Shale play may bring renewal to East Liverpool rail site

EAST LIVERPOOL (AP) — The pending sale of the Columbiana County Port Authority railroad could also mean new life for an Elkrun Township rail siding.

Port Authority CEO Tracy Drake reported at Monday's meeting the current railroad operator is planning to contract with Buckeye Transfer Realty to operate the railroad siding located off state Route 154 in Signal.

Located in Columbiana, Buckeye Transfer operates a hub for receiving and storing sand used in hydraulic fracturing, more commonly known as fracking, a drilling process used to release oil and natural gas from shale formations.

Drake expects Buckeye to use the railroad to have sand shipped to the siding, where it will be unloaded onto trucks for transportation to drilling sites in the area. The company plans to move up to 2,000 rail cars annually through the siding and employ eight workers.