Allentown, PA - On 9/2/14, U.S. Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA-15) joined representatives from R.J. Corman Railroad Company (R.J. Corman) and the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) for a tour of R.J. Corman's rail yard and material sales facility in Allentown, PA. Additional attendees included Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach, Pennsylvania State Representative Ryan Mackenzie, and representatives from the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and the Allentown Economic Development Corporation. NRC member company Rajant Corporation's SVP of Business Development Peter Lenard and representatives from GoRail were also in attendance. GoRail is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to educating the public about the benefits of moving more freight by rail. The NRC organized the event.
Upon his arrival, Congressman Dent was greeted by R.J. Corman's Allentown team, including Manager of Government Affairs J. Doyle Corman, General Manager North Operations Timothy Potts, and Operations Manager Brian Szczepanski. The Congressman was briefed on R.J. Corman's current operations and led on a tour of their rail yard and material sales facility.
R. J. Corman serves all seven North American major railroads, many regional and short line railroads, and dozens of industries utilizing rail. Their services include owning and operating twelve short lines, providing emergency rail services associated with derailments and natural disasters, switching, track construction, track material distribution, signal design/construction, aircraft maintenance, building switching locomotives, operating two dinner trains, and providing railway protective services and railroad worker training. R.J. Corman's Allentown lines interchange with CSX and Norfolk Southern. They services customers moving steel, brick, and chemicals.
"R.J. Corman's locomotives do more than power their trains. They help power the economy of the Lehigh Valley by bringing necessary raw materials for our local businesses into the region" said the Congressman. Congressman Charlie Dent serves on the Appropriations Committee and Ethics Committee.
The event also received coverage in:
Rep. Dent tours R.J. Corman Allentown yard and facility. RT&S: http://www.rtands.com/index.php/freight/shortline-regional/rep-dent-tours-rj-corman-allentown-yard-and-facility.html
Rail Supplier News. Progressive Railroading: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/supplier_spotlight/news/Rail-supplier-news-from-Loram-Alstom-ASAL-Bombardier-IP-Automation-and-NRC-Sept-8---41775