ORDC Gives Grants to 4 Rail Projects

The Ohio Rail Development Commission has awarded $642,890 in grants to four rail-related projects.

Ohio South Central Railroad will receive $367,890 to rebuild the AluChem lead on the line in Jackson to improve rail efficiency and safety.

The project involves replacing 2,540 ties, switch refurbishment, tie deck replacement on four bridges and rail replacement. OSCR plans to invest over $244,000 in the more than $600,000 project.

Versa-Pak will receive $125,000 for for the expansion of on-site rail infrastructure at its facility in Celina to improve rail capacity and rail yard fluidity.

M&M Industries, a plastic pail manufacturer, will receive $100,000 to add a rail spur at its Lordstown facility.

Freepoint Commodities will receive $50,000 to installing a rail spur at a facility in Obetz.

The building will be the new site of a plastics-to-fuel operation, where Freepoint will recycle plastics into synthetic oil.

ORDC Awards Grant for Austintown Rail Spur Upgade

A Youngstown area company has received a $21,000 grant from the Ohio Rail Development Commission to help pay for upgrading a rail spur to a plant in Austintown.

The rail spur on site that will enable the company to receive 72-foot rail cars.

“As a small regional player in the third-party warehousing arena, this grant is very important to us and will make a huge impact with securing rail business, which is retiring the smaller 50-foot rail cars,” said John Pendel, president of United Freezer, in a news release.

United Freezer is a warehouse and distribution center that is served by the Youngstown & Austintown Railroad, a part of the Genesee & Wyoming network.