Freight rail infrastructure in Penn Hills, Verona and Oakmont is set for upgrades after two railroads and a construction firm received a combined $7.1 million in state grants.
PennDOT announced the funding in December as part of a $42.5 million package for 25 rail projects across Pennsylvania. State Rep. Joe McAndrew, who represents the communities in the 32nd District, said the repairs are long overdue.
“For too long, portions of these railyards have fallen into disrepair,” McAndrew said. “When obtaining the grant money needed for these upgrades, we made sure the railroad companies in this area were cognizant of the community around them.”
Allegheny Valley Railroad received $4.3 million to construct three tracks at its Verona Yard using repurposed rail from the Brilliant Branch rail corridor in Apsinwall. The railroad did not respond to requests for details.
The Brilliant Branch was acquired by Allegheny County in 2023 through a partnership between the county’s Redevelopment Authority, Allegheny RiverTrail Park and the railroad. The 4-mile corridor will become a hiking and biking trail connecting Aspinwall to Pittsburgh’s East End.
Another $2.1 million went to Union Railroad to replace about 15,000 ties at its classification yard in Duquesne and the North Bessemer Yard in Penn Hills.
Union Railroad also will fix part of an aging fence surrounding the North Bessemer Yard along Leechburg Road, according to Matthew Fearing, an executive with Union Railroad’s parent company, Transtar.
Fearing added that the commitment is independent of the grant and will be done using the railroad’s own funds.
Penn Hills Code Enforcement has cited two other property owners who own the remainder of the fence, JLR Properties and CSI Construction, according to code enforcement officer Jason Griffiths. He described the fence as “old,” “rusted” and potentially dangerous to pedestrians.
In addition, Oakmont-based Chelsea Building Products will rehabilitate a rail siding along Ann Street and six crossings using a $699,000 grant. This roughly 100-year-old portion of the line connects directly to Chelsea Building Products, a company spokesperson said.
Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads — more than any other state — and 5,600 miles of freight lines, according to PennDOT. Many are operated by Class III operators, which often rely on public funding to meet their infrastructure needs.
The State Rail Plan calls for investments totaling $6.9 billion between 2021 and 2045.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024. He can be reached at jtroy@triblive.com.