COLUMBUS State grant to help fund rebuilding of rail track

COLUMBUS -- Nearly three miles of railroad track near a Mahoning County industrial park will be rebuilt thanks to state assistance.
The Ohio Rail Development Commission approved a $173,682 grant Thursday to the Youngstown & amp; Austintown Railroad to repair 2.74 miles of track on the Economic Development Rail I Corp. branch line.
The railroad serves United Freezer, Everclear, Plytrim, YSD Industries, Mainsteel Vinylume and Vinyl Source Inc.
James E. Seney, the commission's executive director, said the possibility of additional rail service could attract companies to the area.
The commission said there is 1 million square feet of office space available.
The Economic Development Rail 1 Corp., a subsidiary of the Mahoning Valley Economic Development Corp., will chip in $25,000 toward the project's total $289,470 cost.
The railroad will provide $90,788 in in-kind services and also perform the work.