ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad (B&P) on June 22 announced that its freight rail service has resumed to three companies in Butler County, Pa., following a fire last month that destroyed a wooden railroad bridge on that line.
With the cooperation of local, state and federal officials and regulatory agencies to expedite the permitting process, the B&P was able to replace the damaged bridge with new track on culverts and earthen fill in about six weeks. The branch line runs from East Butler to Bruin and was out of service since the fire on May 10, 2006.
"Restoring rail service in a speedy and environmentally responsible manner to our customers was the main goal. These three customers, who are major employers in the area, depend on rail service for their businesses," said David J. Collins, the B&P’s President and General Manager. "We could not have restored the line in such a short period of time without the help of several regulatory agencies and federal, state and local officials. These officials worked with us to get our line back in service."
The B&P also made a donation to area fire officials, many of whom are volunteers, to thank them for their work to contain the fire last month.
The Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad, headquartered in Rochester, NY, operates a 770-mile regional rail system in western Pennsylvania and New York and is a Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) company. GWI is a leading operator of short line and regional freight railroads in the Unites States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Bolivia.
