Category: Rail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2023

LEWISBURG, PA – SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA), a leading short-line railroad serving 9 counties in Central Pennsylvania proudly announces its momentous achievement of 40 years of dedicated service. Established in 1983, the JRA has been an integral part of the local transportation industry, providing reliable rail freight services and fostering economic growth throughout the region through its private-public partnership with the North Shore Railroad. Consisting of 6 shortline railroads, the JRA serves over 100 customers, and in 2022 rail traffic topped 21,000 carloads.

As the JRA commemorates this significant milestone, it reflects on four decades of exceptional service, growth, and contributions to the communities it serves. With over 200 miles of rail lines spanning 9 counties, including Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union. The JRA has been a vital link in rail transportation infrastructure, facilitating the movement of goods, and supporting the local economy.

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate 40 years as an organization,” said Steven Beattie, Executive Director of the Joint Rail Authority. “Throughout the years, our dedicated team and our operator, the North Shore Railroad, have worked tirelessly to provide safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation solutions to our customers. We are grateful for the ongoing support of the communities we serve, and we look forward to continuing our commitment to excellence for many years to come.”

The JRA’s impact on the local economy has been significant, fostering job creation, attracting new industries, and supporting the growth of existing businesses. By providing a reliable and cost-effective rail transportation alternative, the short-line railroad has helped reduce congestion on roadways, lower carbon emissions, and enhance supply chain efficiency.

Over the years, the JRA has built strong partnerships with local businesses, industries, and agricultural producers, becoming an essential component of their success. By offering efficient freight services, the railroad has facilitated the movement of a wide range of goods, including raw materials, agricultural products, finished goods, and more.

To learn more about SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority’s 40 years of service and its ongoing commitment to the local community, please visit www.sedacograil.org or contact Steven Beattie, Joint Rail Authority Executive Director at (570) 524-4491.

About SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority
The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority’s mission is to preserve and foster rail service in Central Pennsylvania and to further economic development through retention, improvement and expansion of the infrastructure and the rail service it supports.

For more information, please contact Kristen Moyer, chief of staff, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7212 or kmoyer@seda-cog.org

SEDA-COG… Building Strong Economies & Strong Communities
www.seda-cog.org

SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) is pleased to announce that Steven Beattie is the new Executive Director of the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA.)

Beattie began his career as a project manager for area engineering consulting firms, including Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., where he managed the Lewisburg office. He later joined the Larson Design Group where he worked in a multitude of roles: Site/Civil Engineering Senior Project Manager, Retail Design Senior Project Manager, and the Director of Sales and Marketing. He most recently served as the Community Development/Grant Manager for the Borough of Lewisburg.

Since 1998, Beattie has served numerous roles for engineering consulting firms in the SEDA-COG region. Throughout his career he has served municipal, commercial, industrial, and institutional clients managing projects through the design, funding, and construction phases. His latest accomplishment includes leading the effort to secure over $3.4 million in funds for the Borough of Lewisburg over an 18-month period.

In addition, Beattie has obtained various licenses and certifications throughout the course of his career, including being a Notary Public, a Licensed Landscape Architect, and having received the Advanced Emergency Certification for the role of municipal emergency management coordinator.

Beattie’s major goals as Executive Director include preserving and expanding upon the legacy the JRA has built in our surrounding communities.

“My top priority, as I take on this role, is to continue the work started by the Joint Rail Authority dating back to 1983. In doing this, I plan to promote economic development in the region, ensure our industries have access to rail, and maintain our rail infrastructure to support our customers and their growth,” Beattie said.

Beattie is coming on board to replace the retiring Executive Director, Jeff Stover. Stover has been with SEDA-COG since 1985. He started his career as the Manager of Transportation and throughout his tenure became the Chief of Transportation and the Executive Director of the JRA.

SEDA-COG JRA Board President, Russ Graham, is excited to see what’s next for the Authority under the guidance of Beattie.

“The JRA has been extremely fortunate to have had Jeff Stover as our Executive Director for the past 37 years. His professionalism and knowledge of our rail system has been instrumental in countless economic development and railroad upgrade projects over the years. Jeff will be difficult to replace, however we are confident in Steven, and we look forward to working with him as we move into the next chapter of the JRA. Steven’s background in the engineering field and his experience in intergovernmental relationships will be a huge asset to the JRA,” Graham said.

Beattie earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from West Virginia University’s College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design. He later went on to earn his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s Zeigler College of Business.

Beattie stressed the role that rail plays in the overall success of our area.

“I have always been a proponent of economic development in our region, whether that is through small businesses in our downtowns, tourism, or large manufacturers. Rail served industries in our region provide family sustaining employment opportunities for our hardworking, educated, and skilled workforce. The JRA’s role in maintaining and growing rail service in the region is critical to the success of these businesses and our regional economy,” Beattie said.

The primary mission of the JRA is to preserve essential rail freight service and to further economic development and job creation in the region through improvement and expansion of rail infrastructure. Since the inception of the JRA, the Authority’s presence has grown from five counties to nine (Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union.) The 80 miles of rail line it preserved through the North Shore and Nittany & Bald Eagle lines has grown to 215 miles with the inclusion of the Juniata Valley, Lycoming Valley, and Shamokin Valley railroads, and an extension of the Nittany. The dramatic success of the Authority’s short-line railroad system has been cited in national publications and by distinguished organizations at every level, private and public.

The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) will receive 1.5 million dollars through the PennDOT Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP). The funds will be used to rehabilitate nine railroad bridges on four of the JRA’s railroads operated by the North Shore Railroad group.

The bridges to be rehabilitated are:

• Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad (NBER) Bellefonte Branch: Benner Township, Centre County

• NBER Mainline Bridge: Worth Township, Centre County

• NBER Mainline Bridge: Union Township, Centre County

• Lycoming Valley Railroad (LVRR) AVIS IT Bridge: Woodward Township, Lycoming County

• LVRR IT Bridge: Muncy Township, Lycoming County

• Juniata Valley Railroad (JVRR) Burnham Branch: Burnham Borough, Mifflin County

• JVRR Maitland I.T: Derry Township, Mifflin County

• JVRR Maitland I.T.: Derry Township, Mifflin County

• North Shore Railroad (NSHR) Mainline: Rupert, Columbia County

Gov. Tom Wolf announced the approval of the grant along with 24 other rail freight improvement projects that will enhance freight mobility while creating or sustaining more than 200 jobs across Pennsylvania.

“Keeping goods moving efficiently has proven to be more important now than ever,” said Governor Wolf. “These investments in Pennsylvania’s rail system create jobs, support efficient freight travel and help keep the business community connected to the global economy.”

The SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) is an eight-county joint municipal authority formed in 1983 to preserve essential rail service in central PA. The JRA owns the railroad properties in public trust, which are privately operated by the North Shore Railroad group. For the past 38 years, the JRA has become an engine for high value industrial development.

For more information, please contact Elaine Stauder, communications coordinator, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7429 or estauder@seda-cog.org.

SEDA-COG… Building Strong Economies & Strong Communities

On Oct. 1, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a decision in the litigation involving the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority’s Request for Proposals process for a new operating agreement. In the decision, the Court determined that the Authority’s July 2015 7-3 vote was a passing vote, which effectively awarded the new operating agreement to Carload Express, Inc. Six board members had abstained from the vote to avoid any appearance of bias in the process but were physically present in the meeting room. The Court’s decision clarifies the voting standard required of municipal authorities within this Commonwealth under the Municipality Authorities Act.  While the statute literally states that action may be taken by the vote of a majority of the “members present,” the Court held that pre-1937 common law requires that only those members actually voting be treated as “present.”

In light of this decision, the Joint Rail Authority recognizes that the July 8, 2015 vote awarded the operating agreement to Carload Express. The Authority does, however, also recognize that Phase 2 proposer and current rail operator, Susquehanna Union Railroad Company (“SURC”), has asserted counterclaims addressed to the alleged conduct of certain former Authority board members, and SURC has taken the position that those issues remain pending before the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas despite the Supreme Court’s resolution of the voting standard issue.  The Authority is hopeful that the Trial Court will swiftly consider these issues, as the matter is remanded back to it.

Irrespective of how SURC’s counterclaims are resolved, customers on the Authority’s rail lines should remain assured that uninterrupted rail service shall continue, as will the Authority’s mission of encouraging economic development, while preserving rail infrastructure throughout central Pennsylvania.