LaPorte County Railroad Set For Major Improvements
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad has announced plans to invest $600,000 into railroad improvements in LaPorte County. The company says the track and bridge work will support increasing business demands in the area.
The work will be done along a 15-mile stretch of railroad line between La Crosse and Wellsboro. CKIN says it will match a $300,000 grant from the Industrial Rail Service Fund, which was awarded by the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The company says the project will allow the segment of railroad to meet the Federal Railroad Administration’s requirements for Class I Track Standards, which allows freight trains to travel at a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour.
“As Indiana continues to invest in its infrastructure, it is crucial for the rail lines to invest in upgrades and remain competitive,” said Powell Felix, president of CKIN. “This grant funding allows us to continue improving the tracks and bridges as business grows.”
CKIN says additional improvements are slated for the Thomatson interchange along the Norkfolk Southern railroad to accommodate increased traffic from Avon-based grain co-op Co-Alliance. The company says the co-op is "critical" to the agriculture communities in LaPorte, Porter and Starke counties.
Work on the project is expected to be complete this fall.