NEWS                                           

OHIO RAIL

DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

50 W. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215

(614) 644-0306 telephone or fax (614) 728-4520

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                            Contact: Stu Nicholson

Date: July 8, 2005                                                                                                                                                                  (614) 644-0513 

 

ORDC Commissioners To Get

Panhandle Line Sale Draft Proposal

Draft to be Presented at July 14th ORDC Meeting

 

(Columbus) – ORDC Commissioners will get a draft proposal for possibly selling the state-owned railroad line between Columbus and Mingo Junction on the Ohio River. 

 

The rail line, better known as the “Panhandle Line”, has been owned by the State of Ohio since 1992, when it was purchased to save the line from what amounted to piecemeal abandonment by then-owner Conrail.  The line is now operated by the Coshocton-based Ohio Central Railroad and has shown significant growth in both rail traffic and customers since the state purchase.  It is also considered as part of ORDC’s Ohio Hub Plan for future a future high-speed passenger rail link between Columbus and Pittsburgh.

 

ORDC Commissioners asked staff members in 2002 to undertake a study of possibly selling the Panhandle Line, and their recommendations will be presented to Commissioners at their regular meeting:

 

July 14th @ 10:00 A-M

31st Floor

Vern Riffe Center

77 South High Street

Columbus, Ohio

 

A full agenda for the meeting is available on-line on the ORDC website.  The public and media are welcome.  Media information packets will be available after the meeting.

(The Ohio Rail Development Commission is an independent agency operating within the Ohio Department of Transportation.  ORDC is responsible for economic development through the improvement and expansion of passenger and freight rail service, railroad grade crossing safety and rail travel & tourism issues. For more information about what ORDC does for Ohio, visit our website at http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/)