PA STATE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION APPROVES FINAL ROUND OF TRANSPORTATION ENHAHCEMENT PROJECTS: On behalf of Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) Secretary Bradley L. Mallory today announced the state Transportation Commission's approval of $45.4 million in federal funds for 153 projects that will enhance recreational trails, historic transportation properties and landscaping along streets and highways across Pennsylvania. "This is the third and final round of enhancement projects made possible by the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, also known as TEA-21," Secretary Mallory said. "Through the Transportation Enhancements program, we are making Pennsylvania a better place to live, work and play," Secretary Mallory added. Last year, the Transportation Commission approved 154 enhancement projects totaling $39.2 million. In the first round, the commission approved 76 projects totaling $47.8 million. TEA-21 earmarked $125 million over six years for enhancements in Pennsylvania. The projects are funded 80 percent with federal funds and 20 percent with a local share. The program was developed through the collaboration of Pennsylvania's planning partners -- the state Transportation Commission, 14 Metropolitan Planning Organizations, six Local Development Districts, the statewide Transportation Enhancements Advisory Committee and PENNDOT. "Nobody knows local needs more than local people, and our collaborative process reflects that," Secretary Mallory said. Railroad related projects include:
New rail trail, $200,000, City of Beaver Falls.
Restoration of 1902 Reading Railroad freight station, $100,000, Quakertown Train Station Historical Society.
Improvements to Mauch Chunk Railroad Station, $360,000, Carbon County.
Bellefonte Central Rail-Trail, $213,000, College, Ferguson and Patton townships, Penn State University, and State College Borough.
Millersburg Train Station Restoration, $137,000, Historical Society of Millersburg and Upper Paxton Township.
Lykens Valley Rail Trail improvements, $48,000, Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department.
Sharon Hill Train Station Rehabilitation, $342,000, Delaware County Planning Department.
Delaware and Hudson Railcar restoration, $5,000, Carbondale Historical Society.
Restoration of the boiler to the Boston and Maine No. 3713 locomotive at the Steamtown National Historic site, $200,000, Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railway Historical Society Inc.
Restoration of Erie Lackawanna dining car No. 741, $28,000, Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society Inc.
Develop an access to the Lackawanna River from the N.J. Central Railroad Freight Station, $120,000, The Historic Preservation Group Inc.
Elizabethtown Train Station, new signs and public address system, $65,000, Borough of Elizabethtown.
Phase II of five-phase plan to renovate the Manheim Railroad Station, $90,000, Manheim Historical Society.
Renovation of the entrance to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, $303,000, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
Improve the Riverfront/Railroad corridor, $346,000, City of Pittston.
Back Mountain Trail link, $52,000, College Misericordia.
Connection of the D & L Trail through White Haven, $335,000, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.
New Transportation Museum in railroad freight station, restoration of Trinity Place, $330,000, City of Williamsport.
Rehabilitation of 9.2 miles of the former Western Maryland Railroad as a pedestrian and bike trail, $200,000, Somerset County;
Reconstruct and rehabilitate a 1917 Pittsburgh trolley, $215,000, Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.
Rehabilitate the Wheeling Lake Erie Railroad Station, $150,000, A.D. White Research Society Ltd.
Rehabilitation of the Delaware and Hudson Gravity Railroad Depot, $178,000, Waymart Area Historical Society.
Acquisition of an abandoned rail right of way for the Kiski Junction Trail, $331,000, Alle-Kiski Revitalization Corp.
Materials for Saltsburg to Trafford Rail Trail, $242,000, Regional Trail Corp.
(Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - posted 4/25)

Heartland Railroad Historical Society
hrrhs@aol.com

200,000 for 3713.. nice. :)

MSTRP-PM1225

mrwowak@yahoo.com

As part of yesterday's announcement by PA Transportation Secretary Brad Mallory, the Pennsylavnia Trolley Museum is receiving $215,000 to fully restore Pittsburgh Railways streetcar #4398. This 1917 built "low floor" streetcar ran in McKeesport and carried workers to the Edgar Thompson Steel Mill. It was preserved by the Museum in the late 1950s and will now be fully restored in the Museum's restoration shop for use on its demonstration trolley line.

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum was pleased to host the entire Pennsylvania Transportation Commission yesterday, April 25th, to help celebrate substantial completion of its half mile extension of its demonstration trolley line. Over 150 in all witnessed the driving of the "golden spike" which allows the Museum's current line to be connected to a 400 car capacity parking lot. This will allow the Museum to a park 'n' ride trolley operation this summer to the Washington County Fair. This extension was built to Pittsburgh Railways standards and was paid for by a $240,000 ISTEA Transportation Enhancements Grant, a grant from the Allegheny Foundation, and substantial donations of material from the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Atlas Railroad Construction Co, Koppers Industries and Henkels & McCoy. Thousands of hours have also been donated by the Museum's volunteers.

The Museum will now move to complete its Trolley Turning Loop and begin Phase 2 of it development plan. The site work is being paid for by a previously awarded $475,000 TEA-21 Grant and private funding. A 25,000 square foot Display Car House will then be built, allowing the proper display and housing of its entire collection of forty five trolley cars.

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
sbecker@pa-trolley.org

Our TEA-21 money will go for external and structural repairs.

Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society
tstuy@eldcps.org

> 200,000 for 3713.. nice. :)

Glad to hear about that too, but it might not mean that the 3713 restoration schedule will be accelerated anytime soon. The Altoona RRer's Museum has hired the 3713 contractor to become part of the crew to finish the 1361. The ARMM wants in the engine back in Altoona this fall, so it might be only several months before Bill Frederickson can go back to the 3713.


JBeutel611@aol.com

Pittsburgh rocks.

I have to get back there and visit the family and see all this good work.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net