RailAmerica reimbursed by feds for repair work - Jacksonville Business Journal:

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million in federal reimbursement after repairing trackl damagedby flooding. The Federal Railroad Administration’s award of $15 million to short-line railroads for reimbursementr of repairs in nine states reflectswthe government’s growing recognition of the short-line rail’as economic importance, Rail America CEO John Gilezs in a news release. “Shorty lines offer many of the same benefits of the nationaolrailroad superhighways, but their unique role is often overlooked,” said Giles. “As more and more manufacturing facilities are located inrural areas, shorg lines often present the only access these manufacturer have to the national rail network.
” The companhy received $1.5 million in reimbursement for repair work it did to repairt Indiana Southern Railroad so the line was damagedx by flooding. RailAmerica also received $1.9 milliojn in reimbursement for the repair it made to theMissourui & Northern Arkansas Railroad aftefr the short line sustained 10 track washouts from flasy flooding in March. “Working around the clocl and at great expensee tothe railroad, trains were able to move agaib in just four days,” said “If the railroads had not taken immediate actioh without regard to the resulting cost burden, its customers would have been severely Short lines have expanded from 8,000 miles of track in 1980 to more than 50,0009 miles today, according to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.