Congressional help needed for Ohio to build trains

[Rohan531]

that is a wonderful offer but the problem is i have a problem with money and i ma facing with the help of my family and friends.,


_________________
hot rolled steel plate

[irishbobcat]

Congressional help needed for Ohio to
win manufacturer of passenger trains
All Aboard Ohio says vacant Ohio industrial properties
should be re-tasked to make passenger rail equipment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — April 13, 2009
Contact:  Ken Prendergast
All Aboard Ohio Executive Director
(216) 288-4883
kenprendergast@ allaboardohio. org

In the face of increased competition from other states, All Aboard Ohio is urging the Ohio Congressional Delegation to support grassroots efforts to re-use shuttered manufacturing facilities, such as auto plants, for new factories to build or rebuild passenger rail cars and components. There are several properties in Ohio which could meet this need, including the General Motors Corp. Moraine Assembly Plant (near Dayton), Delphi Corp. Brake Hose Division Plant in Dayton, the Ford Motor Co. Lorain Assembly Plant or vacant steel mill sites in Cleveland, Youngstown and elsewhere.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently committed $90.8 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to rehabilitate passenger train cars in the United States and return them to service. Additionally, there is $8 billion in federal stimulus funding for passenger rail expansion nationwide, including the manufacture of new rail cars. In November 2008, California voters approved $10 billion for high-speed rail. And, President Barack Obama announced $5 billion over five years in federal grants to states to help them further improve passenger rail services.

"Someone is going to build passenger trains and components somewhere in the United States again," said Ken Prendergast, executive director of All Aboard Ohio. "Ohio has large industrial properties with utilities and transportation access as well as a skilled labor force to compete for this manufacturing activity. Now is the time for Ohio to enter this competition."

Other states are ramping up their activities to land a railcar manufacturer, including Illinois. On April 10, the Illinois Congressional Delegation sent a letter to USDOT Director Ray LaHood which asked the former Illinois Congressman to support their effort to revive the passenger rail car manufacturing industry in Illinois.

The federal stimulus requires trains to be built in the U.S. Sadly, the last domestic rail car manufacturer, Colorado Rail Car Co., closed its doors in 2008 only months before the stimulus bill passed. Undisclosed investors are seeking to acquire the assets of Colorado Rail Car. The biggest question is where the train cars will be built.

"We have a grassroots group right now that's looking into and reviewing this," said James Wellman, deputy mayor of Riverside near Dayton and an At-Large board member of All Aboard Ohio. "We're discussing the re-use of the Moraine Plant with GM officials, local political and business leaders and state legislators. We need to do more with our federal officials because this is important not just for the Dayton-area economy but the entire state's economy."