CRISI Grants Awarded to Railroads in Pa., Ky.

Federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety and Improvement grants have been announced for projects in Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

R.J. Corman received two of the grants. They include $14.7 million to rebuild 8.6 miles of track in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The grant also covers rebuilding or replacing 14 bridges between Boyertown and Pottstown.

Some funds from the grant will be used for construction of two rail-served transload yards and to  improve drainage issues that lead to large quantities of water on nearby roadways.

Corman also was approved for a $7.3 million grant for various projects on its Central Kentucky lines.

One project will create a new freight rail-to-truck transload facility near Frankfort. Another project will improve the main yard and transload facility in Lexington.

Repairs will include rehabilitating grade crossings and track, a new office building, switching replacements and expanding transload storage pads, as well as paving truck and traffic areas.

The Gettysburg Northern Railway will receive $1.84 million to rebuild 24 miles of track in Adams and Cumberland counties.

The project will improve safety standards, construct a new runaround track, upgrade more than 15 crossings and repair seven failing culverts.

CSX Operated Kentucky Derby Train

CSX kept alive the tradition of operating passenger specials to the Kentucky Derby.

The CSX Derby train arrived about noon on Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky, at Central Avenue near Cardinal Stadium.

The train was reported to have used R.J. Corman track between Lexington and Anchorage, Kentucky. It stopped in Louisville for 15 minutes to unload those heading over to Churchill Downs to take in a day at the races.

An online report said the train, which was led by three CSX F40 locomotives in the Baltimore & Ohio –inspired livery CSX unveiled last year for its executive train fleet, left Louisville after discharging its passengers.

After the race, the passengers were taken by bus back to Lexington. The train also featured a theater car on the rear.

Reportedly, the CSX executive train is going to run on Wednesday from Buffalo, New York, to Chicago, with an approximately noon arrival in Willard.

R.J. Corman Two for Tuesday in Massillon

Here are two with some fall color taken on Nov. 1, 2021, in Massillon. An R.J. Corman GP20 is entering a short stretch of Norfolk Southern at CP Mace as it heads south. In the other image, the 4119 has left the NS Fort Wayne Line and is branching back to Corman rails.

Photographs by Robert Farkas

Corman Genset Two for Tuesday

RJ Corman 5400 is northbound in Canal Fulton on April 12, 2010. Genset locomotives are no longer in use on this line.

Photographs by Robert Farkas

First Photographs of the Year

It is March 4, 2022, and here are my first two digital images from 2022.

In the top image an R.J. Corman train is about to leave its own track, enter Norfolk Southern’s Fort Wayne Line for a very short run, leave NS trackage, and re-enter Corman track again. This is at CP Mace in Massillon where there originally was a diamond before the track arrangement was changed to the present setup. Notice how dark Corman’s red appears when it is backlighted.

In the bottom image, CSX train D750 is eastbound in Clinton on the New Castle Subdivision.

Article and Photographs by Robert Farkas

Where B&O Once Boarded Passengers

An R.J. Corman train rumbles southbound in Canal Fulton on Aug. 5, 2021. The grassy area once was the location of the Baltimore & Ohio station.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Pipes Bound for Massillon

A CSX train is running southbound in Canal Fulton on July 1, 2015. Running on the R.J. Corman Cleveland Subdivision, the train has a load of pipe train destined for a staging area in Massillon where the pipe will later be used in the construction of a natural gas pipline running through Ohio into Michigan.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

R.J. Corman in Canal Fulton

R.J. Corman GP20E No. 4119 is southbound in Canal Fulton on July 6, 2021. As I understand it, the grassy area in front of the train was once the location of the Baltimore & Ohio passenger station. The 4119 is a former Southern Pacific locomotive.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Leaving Town

Having completed picking up and dropping off cars for CSX at its Warwick Yard in Clinton, R.J. Corman SD40-2 No. 7107 is leaving town, passing Warwick Tower on the way. The tower is now used by CSX maintenance of way personnel. The image was made on Oct. 13, 2021.

Photograph by Robert Farkas

Coming Into Warwick

R.J. Corman GP16 No. 1804 passes the former Warwick Tower as its train is about to enter the CSX yard. The 1804 was built in June 1950 for the Seaboard Air Line.

Photograph by Robert Farkas