 28.4 miles between
Tygart Junction and Elkins and over a portion of the Dailey
Branch. Frequency of service is one to two trains per week.
Current freight numbers and projected increases for the WVCR are
as follows:
Commodity 2007
(railcars)
2008
(railcars)
Increased
Freight
(railcars)
Lumber 36 38 80
Scrap 70 70 70
Stone 137 53 500
Salt 272 354 500
Limestone 0 0 10,000
Total 515 515 11,150
The condition to improve the quality of life or more particularly,
the economy of the region is paramount. The overall railway
passes through a region that is one of the poorest regions of the
United States with incomes, wages and earnings well below the
national and West Virginia averages. This region includes
Barbour, Randolph, Pocahontas, and Webster Counties. Although
the state saw a slight increase in population (0.3 percent), the
population for these counties is down from April 2000 by 1.5
5
percent. The US Census Bureau 2000 Demographic Profile
Highlights are as follows:
Barbour Randolph Pocahontas Webster
Median
Income
$24,279 $27,299 $26,401 $21,055
Labor
Force
53.6% 54.8% 52.2% 64.7%
Family
Poverty
Rate
18.4% 13.4% 12.7% 26.6%
Individual
Poverty
Rate
22.6% 18.0% 17.1% 31.8%
Disability
Status
24.3% 24.6% 27.1% 34.2%
Travel
Time To
Work
28.0 mins. 22.5 mins. 31.3 mins. 31.5 mins.
Unemployment data for the region is as follows:
Barbour Randolph Pocahontas Webster
Unemployment
Rate
9.8% 8.9% 11.3% 11.2%
• South Branch Valley Railroad
The SBVR freight service operates five days a week with special
and unit train operations on weekends, as needed. The SBVR
provides service to the Grant County Industrial Park in Petersburg;
Moorefield Industrial Park; and Hampshire County Industrial Park
in Romney. The SBVR’s largest customer is Pilgrim’s Pride
which is situated in Moorefield. Pilgrim’s Pride feed mill receives
corn and other commodities used in the manufacture of its poultry
feed. Along with Pilgrim’s Pride, there are three other major
customers that the SBVR serves, Greer Lime, Allegheny Wood
Products and Adell Polymers. Greer Lime ships lime to electric
generating power stations and to steel mills; Allegheny Wood
Products ships finished lumber; and Adell Polymers receives
plastic pellets. Total carloadings on the SBVR average between
3,800 and 4,000 cars per year.
Commodity 2007
(railcars)
2008
(railcars)
Corn 2691 2499
Soy 826 726
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Bone 110 101
Mash 0 25
Plastic 17 19
Limestone 207 170
Lumber 117 41
Repair Cars 67 44
Total 4,035 3,625
The upgrades to the SBVR are directed towards safety, efficiency,
and operations. The Romney Spur will have a second track that
will be used for additional customers and has the potential for 20-
30 cars per year.
The condition to improve the quality of life or more particularly,
the economy of this region of the state is paramount. The overall
railway passes through a region that is one of the poorest regions
of the United States with incomes, wages and earnings at or below
the national and West Virginia averages. The US Census Bureau
2000 Demographic Profile Highlights are as follows:
Hampshire Hardy Grant
Median Income $31,666 $31,846 $28,916
Labor Force 57.5% 63.5% 59.2%
Family Poverty
Rate
12.9% 10.5% 12.6%
Individual
Poverty Rate
16.3% 13.1% 16.3%
Disability
Status
25.1% 24.1% 19.4%
Travel Time To
Work
39.7 mins. 26.0 mins. 26.9 mins.
Unemployment data for the regions are as follows:
Hampshire Hardy Grant
Unemployment
Rate
9.1% 10.4% 11.4%
Romney Rail Spur - The Romney Rail Spur project will extend the
current short spur into the Romney Business and Industrial Park,
thereby increasing rail capacity and provide dual use as a
passenger and freight hub for intermodal transportation. This
portion of the project includes all clearing, excavation &
embankment, wetland mitigation, drainage, and seeding &
mulching, track construction for both the station track and ramp
track #1 including ballasted turn outs, track bumper, removal and
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salvage of the existing track, highway grade crossing, circus ramp,
soft costs, and all components necessary to design and construct a
functioning track and intermodal transportation depot. This would
include all roads, utilities, parking, freight terminal and overflow
parking, etc. It should be noted that access and freight
maneuvering areas will be necessary for use of the circus ramp.
While the passenger loading ramp will be relocated from another
nearby facility, a permanent station, ticket booth, food service area,
and rail museum is a separate, but interrelated project.
Transportation Enhancement Grant funding is pending for the
station project.
Because the existing Romney Rail Spur is relatively short, it can
only handle the storage of 4 rail cars. The proposed expanded rail
spur would accommodate a much larger number of cars while
providing a freight loading dock and truck-train intermodal center.
The Romney Rail Spur project will have a positive economic
impact on the Romney area by retaining or creating jobs directly
associated with the construction, operations, and ancillary services
of the tourist passenger and freight rail services. The current
tourist passenger rail operator maintains 16 full and part-time
employees, not including ownership personnel. The food service
for the train is provided by two companies employing 10 full-time
and 12 part-time staff, with a direct economic impact of over
$60,000 per year in sales. The current rail service operator has had
gross sales in excess of $600,000 for the past fiscal year while
ancillary sales figures, from lodging and restaurants, have
demonstrated over $20,000 in annual receipts for one motel, alone.
Sales figures from one local restaurant clearly show a direct benefit
from scheduled seasonal tourist train runs. Public discussion, as a
direct result of the planned infrastructure project, has already
attracted attention from numerous businesses that are interested in
relocating near the tourist and retail center or utilizing the freight
shipping area. Currently, the State Rail Authority has a contract
pending with a business that employs 23 people and their desire to
ship their product via rail.
A local business that employs 30 full and part-time employees has
also expressed an interest in shipping its motorcycles and ATV’s
via this freight line. This business occupies 67,000 square feet of
assembly, distribution, and retail and is one of the 5 largest outlets,
of its kind, in the eastern United States. It has had gross sales in
recent years approximating $20 million. Other businesses that
have inquired about freight service are a new solar energy
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distribution center and the 351st US Army Reserve Unit stationed
in the business park.
In addition to providing enhanced freight rail service in the park,
moving the current tourist train onto the proposed station track
from the SBVR side track would enable the SBVR to utilize the
side track for expanded freight activities, providing cost of
operations savings and additional rail car storage capacity.
In conclusion, the economic impact of the Romney Rail Spur
Project has yet to be fully determined. The Hardy County
Development Authority has been working with the WVU Bureau
of Business and Economic Research to undertake a fully detailed
study of the economic impact of the current tourist operations,
development impact of the business park project, and projected
enhanced operations impact of the new freight and passengertourist
destination.
iii. Livability
• WV Central Railroad
D&GV has two excursion trains running on different portions of
the WVCR. The “New Tygart Flyer” is an excursion train
operating between Belington, Elkins, and High Falls. It features
streamlined passenger cars that are climate-controlled and have
reclining seats and food/beverage service. The “Cheat Mountain
Salamander” makes round trips between Elkins, Cheat Bridge,
High Falls, and the “Big Cut” near Spruce.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
By the construction of this project, it is expected to have a
profound impact on the quality of life of the residents and visitors
to this area. Some of the ways include safety, expanded lifestyle
choices and an enhanced economic standard of living.
iv. Sustainability
• WV Central Railroad
This project will improve energy efficiency, reduce the
dependence on oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and benefit
the environment. It is projected that one million tons of limestone
will be transported as result of this project on an annual basis.
That is attributable to approximately 10,000 railcars each year. In
comparison, a single railcar is equivalent to four truckloads. By
transporting this product by rail, this project will keep 40,000
trucks off of rural two-lane roads.
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The outcome of the project on regional air quality can be assessed
by evaluating certain significant pollutants related to the
combustion of diesel fuel by over-the-road heavy duty trucks and
locomotives since both haul methods utilize diesel fuel as their
energy source. Two significant pollutants resulting from the
combustion of diesel fuel are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and, in terms
of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2). The analysis, based on
data from various references, clearly shows project-specific
benefits in terms of estimated emissions per ton of freight
transported.
In the case of NOx, the analysis indicates a very small advantage
per ton for the locomotive alternative. Although rail is shown to
outperform the over-the-road alternative on a ton-mile basis, the
haul-length difference specific to the project makes the over-theroad
alternative perform better than rail by only 3.6 grams per ton,
or 5.9 percent. This difference is even smaller when one considers
imminent EPA regulation of locomotive diesel engine emissions
which will significantly lower locomotive NOx emissions during
the lifetime of this project (see http://www.epa.gov/nonroaddiesel).
In the case of CO2, the difference is more pronounced. The rail
alternative outperforms the over-the-road alternative by 1,896
grams per ton, or 32 percent. Based on this analysis, the rail
alternative is preferred from an air quality and greenhouse gas
perspective. Specific details of this analysis are provided below.
CO2 Emissions Estimates
CO2 emissions per gallon of diesel fuel consumed: 10.1
kg/gal
Over-The-Road (Truck) Alternative
Assume 6 miles/gallon per truck, loaded
10.1 kg CO2/gal ÷ 6 mi/gal = 1.68 kg CO2/mi
Assume 25 tons per heavy duty truck.
1.68 kg CO2/mi ÷ 25 ton × 1000 g/kg = 67.2 g
CO2/ton-mi
Haul Distance = 88 miles (Project-Specific)
67.2 g CO2/ton-mi × 88 miles = 5,896 g CO2/ton
Locomotive (Rail) Alternative
400 ton-mile per gallon of diesel fuel consumed
(Reference 3)
10.1 kg CO2/gal ÷ 400 ton-mi/gal × 1000 g/kg = 25
g CO2/ton-mi
Haul Distance = 160 miles (Project-Specific)
25 g CO2/ton-mi × 160 miles = 4,000 g CO2/ton
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NOx Emissions Estimates
Over-The-Road (Truck) Alternative
16.2 g NOx/mile emission factor (average 2010/2020
for arterial and local roads, Reference 1)
Assume 25 tons per heavy duty truck
16.2 g NOx/mi ÷25 ton = 0.65 g NOx/ton-mile
Haul Distance = 88 miles (Project-Specific)
0.65 g NOx/ton-mile × 88 miles = 57.2 g NOx/ton
Locomotive (Rail) Alternative
152.3 g NOx/gallon (fleet average for all locomotives
in 2002, 2010, 2020, Reference 1)
400 ton-mile per gallon of diesel fuel consumed
(Reference 3)
152.3 g NOx/gal ÷ 400 ton-mi/gal = 0.38 g
NOx/ton-mi
Haul Distance = 160 miles (Project-Specific)
0.38 g NOx/ton-mi × 160 miles = 60.8 g NOx/ton
Alternative Comparison (Lower is better)
Compound Truck
Alternative
Rail
Alternative
% Difference
NOx 57.2 g/ton 60.8 g/ton +5.9%
CO2 5,896 g/ton 4,000 g/ton -32%
Based on this analysis, the rail alternative is preferred from an air
quality/greenhouse gas point of view.
References:
1. “Assessing the Effects of Freight Movement on Air Quality at
the National and Regional Level”, April 2005, Federal
Highway Administration,
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/freightaq
2. “Emission Facts”, February 2005, United States Environmental
Protection Agency, EPA420-F-05-001,
http://www.epa.gov/OMS/climate/420f05001.htm
3. “Emission Factors for Locomotives”, April 2009, United States
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-420-F-09-025,
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/nonroad/locomotv/420f09025.pd
f
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• South Branch Valley Railroad
The same basic premise can be deduced for the SBVR. As its
customers increase the production or intake of materials so
increases the emissions. Since there are no definitive numbers in
the way of product or material, a quantitative analysis cannot be
developed. Similar numbers can be suspected though.
v. Safety
• WV Central Railroad
This project is necessary to strengthen the track to handle the
increase in tonnage that is anticipated. The derailments that would
occur without this project would result in injuries, damage to
equipment and track and possible spillage of lading into the
adjacent Shavers Fork River.
The only other alternative to shipping the limestone by rail would
be to ship it by truck. This would necessitate the upgrading of
nearly 75 miles of two lane roads. For example, WV 15 and WV
20 and Webster County Route (CR) 26 exhibit various deficiencies
including narrow pavement width, functionally deficient bridges,
inadequate alignment, and community restriction. This includes
pavement widths limited to 18 feet and routes that traverse
mountainous terrain and possess numerous sections of design
deficiencies with regard to maximum degree of curvature and
gradient. Currently, the average daily traffic and percentage of
heavy vehicles have been low enough to place the routes within
tolerable standards. The addition of heavy vehicles to these routes
will cause them to deteriorate to a point well below tolerable
standards. In response to this infusion of heavy vehicles, some
level of improvements to the existing traveled–way would be
necessary. To upgrade these routes to current design standards
would be a capital outlay of over $120 million, far exceeding th

b. Job Creation & Economic Stimulus
• WV Central Railroad
This project is expected to generate jobs in Pocahontas County where the
quarry will be located and jobs in Gilmer and Braxton Counties where the
offload facility would be located. The 75 jobs expected to be generated
will include 38 truck drivers needed to haul the limestone from the quarry
to the load out facility and then hauling the limestone from the offload to
its final destination.
Waco Oil and Gas Company, Inc. is expected to invest $4,000,000 in plant
construction, $2,000,000 on the load out facility and $2,000,000 in the
offload facility.
The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad is the operator of the WVCR
and is expected to invest $2,000,000 in new equipment necessary for the
movement of this high volume of freight. Their operation will also add 22
full-time employees with an average salary of $40,000. This company is
located in Randolph County.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
The State Rail Authority does not have in-house manpower to undertake
these projects and must hire laborers and contractors to do the work. The
Federal Railroad Administration estimates that nearly 50 percent of every
railroad capital dollar goes directly to labor. With the project, it is
expected there will be $4.5 million generated for wages.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) participates
in federal laws guaranteeing equal opportunity. Title VI and Title VII are
incorporated into every contract and projects are monitored for
compliance throughout the year. For the federal fiscal year of 2010, the
WVDOT has established a disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) goal
of 8.16 percent. In years past, the WVDOT has managed to maintain a
median 8.08 percent for DBE compliance between the years of 2004 and
2008. For the 2010 fiscal year, the WVDOT has set goals to increase
DBE participation. Those goals are:
• Recruit eligible firms into the DBE program
• Improve the management skills of DBEs enrolled in the program
• Provide training identified in the needs assess
• Develop a mentor protégé program
The WVDOT also participates in on-the-job training (OJT). The OJT
goal, for a project, is set according to the length of time the project will
take and how much it costs. The training is measured in 1000 hour
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increments. This project is expected to include several hours of OJT.
Also, the contractors, as well as, the various Union locals have
apprenticeship programs. Recent information determined that there is a
significant increase in the number of females and minorities in both the
apprentice and OJT programs.
After the contractor has been selected and prior to the start of work, the
WVDOT will conduct a pre-construction meeting. During this meeting
the contractor is given a list of community based recruitment sources for
female, disadvantaged and other minority workers and is encouraged to
hire these workers. The EEO Division of the WVDOT continually works
to establish relationships with the various community groups involved
with equal opportunity. Some of the organizations/agencies that the
WVDOT works with are:
• West Virginia State University
• West Virginia Women’s Commission
• The West Virginia Joint Committee for Training & Apprenticeship
guidelines and opportunities
• Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training Administration
• NAACP
• State of West Virginia’s EEO Office
• Nation Guard EEO Office
• West Virginia Women Work
The WVDOT will monitor the employees to ensure fair and equable
treatment.
2. Secondary Criteria
a. Innovation
• WV Central Railroad
No innovative methods or materials are involved with this project.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
No innovative methods or materials are involved with this project.
b. Partnership
• WV Central Railroad
Waco Oil and Gas Company, Inc. will be investing in infrastructure which
strengthens the public/private partnership of this project. The company
plans on investing $4,000,000 in plant construction, $2,000,000 on the
load out facility and $2,000,000 in the offload facility.
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The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, operator of the West Virginia
Central Railroad, will invest $2,000,000 in new equipment which will be
necessary for the movement of this high volume of freight.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
No non-federal partnering or multi-jurisdictional participation is a part of
this project or the funding, thereof.
3. Program Specific Criteria
a. Description of Work
• WV Central Railroad
The repairs for the WVCR will include the following:
13 miles from MP 89 to MP 102 will be put into service
• Replacing and/or cleaning 75 culverts
• Rip-rap replacement – 12,000 tons
• Tie replacement – 11,000 ties
• Spread Ballast – 6,500 tons
• Surfacing of the entire 13 miles
• Vegetation Control
Track Upgrades from MP 0 to 89 for heavier freight
• Replace 30 miles of light weight rail
• Tie replacement – 24,000 ties
• Spread Ballast – 24,000 tons
• Surface and Regulate 30 mile section
• South Branch Valley Railroad
This project would replace eleven miles of jointed rail with 132 pound
continuous welded rail. In addition, rehabilitation of 35 bridges located on
the South Branch Valley Railroad will be included in this project, as well
as, the installation of a rail spur into the Romney Business and Industrial
Park.
b. Project Schedule
• WV Central Railroad
The construction of this segment is on hold waiting funding. As soon as
funding is available construction can commence. This project is expected
to take two construction seasons to complete. If funding is available early
2010 then construction can be substantially complete by 2012. The
completion of this project will allow a private company to transport
1,000,000 of limestone in the first year.
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• South Branch Valley Railroad
The construction of this segment is on hold waiting funding. As soon as
funding is available construction can commence. This project is expected
to take two construction seasons to complete. If funding is available early
2010 then construction can be substantially complete by 2012.
c. Environmental Approvals
• WV Central Railroad
All environmental approvals have been obtained and are current.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
All environmental approvals have been obtained and are current.
d. Legislative Approvals
• WV Central Railroad
No legislative approvals are required for this project.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
No legislative approvals are required for this project.
e. State and Local Planning
• WV Central Railroad
Various state and local agencies have been involved throughout the
planning and design phases of the project. This project is not situated
within a metropolitan planning organization’s jurisdiction.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
Various state and local agencies have been involved throughout the
planning and design phases of the project. This project is not situated
within a metropolitan planning organization’s jurisdiction.
f. Technical Feasibility
• WV Central Railroad
This project utilizes standard railroad construction techniques and
materials. There are no serious technical issues.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
This project utilizes standard railroad construction techniques and
materials. There are no serious technical issues.
g. Financial Feasibility
• WV Central Railroad
The $22,500,000 requested for this project will complete the project in its
entirety. It is on an existing right-of-way owned by the state of West
Virginia. This makes it possible to begin construction in a timely manner.
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The State Rail Authority is experienced in the administration of railroad
construction and rehabilitation projects.
Waco Oil and Gas Company, Inc. will be investing in infrastructure which
strengthens the public/private partnership of this project. The company
plans on investing $4,000,000 in plant construction, $2,000,000 on the
load out facility and $2,000,000 in the offload facility.
The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad is the operator of the West
Virginia Central Railroad and will invest $2,000,000 in new equipment
which will be necessary for the movement of this high volume of freight.
To date, $0 has been spent of the upgrades to this railway. The total cost
of these upgrades is expected to be 32,500,000.
• South Branch Valley Railroad
The $9,087,900 requested for this project will complete the project in its
entirety. It is on an existing right-of-way owned by the state of West
Virginia. This makes it possible to begin construction in a timely manner.
The State Rail Authority is experienced in the administration of railroad
construction and rehabilitation projects.
To date, $0 has been spent on the construction of these two projects. Total
cost to complete this project is estimated to be $9,087,900.
This application is for the construction that will complete a usable upgrade
to the WVCR and to the SBVR. Therefore, this application request is
for $31,587,900 to complete work on approximately 43 miles of the
West Virginia Central Railroad and 11 miles, with the rehabilitation
of 35 bridges, on the South Branch Valley Railroad.
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This sounds good to me, I dont see the "scam" part. (??)