A $1.2 million grant will help Strasburg Rail Road grow its freight operations that serve farmers and businesses in and around southern Lancaster County.
Planned upgrades include improving tracks and crossings and a conveyor belt for unloading bulk materials. All are expected to be completed by mid-2027.
The railroad best known for tourist trains also has a year-round freight operation, which officials say has been steadily growing since the COVID-19 pandemic. It consists mainly of unloading cargo like animal feed, fertilizer and lumber from train cars to trucks for local delivery.
The rail freight grant announced last week by the state Department of Transportation will cover most of the projects’ combined cost of $1.7 million, with the rest coming from the railroad itself.
Most of the funding will go toward replacing the Cherry Hill Road crossing and overhauling about 3,000 feet of track that is due for replacement. The upgrades will also help handle the stress from fully loaded freight rail cars that can weigh two to three times as much as passenger rail cars.
“The purpose of the grant is for us to be able to continue to run these freight trains and keep the railroad in good shape,” said Bill Oates, the railroad’s assistant vice president of railroad operations.
It will also fund a new conveyor at a rail yard on Leaman Place in Paradise Township, similar to one already in use in Strasburg Township, which should shorten the time it takes to unload feed and other bulk materials.
“Hopefully by being more efficient, we can attract more customers to the railroad,” Oates said.
PAST STRASBURG RAIL ROAD COVERAGE
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