WESTCO Rail Development Plan

Five Year Outlook

T he West Central Ohio Port Authority

has developed a plan to serve as a

guide for the future of the WESTCO

rail system over the next five years. The

plan identifies current and future system

needs and makes recommendations to

encourage ongoing rail investments and

continued use and expansion by

WESTCO’s customers.

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

WESTCO Port Authority Rail System

The West Central Ohio Port Authority (WESTCO) was created by the Boards of County Commissioners of

Champaign, Clark, and Fayette counties pursuant to Chapter 4582 of the Ohio Revised Code for the public

purpose of preserving railroad assets and providing for the continued operation of rail freight services.

WESTCO has a board of seven directors. The directors are appointed by agreement among the participating

counties. The board is responsible for the governing of the port authority pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code

and the board's adopted rules and regulations. The secretary/treasurer is the point of contact for the board.

The West Central Ohio Port Authority has a robust rail system that provides the

movement of diverse freight products. The rail system is an important component

to the region and will continue to serve the area to enhance and improve the

region’s economy and agronomy.

The Origins of WESTCO

WESTCO owns 94 miles of railroad track in Champaign, Clark, Fayette, Logan, and Madison counties.

WESTCO has leased the tracks to the Indiana & Ohio Railway Company (IORY). The IORY is a regional

railroad based in Cincinnati, with both owned and leased track in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. The IORY is a

unit of Rail America, Inc., a railroad holding company. A system map and a roster of track miles on the

various lines and their lengths, by county, are shown on pages 8-9. The three main lines were acquired from

the Grand Trunk Western Railroad (3 transactions) and Conrail (2 transactions). The IORY can interchange

rail traffic originating or terminating on WESTCO lines at the following locations:

WESTCO Rail Service

Class I Railroads:

Canadian National at Cincinnati and Flat Rock, MI

CSXT at Cincinnati, Lima, Middletown and

Hamler

Norfolk Southern at Lima, Springfield, Cincinnati

and Monroe

Western Railroads at Chicago through the

Chicago, Ft. Wayne, & Eastern Railroad (CFER)

Sister Railroads:

CFER at Lima and with interchange at Chicago, IL

Central Railroad Company of Indiana (CIND) at

Valley Junction, OH

Indiana Southern Railroad through CIND

Other Railroads:

Ann Arbor Railroad at Diann, MI

Adrian and Blissfield Railroad at Riga, MI

RJ Corman Railroad at Lima

Wheeling Lake Erie Railroad at Lima

WESTCO Rail Freight Services In:

Bellefontaine

Jeffersonville

Mechanicsburg

South Charleston

South Solon

Springfield

Urbana

Washington C. H.

West Liberty

1

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

The West Central Ohio Port Authority has three main lines: the Urbana Line (from Springfield to

Bellefontaine), the Mechanicsburg Line (from Springfield to Mechanicsburg), and the South Charleston Line

(from Springfield to Washington Court House). These three tracks comprise our 94 miles of railroad across

five counties: Logan, Champaign, Clark, Madison, and Fayette.

WESTCO Freight Transport and Service

WESTCO Customers by Line

South Charleston Line

Keynes Bros.

Trupointe Grain

Trupointe Fertilizer Hub

Bluegrass Farms

Mechanicsburg Line

Heritage Cooperative

(Mechanicsburg)

Urbana Line

Heritage Cooperative

(Urbana)

Heritage Cooperative (West

Liberty)

Damewood Enterprises

International Fiber Sales

Orbis

Phares Pumps

Tech II

What does WESTCO Ship?

WESTCO primarily deals with

agriculture related items, with about

90% of its carloads comprised of

corn, soybean and fertilizer.

Because of this, the amount of

carloads per year varies depending

on the harvest yield for each year.

In addition to the agricultural

products, WESTCO also ships salt,

plastic, and some manufacturing

items. While most of our carloads are supported by agronomy, WESTCO does possess the capabilities to

transport any commodity that can be transported by rail.

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12

6,6

50

7,1

58

5,8

71

5,2

30

6,0

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08

7,6

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5,8

33

5,5

45

4,7

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7,5

91

5,5

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1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000C

arl

oad

s

1999 - 2011

Annual Carloads

Benefits of Shipping by WESTCO Rail

Connectivity through the IORY

to transport goods across the

United States and Canada

More economical to ship bulk

products by rail than by

trucking

Access to two designated mega

sites (more information on

page 7)

Ability to utilize double stack

container shipments for added

efficiency

Most environmentally friendly

and fuel efficient way to

transport bulk commodities

One train can transport the

equivalent of over 250 trucks

2

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

The graph below shows the ratio between the revenue received by WESTCO through our operating funds

against the investments made. The investment made by WESTCO on the track over the last 5 years far

outweighs the operating funds received. Since 2007, WESTCO has invested over $4.6 million into various

track and bridge rehabilitation projects, while only receiving just over $2.3 million in revenues. We are able to

bridge the gap by applying and receiving grants and loans to complete larger projects through various state and

federal programs. WESTCO always seeks to maintain the Class II track standards, which enables freight to be

transported at speeds from 25-40 miles per hour. This is achieved through planning for future rehabilitation as

well as being prepared to respond to emergencies as they arise.

WESTCO Past Rail Investment

Major Rehab Projects Completed Since 2007

Bridge #115.99 over US36

Bridge #224.7 over Sugar Creek

Bridge #222.2 over Sugar Creek

South Charleston Line Slow Order Project

ARRA Bridge Rehabilitation Project

ARRA Track Rehabilitation Project

South Charleston Line Rehab Phase 1 and 2

WESTCO Future Rail Investment

Option A

Option A is what WESTCO plans to accomplish

over the next 5 years based on receiving no

additional federal or state assistance. Based

on budgetary estimations, WESTCO plans to

contribute $400,000-$500,000 per year to the

continued maintenance of the rail. The money

generated through maintenance and use fees

through the current customers of the rail and the

IORY will provide for the rehabilitation efforts.

Option B

Option B is what WESTCO plans to accomplish

over the next 5 years in addition to the

$400,000-$500,000 that we will spend on

maintenance of the rail. WESTCO staff has

been very successful in obtaining federal and

state grants and plans to be aggressive in

seeking additional funding for the continued

maintenance of the rail in order to operate at

Class II speeds.

WESTCO has coordinated with the IORY and HDR Engineering, our rail service provider, to develop a list of

priority projects to address over the next 5 years. While WESTCO has made significant contributions to

maintain a level of service in the past, they seek to provide an increased level of service in the future to better

serve the WESTCO customers. A detailed breakdown of each project is provided on the next page.

3

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

WESTCO staff applied for and received a 100% safety grant for $567,000 through the Transportation

Improvement Program to install active signalized gates and flashers at three crossings in Clark County:

Mound Street, Willow Avenue, and Columbus-Xenia Road. This improvement project will allow for every

WESTCO owned crossing in Clark County to have active signalized gates and flashers except for the crossing

on First Street which only has active warning lights.

WESTCO also plans to rehabilitate 7 miles of track on the South Charleston Line from M.P. 230 - 223. The

South Charleston Line is the most used line due to the overhead traffic from the IORY and it is primarily used

to transport all of the goods from the Urbana and Mechanicsburg lines out of the region. The project will

replace approximately 725 crossties per mile of the project area as well as provide for the needed ballast,

anchors and resurfacing.

WESTCO FY2012 Rail Investment Option A - $1,052,000

WESTCO FY2012 - FY2014 Rail Investment Option B - $623,550

In addition to Option A’s investment of $1,052,000 in FY2012, staff will also seek an additional grant to

match the investment being made on the South Charleston Line by seeking a grant for the rehabilitation of an

additional 3.5 miles of track to the above project each year until completion. The grants would cover the

rehabilitation of M.P. 223 - M.P. 219.5, M.P. 216 - M.P. 212.5, and M.P. 209 - M.P. 205.5 and replace

7,613 crossties of the 10.5 mile area and provide for the needed ballast, anchors and resurfacing.

WESTCO FY2013 Rail Investment Option A - $485,000

WESTCO will rehabilitate another 7 mile stretch of the South Charleston Line from M.P. 223 - M.P. 216 in

their effort to upgrade the entire line and maintain Class II standards allowing freight to be moved at 25-40

mph. The rehabilitation will include the replacement of 5,075 crossties as well as the placement of 2,100 tons

of ballast. Both the FY2012 and the FY2013 rehabilitation projects will serve the Bluegrass Farms mega-site

in Jeffersonville. If the FY2012 grant is received, WESTCO will begin the project at M.P. 219.5 and

rehabilitate the next 7 miles.

4

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

By FY2014, WESTCO will be halfway complete with the rehabilitation of the South Charleston Line and it

will continue the efforts in 2014 with another 7 miles of work. The project area will cover M.P. 216 - 209 and

replace approximately 725 crossties per mile and furnish and place the needed ballast and rail anchors. If

either of the Option B grants have been received, the project area would shift to the appropriate mileage.

WESTCO FY2014 Rail Investment Option A - $485,000

WESTCO FY2015 Rail Investment Option A - $485,000

If WESTCO has not received any of the proposed Option B grants, it will continue to rehabilitate the South

Charleston Line. The FY2015 rail investment would be the final installment in the rehabilitation and would

cover from M.P. 209 - M.P. 202 (Springfield Yard) and would replace 5,075 crossties over the 7 mile project

area and place the needed ballast.

With the South Charleston rehabilitation project being complete, WESTCO will now direct their attention to

the improvement of the Urbana Line from Glen Echo (M.P. 124) through West Liberty (M.P. 104). Staff will

apply for a grant for the first 2.5 miles of rail rehabilitation beginning at M.P. 124 and ending in Champaign

County at M.P. 121.5 and will replace approximately 1,000 ties per mile.

WESTCO FY2015 Rail Investment Option B - $727,000

WESTCO FY2016 Rail Investment Option A - $484,000

There is currently a slow order on the Urbana Line from Glen

Echo north to Bellefontaine. Over the next four years,

WESTCO will seek to rehabilitate the line to bring the speeds

up from 10 mph to 25-40 mph from Glen Echo to West Liberty.

In FY2016, WESTCO will rehabilitate M.P. 124 - M.P. 119

replacing 5,000 crossties over the 5 mile stretch and furnish and

place 1,500 tons of ballast and the needed rail anchors.

WESTCO FY2016 Rail Investment Option B - $726,000

In addition to the planned 5 mile rehabilitation efforts, staff will seek a matching grant for an additional 2.5

miles of rehabilitation from M.P. 119 - 116.5. The project will replace 2,500 cross ties and furnish and place

the needed ballast and rail anchors. WESTCO will continue to seek funding for the rehabilitation of the

Urbana Line through FY2019.

5

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

WESTCO Planned and Future Rehabilitation By Line

South Charleston Line M.P. 202 - 230

Mechanicsburg Line M.P. 1 - 17

Urbana Line M.P. 104 - 124

FY2015 FY2014 FY2013 FY2012

FY2020 FY2021 FY2022

FY2019 FY2018 FY2017 FY2016

202 209 216 223 230

1 12 17

104 109 114 119 124

6

WESTCO Bridges

The West Central Ohio Port Authority owns 48 bridges across the 5 county area. Through the ARRA Bridge

Rehabilitation project that was completed in 2010, WESTCO was able to remove all priority 1 and 2 repairs

from the line by repairing structural deficiencies on 13 bridges on the Urbana and Mechanicsburg Lines.

There is no planned bridge rehabilitation at this time, because all bridges are in Priorities 3-5. Priority 3

dictates that the bridge condition could become unsafe and should be monitored by railroad personnel

frequently. Priority 4 dictates that the condition is substandard and should be monitored, and Priority 5

dictates that either no defects or only minor defects were found.

Osmose Construction provides the Annual Bridge Engineering Report to WESTCO which enables us to assess

the bridges and our needs for rehabilitation. If an emergency repair was needed, WESTCO is

financially prepared to make the necessary improvements.

WESTCO Crossings

The West Central Ohio Port Authority owns 63 crossings over the 94 miles of track they own. WESTCO has

been proactive in installing active warning devices to ensure the safety of motorists when encountering a

railroad crossing. In Champaign County, 12 of the 21 crossings have

active warning devices, in Clark County, 18 of the 21 crossings have

active warning devices (all 21 crossings will have active warning

devices by the end of 2012), in Madison County, both crossings have

gates and flashers, in Fayette County, 3 of the 12 crossings have active

warning devices and in Logan County, 0 of the 8 crossings are

signalized.

In addition to the signalized crossings, WESTCO, per the Transportation

Equity Act for the 21st Century, the Federal Aid Highway Safety Act of

1973, and the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation

Equity Act - A Legacy for Users is changing all the non-active warning

devices at WESTCO Crossings to provide increased safety.

6

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

Central Ohio Logistics Center and Job Ready Mega Site

Champion City Business Park

There is nearly 2,600 acres of manufacturing land available at the Central Ohio Logistics Center in

Jeffersonville. The site is surrounded by access, with two spurs providing train access, as well as having an

immense amount of roadway access through Interstate 71, U.S. Route 35, State Route 41 and State Route 729.

Bluegrass Farms of Ohio

is currently the only

occupant of the site, but

through state funding,

over $12.5 million has

been invested in the site

to make it ready for

manufacturing and

employment. The site is

32 miles from Columbus

and 52 miles from

Cincinnati and is a prime location for a mega manufacturer to locate due to the benefits of the rail access,

roadways and the other infrastructure that has been invested into the site.

The Champion City Business Park in Springfield

totals 62 acres, 26 acres on the northern parcel, and

36 acres on the southern parcel, with both having

the potential for rail accessibility through the West

Central Ohio Port Authority. The site has received

over $4.9 million of public funding to clean and

develop the site to be ready for business. The site is

currently equipped with water, sewer, storm sewer,

electric, gas, and telecom. The Champion City

Business Park is owned by the City of Springfield

and is capable of having multiple spurs into either

parcel making it possible for small or large

manufacturing.

Lagon

da Ave

.

Belm

ont

Ave

.

IORY Rail

Other Sites Available

There are many locations along the WESTCO mainlines that are prime for development and are well suited for

small to large manufacturing. In addition to the land available along the mainlines, WESTCO lines run along

several major roadways including: Interstate 70, Interstate 71, U.S. Route 35, U.S. Route 36, U.S. Route 40,

U.S. Route 68, State Route 4, and State Route 41. If you have any property inquiries, please feel free to

contact the Secretary-Treasurer, Zachary Balassone at 937-521-2136 or zbalassone@clarkcountyohio.gov

WES

TCO Rail

36 Acres

26 Acres

7

WESTC

O Rail

US Route 3

5 Interstate 71

Central Ohio

Logistics Center

SR 41

Ohio Job Ready

Mega-Site

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan 8

West Central Ohio Port Authority Rail Development Plan

Zachary Balassone zbalassone@clarkcountyohio.gov

WESTCO Board of Directors

Gordon Conn ● Gerald Damewood ● Richard Flax ● Richard Henry

Betty Mowrey ● Dale Ritenour ● Alan Thompson

West Central Ohio Port Authority 3130 East Main Street - Suite 2B

Springfield, Ohio 45505 937-521-2136

www.westcopa.org

WESTCO Secretary - Treasurer