Congresswoman Kaptur Announces More Than $10 Million Award from Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal to Napoleon, Defiance, & Western Railway in Partnership with Ohio Rail Development Commission
Defiance, OH – Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced a $10,792,157 award for major rail upgrades for Napoleon, Defiance, & Western Railway (NDW) in partnership with Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) though funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This project involves development, final design, and construction activities for various track improvements, upgrades to multiple grade crossings, and bridge rehabilitation work — part of a multi-phase effort to improve the NDW. This project will improve safety, and increase ability to meet existing and anticipated demand, while enhancing performance with upgrades to the track to FRA Class 1 track standard from excepted track. NDW interchanges with CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway, and freight traffic must travel on NDW’s tracks before rail cars are interchanged with the Class 1 railroads. ORDC and NDW will match 30% of Federal funds being allocated for this project.
“I am encouraged to see new investment in rail coming to Northern Ohio, and I know that this will be transformative for Patriot Rail, and the people of Defiance. This proposal promises to turn one of the worst railroad tracks in America into an engine of economic development in Ohio,” said Rep. Kaptur. “This line saw 48 derailments in 2022 alone, underscoring the importance and urgent need for safety and reliability of commercial rail in Northern Ohio. Our communities have seen the harm that comes, after major derailments such as the ones seen in Sandusky and East Palestine, Ohio within the past year. Rail safety was a major impetus for our desire to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and now we are seeing investment and opportunity coming back to our region. We must continue to work together to make our communities safer, and this is an important step forward in doing just that.”
“The Patriot Rail Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railway provides first and last mile service transporting products to and from customer facilities in Ohio to locations across the country,” said Patriot Rail CEO John Fenton. “We are privileged to work with the Ohio Rail Development Commission and the Ohio Congressional delegation including Rep. Kaptur to receive this federal CRISI award and invest these vital grant funds to increase safety, reliability, and efficiency for our customers and the communities we serve. We deeply appreciate our continued partnership with ORDC to enhance the rail services and options we provide to shippers in the State of Ohio.”
This investments follows a September 22, 2023 roundtable discussion on the future of passenger rail in Northern Ohio and the Great Lakes Region hosted by Congresswoman Kaptur, with participants including international, national, regional, and local transit, labor, and civic leaders, including Amit Bose, Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, Stephen Gardner, CEO of Amtrak, and Eddie Hall, President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. Please reach out to the office of Congresswoman Kaptur for a full list of participants.
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