(rshsdepot) CSX Railroad relinquishes tunnels to Pennsylvania county

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

CSX Railroad relinquishes tunnels to county

BY LINDA METZ
THE OBSERVER-REPORTER

lmetz_@_observer-reporter.com

Washington County has reached an agreement with CSX Railroad to take over
two former tunnels in Buffalo and Donegal townships.
On Thursday, the county commissioners approved an agreement with CSX to take
over the two Civil War-era tunnels, a culvert and 11.49 acres of adjacent
land. CSX also will give the county $400,000 that will be used toward the
rehabilitation of the tunnels.
The county had been looking to obtain the tunnels and preserve them for
their historical significance. The tunnels, just off Route 40, would also be
essential for building a walking trail in the area.
However, CSX had refused to turn over the tunnels unless the county also
agreed to take over liability of three bridges in the same area that need to
be removed. CSX has offered the county $500,000 in exchange for taking over
the tunnels and the bridges, which no longer are used by the railroad.
The county was not interested in the bridges because they carried too much
liability, said county planning director Lisa Cessna.
In the meantime, CSX was facing an order to backfill and seal the tunnels by
the state Public Utilities Commission because the tunnels were considered
dangerous. The tunnels have been blocked temporarily by steel barricades.
Initially, the PUC gave CSX until Sept. 1 to cut a deal with the county. If
a deal wasn't worked out, CSX was to seal the tunnels by Dec. 31.
The PUC extended its deadline until July, giving CSX and the county more
time to reach an agreement.
TriLine Associates Inc. of Southpointe, which conducted a feasibility study
of the proposed trail project, estimated the cost of repairing the tunnels
at $200,000. But Cessna believes that estimate was extremely low. She
estimated the tunnel repairs would cost around $500,000.

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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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