Passenger-rail study

Passenger-rail study

YOUNGSTOWN

All Aboard Erie will launch a Kickstarter campaign Tuesday to raise funds for a route study of potential high-speed passenger-rail routes between Pittsburgh and Erie. The goal of the campaign is to raise $3,000 toward the total cost of the $25,000 study.

The study will examine four separate routes: three in Pennsylvania and one that includes Ashtabula and Youngstown. Cities in Pennsylvania that could be served by the proposed 110-mph trains include Greenville, Sharon, Sharpsville, New Castle, Beaver Falls, Aliquippa and Coraopolis as well as Erie and Pittsburgh. Once the best route is identified, All Aboard Erie will seek to fund a more-extensive feasibility study.

GM recalls SUVs

DETROIT

General Motors Co. recalled 31,685 new full-size SUVs because the front windshield-wiper motor may overheat and catch fire.

The Detroit automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it will recall 29,295 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia SUVs in the U.S. About 2,400 are in Mexico and Canada.

Of the vehicles, about 6,400 are in customer hands. GM sent those owners recall notices by overnight letter and urged them not to use the front windshield wipers until they have been repaired.

GM said if owners can’t get to a dealership for the fix because of rainy weather, the automakers will arrange to pick up the vehicle for servicing.

VW exec testifies

WASHINGTON

Volkswagen’s top U.S. executive offered deep apologies yet sought to distance himself Thursday from the emissions scandal enveloping the world’s largest automaker, asserting top corporate officials had no knowledge of the cheating software installed in 11 million diesel cars.

Though he said he hadn’t been briefed on the preliminary findings of the ongoing internal investigation, Volkswagen of America CEO Michael Horn told a congressional subcommittee that a tiny group of software developers in Germany was responsible for the computer code that enabled the cars to trick U.S. government emissions tests. Three lower-level managers have been suspended.

Staff/wire reports