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Delmarva Corrugated Packaging Celebrates Opening $91m Facility on DCR

Carload Express Inc.’s Delmarva Central Railroad Spotting a Boxcar at Delmarva Corrugated Packaging’s New Facility

Dover, DE (June 10, 2024) – Delmarva Corrugated Packaging celebrated the grand opening of its 465,000-square-foot plant in Dover. This new facility, served by Carload Express Inc.’s Delmarva Central Railroad, created 160 jobs and represents a $91 million investment. The plant, in an Opportunity Zone, was supported by Delaware Strategic Funds and the Delaware Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund. Delaware Prosperity Partnership and Kent Economic Partnership, along with state and local partners, played a crucial role in bringing DCP to Delaware. The plant, operational since 2021, features rail access and plans for a significant solar array.

About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates three shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania, and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled about 75,000 shipments, equating to roughly 300,000 fewer trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 100 employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving about 100 customers on 331 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

Allegheny Valley Railroad Recognized at CSX Short Line Conference

Oakmont, PA (September 22, 2023) – Carload Express, Inc. (Carload) subsidiary, the Allegheny Valley Railroad, was recognized by its interchange partner, CSX Transportation, with the 2022-2023 CSX Short Line Growth Award. The award was presented at the CSX Short Line Conference in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

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About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates three shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania, and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled about 75,000 shipments, equating to roughly 300,000 fewer trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 100 employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving about 100 customers on 331 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

Allegheny Valley Railroad Featured in Progressive Railroading

Oakmont, PA (August 11, 2022) – Carload Express, Inc. subsidiary the Allegheny Valley Railroad was featured this month on the cover of Progressive Railroading magazine as part of the publications coverage of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s (ASLRRA) Business Development Award recipients.

The digital version of the August 2022 edition of Progressive Railroading can be viewed at the link below.

Progressive Railroading – August 2022

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About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates three shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania, and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled about 75,000 shipments, equating to roughly 300,000 fewer trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 100 employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving about 100 customers on 331 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

Carload Express Railroads Reach Injury-Free Safety Milestone

Oakmont, PA (June 4, 2021) – Carload Express, Inc. (Carload) marked a safety milestone Saturday when its three operating railroad subsidiaries each achieved 3 years without a personal injury as defined by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

Carload owns and operates three shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania, and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   Together, the company and its 100 employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving about 100 customers on 331 route miles of track. 

“This milestone is a significant accomplishment for our company and all of our employees,” said Mark Rosner, President and CEO.  “We are especially proud that all three of our railroads have reached this goal.”

Each employee received a safety dividend in appreciation for their contribution.  “We greatly appreciate the energy, effort, and safety focus that our employees bring each day”, Rosner said. 

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About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates three shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania, and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled about 75,000 shipments, equating to roughly 300,000 fewer trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 100 employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving about 100 customers on 331 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

Allegheny Valley Railroad Opens New Rail-Served Transload Terminal

Pittsburgh, PA (February 16, 2021) – Allegheny Valley Railroad Company (AVR), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Carload Express, Inc., received its first rail shipments at its new Glenwood Transload Terminal in Pittsburgh, PA last week.  This facility features a 40-Ton capacity Mi-Jack™ TraveLift® traveling gantry crane that can load and unload multiple railcar spots directly to truck or to ground storage.  It can service a variety of railcar types such as gondolas, regular and bulkhead flatcars, and centerbeams. The facility handles steel products such as plate, bar, rod, structural, pipe and coils; and offers railcar-to-truck transloading of non-ferrous metals, forest products, dimensional loads, ABC Containers, and other building and construction materials and bulk commodities.  

This new facility provides the benefits of rail’s competitive pricing for medium and long hauls, combined with the flexibility of local trucking to the surrounding region (which can be arranged by AVR), and AVR’s customer-focused, daily service from our adjacent Glenwood freight yard.

“We are excited to offer this new service to Pittsburgh and look forward to providing continued support for the steel industry and other manufacturing businesses for which the Pittsburgh region is so well-known”, said AVR president Mark Rosner.

AVR provides daily rail service and direct connections via Buffalo & Pittsburgh, CSXT, Norfolk Southern, and Wheeling & Lake Erie railroads to the broader North American rail network.  For more information, please contact Mike Filoni, Chief Marketing Officer (mikefiloni@carloadexpress.com).

Link: AVR Glenwood Transload Terminal


About Allegheny Valley Railroad

Allegheny Valley Railroad Company (AVR), a subsidiary of Carload Express Inc. (CEI), started operations in 1995 and operates 77 miles of track in the greater Pittsburgh area, with lines extending from Pittsburgh to New Kensington, Washington, and Allison Park.  AVR interchanges with Buffalo & Pittsburgh, CSXT, Norfolk Southern, and Wheeling & Lake Erie railroads with operations based at AVR’s Glenwood Yard in Pittsburgh, PA.

About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates four shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania; the Ohio Terminal Railway (OHIO) serving the Ohio River Valley bordering Ohio and West Virginia; and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company and its 105 employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving about 100 customers on 344 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

Delmarva Central Railroad Announces New Customer, National Vinyl Products

Dec. 16, 2020 (Cheswold, DE) — Delmarva Central Railroad Company (DCR) delivered the first railcar of pelletized resin to a new National Vinyl Products (NVP) facility in November. NVP recently completed construction and retrofitting at the former PPG location and opened their new rail-served manufacturing facility in Cheswold, DE. DCR provides daily rail service and a direct connection via Norfolk Southern to the broader North American rail network.

The newly-constructed multi-car offloading blower, manifold and silo system adjacent to the existing rail siding allows NVP to source bulk plastic resins and other materials from across the North America. DCR and NVP support the local community on the eastern shore of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia by supplying competitive transportation and top of the line vinyl fencing and decking respectively.

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About Delmarva Central Railroad

The Delmarva Central Railroad Company (DCR), a subsidiary of Carload Express Inc. (CEI), operates 188 miles of rail line in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.  The lines run from near Porter, Delaware, (south of Wilmington) south to Hallwood, Virginia; and from Harrington, Delaware, to Frankford, Delaware, with branches to Milton and Gravel Hill.  DCR interchanges with both Norfolk Southern and Maryland & Delaware Railroad in several locations on the Delmarva Peninsula.

DCR is managed locally from offices in Harrington, Delaware.  Freight operations are based out of Harrington, Dover, and Seaford.

About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates four shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania; the Ohio Terminal Railway (OHIO) serving the Ohio River Valley bordering Ohio and West Virginia; and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled nearly 90,000 shipments last year, equating to roughly 360,000 fewer trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 100+ employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving over 100 customers on 344 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules that the 2015 vote by the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority awarding a rail operating agreement to Carload Express passed

Oakmont, PA, October 6, 2020 – Carload Express, Inc. announces its satisfaction with the October 1, 2020 decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which upheld a 7-3 vote by the SEDA-COG Joint Rail Authority (JRA) to award a rail-operating agreement to Carload Express.

The dispute began in July 2015 after Carload Express was selected as the highest scoring proposer to a JRA Request for Proposals (RFP) to operate the JRA rail lines.  At the end of the RFP process, the JRA board voted to award the operating agreement to Carload Express, seven for, three against, and six recused and not voting.  Rather than move forward with Carload Express, the JRA instead sought a judicial determination that the 7-3 vote failed under the Municipality Authorities Act because six recused non-voting board members were physically present in the room at the time of the vote, and there were questions as to whether or not these recused non-voting members should count towards the number of affirmative votes needed to award the contract.

In its decision, the Supreme Court applied longstanding common-law voting rules to find that “the phrase ‘members present’ means voting members, as a non-voting member is not present for purposes of calculating a majority.” Therefore, the Court found that “the vote of the JRA Board by seven to three in Carload’s favor must stand.”

The standard articulated by the Supreme Court prevents abstaining members from influencing a vote.  Because, “[i]f the rule were otherwise, a member could attend the meeting and abstain from voting and have a different effect than if that person were absent from the meeting.” Here, “it would mean that the outcome of the vote would depend upon the mere presence of six board members who had recused themselves from any participation in the operating contract award process (including all voting and discussions) based upon their own decision that they had conflicts of interest based upon business relationships with the JRA’s current operator.”

Carload Express President & CEO Mark Rosner announced, “This decision ends once and for all any question as to whether or not the 7 to 3 vote awarding a multi-year operating contract to Carload Express is valid.  Since the start of the RFP process in 2014, Carload Express has been eager to serve the businesses and communities in Central Pennsylvania with its safe, high-quality and customer-focused service.  Our success starting the Delmarva Central Railroad in 2016 demonstrates that we have the experience and capabilities to hit the ground running and set up operations quickly.  We will bring that same level of energy and excellence to serve the JRA’s rail customers.  We look forward to partnering with the JRA for industrial and economic development throughout the JRA’s eight member counties.”

Supreme Court Opinion: https://bit.ly/36rO1VR


About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates four shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania; the Ohio Terminal Railway (OHIO) serving the Ohio River Valley bordering Ohio and West Virginia; and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled nearly 90,000 shipments last year, equating to roughly 360,000 fewer loaded trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 100+ employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving over 100 customers on 344 route miles of track. 


Contact: info@carloadexpress.com

Delmarva Central Selected for 2020 ASLRRA Business Development Award

Harrington, DE (May 4, 2020) – Delmarva Central Railroad Company (DCR) was announced as one of four short line railroads recognized by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) for outstanding business development activities designed to grow the short line railroad business.  In 2020, ASLRRA had a record number of submissions covering partnerships for new business growth, investment in facilities, and creative growth activities with currently served industries and customers.

“The Business Development Award recognizes the essence of the short line story – working closely with customers to deliver real value, excellent service, and win-win opportunities,” said Chuck Baker, President, ASLRRA.  “This year we had a record number of submissions, a testament to the ingenuity, flexibility and commitment that the short line industry shows again and again.  In a year when Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) continued to transform the broader rail industry, these small business railroads found new ways to become indispensable partners in connecting their customers to the U.S. and world economies.  Each of the 603 short line railroad operations in the country is unique, and these four award winners demonstrate the best of how short lines grow with their customers.”

DCR was recognized for its accomplishments in developing and opening the Seaford Transload Terminal in Seaford, Del. in 2019.  Discussions with existing customers uncovered that certain liquid ingredients, vital to the manufacture of chicken feed, were being trucked in from beyond the Delmarva Peninsula.  DCR approached the market leaders and partnered with these suppliers to ship railcars of liquid feed ingredients to the eastern shore of Delaware, Maryland, & Virginia for transloading at Seaford.  Significant investments were made to the site to allow for the efficient handling of this new rail traffic that was a 100% conversion from long-haul trucks.  The result has created long-term value for all stakeholders – including the community by taking truck traffic off the road.

 “I am thrilled that DCR has been recognized for its accomplishments and  congratulate everyone involved in making this development happen” said Mark Rosner, President.  “Through the team’s creativity and perseverance, we were able to strengthen the relationship with these key customers by finding creative solutions to meet their logistics needs.  We wish to express special thanks to Chuck Baker and his team as the ASLRRA for their continued work in supporting the  rail industry.”

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About Delmarva Central Railroad

The Delmarva Central Railroad Company (DCR), a subsidiary of Carload Express Inc. (CEI), operates 188 miles of rail line in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.  The lines run from near Porter, Delaware, (south of Wilmington) south to Hallwood, Virginia; and from Harrington, Delaware, to Frankford, Delaware, with branches to Milton and Gravel Hill.  DCR interchanges with both Norfolk Southern and Maryland & Delaware Railroad in several locations on the Delmarva Peninsula.

DCR is managed locally from offices in Harrington, Delaware.  Freight operations are based out of Harrington, Dover, Seaford and Delmar.

About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates four shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania; the Ohio Terminal Railway (OHIO) serving the Ohio River Valley bordering Ohio and West Virginia; and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled nearly 90,000 shipments last year, equating to roughly 360,000 fewer trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 100+ employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving over 100 customers on 344 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

Delmarva Central Awarded Federal CRISI Grant for Infrastructure Upgrades

Harrington, DE (March 18, 2020) – Delmarva Central Railroad Company (DCR) announced this week that it was awarded a federal grant for up to $18.8 million, for a project to refurbish three moveable rail bridges over navigable waterways in Middletown and Seaford, Delaware, and Pocomoke City, Maryland; upgrade over 100 miles of track between Porter, Delaware, and Lecato, Virginia; and improve nine grade crossings in Delaware and Maryland.

Delmarva Central Railroad crossing the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal

The CORRIDOR Project – Critical Ongoing Railroad Rehabilitation Improving Delmarva Operations & Reliability – is a multi-year project that plans to rehabilitate the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Bridge near Middletown, the Seaford (DE) moveable bridge, and the Cassatt moveable bridge in Pocomoke City, Md.   The project also will improve track conditions allowing speeds up to 25mph over most of DCR’s mainline, thereby reducing train delays at crossings and improving freight transit times and service reliability for rail customers.  The project also upgrades nine public railroad crossings in Delaware and Maryland, resulting in improved safety and road surface conditions for the public.

Part of the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, the grants total nearly $250 million and were authorized as part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act to improve infrastructure safety, efficiency, and reliability.

“We’d like to thank Secretary Chao and the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as Administrator Batory and the Federal Railroad Administration for their support of this critical rural infrastructure project” said Mark Rosner, president.  “We are very grateful for all of the support we’ve received from all levels of stakeholders who benefit from vibrant and robust rail freight operations on the Delmarva Peninsula, including customers, economic development entities, local governments and partner railroads.  We wish to express special thanks to Delaware Senators Carper and Coons, for their continued support for safe and efficient freight rail service on the Eastern Shore.”

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About Delmarva Central Railroad

The Delmarva Central Railroad Company (DCR), a subsidiary of Carload Express Inc. (CEI), operates 188 miles of rail line in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.  The lines run from near Porter, Delaware, (south of Wilmington) south to Hallwood, Virginia; and from Harrington, Delaware, to Frankford, Delaware, with branches to Milton and Gravel Hill.  DCR interchanges with Norfolk Southern, as well as the Maryland & Delaware Railroad in several locations on the Delmarva Peninsula.

DCR is managed locally from offices in Harrington, Delaware.  Freight operations are based out of Harrington, Dover, Seaford and Delmar.

About Carload Express

Carload Express Inc. operates four shortline railroads: The Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR) and Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad (SWP) serving western Pennsylvania; the Ohio Terminal Railway (OHIO) serving the Ohio River Valley bordering Ohio and West Virginia; and the Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR) serving Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula.   The company handled nearly 90,000 shipments last year, equating to roughly 360,000 fewer trucks on local highways, lowering congestion and road maintenance costs, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gases.  The company and its 105 employees operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week, serving over 100 customers on 344 route miles of track.  For more information, please see: carloadexpress.com.

Carload Express COVID-19 Update

Valued Carload Express Customers and Partners,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, Carload Express is carefully monitoring this dynamic situation. We remain fully committed to serving our customers and protecting the safety of our employees. As you anticipate and observe changes in your supply chain and facility operations, please communicate those to us as much as possible. This will help us to evaluate and adjust our operating plans so we can safely meet your rail service needs. Communication and collaboration are key to the successful management of this situation.

Based on guidance from the CDC, Carload Express is transitioning to remote work arrangements for employees whose job functions permit. This action primarily affects those employees not directly associated with railroad operations. Our expectation is this process will be seamless to you.  The same communication channels exist and all phone numbers and email contacts remain the same. 

For our employees in the field, Carload Express is taking proactive action on several levels. This includes implementing social distancing practices for these teams, adding steps in our daily process to disinfect high-touch surfaces, providing sanitizing materials to wipe down surfaces, and staggering employee shifts to reduce the number of coworkers in one area.

Carload Express greatly appreciates the trust you place in us and in our ability to support your supply chain needs. If there is any way that we can support you or if you have additional questions, please reach out to us at any time.

Thank you again for your partnership and collaboration as we continue to manage this situation.

Mike Filoni
Chief Marketing Officer, AVR, SWP, OHIO
Carload Express, Inc.
519 Cedar Way
Bldg. 1, Suite 100
Oakmont, PA 15139
Ph: (412) 426-2600
mikefiloni@carloadexpress.com

Cliff Grunstra
Chief Marketing Officer, DCR
Carload Express, Inc.
101 Delaware Ave.
Harrington, DE 19952
Ph: (412) 780-7767
cliffgrunstra@carloadexpress.com