PITTSBURGH, PA – The Allegheny and West Virginia Railway unveiled their 2018 capital investment plan Saturday evening during a press conference in Pittsburgh, which is home to the railway’s headquarters.
The railway’s chief executive officer, James H. Barnes, stated in the press conference that several changes will be taking place over the course of 2018. These changes include, but are not limited to:
– The purchase of 100 brand new locomotives. These will be 50 SD70ACe locomotives from Electro-Motive Diesel and 50 ES44AC locomotives from General Electric. These new locomotives will relieve a power shortage the railroad has been suffering from over the past year.
– The improvement of working conditions. As well, workers are to work for fewer hours per day, but still earn just as much money. This is to help with fatigue issues that have recently spiraled up.
– The improvement of rail lines around the system. CSX’s poor maintenance after the adoption of precision railroading has taken a toll on the track conditions.
Barnes hopes to have all of these things done by the end of 2018. He wants the A&WVR to be “a railroad that any customer can trust.”