Text Box: “Remembering the Past… with an Eye on the Future… Today!”

Text Box: Signals Newsletter

Text Box: During the past 2 1/2 years, Oxford Area Transit Services (OATS) has been very busy networking with many government Agencies (Federal, State, County and Local), Businesses (Local, Regional, and National), and interested future commuters and other private individuals in an effort to gather support for the Existing Octoraro RR Line Network Revitalization efforts for the railroad that runs across the Southern Chester County region. We are also trying to reestablish the name The Octoraro Line back into everyone’s vocabulary. On August 5, 2008, we established a web page site that as you know is reached by going to www.oatrains.org. To date, OATS has received +/- 2500 new IP address responses to this web page and unbelievably, we have experienced >146,000 web page contacts to retrieve information. Please note that 11,000 web contacts took place on  January 29 & 30, 2009. These were the days immediately following the announcement of a $13.1 Billion commitment to Mass Transit Projects out of the Federal Economic Stimulus Package.

Text Box: Time is drawing nearer for the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Octoraro Line on December 18th, 2010……. Save that day and plan around it. We welcome all event suggestions and interested Volunteers. Please email us at Contact.Us@oatrains.org  

Text Box: Project Updates

Text Box: Vol.  2, No. 1   Feb  2009

Text Box: Preparations are still under way to continue to apply for Tri-State and Federal Funding Assistance

Text Box: Signals is a monthly email newsletter published by the Oxford Area Transit Services. Copyright © 2008, 2009 by Oxford Area Transit Services. All Rights Reserved. To remove your name from our mailing list, please click here. Questions or comments? E-mail us at c.john.stevenson@oatrains.org or call (610) 932-9670

Text Box: Total Funding for OATS Route # 1 is Estimated to be $88 Million

Text Box: On October 28th, OATS received a letter via the office of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley from the Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary John Porcari supporting the OATS efforts. OATS has also been in touch with representatives in Delaware as well as Pennsylvania.

Text Box: OATS working with Governments of the Tri-State Region

Text Box: OATS - Survey #1 Results are available on Home Page

Text Box: Senator Tom Carper-Delaware and Senator Benjamin Cardin-Maryland Both spoke out today during  the Environment Committee interview in favor of the Mass Transit Initiative being an important part of reducing fuel emissions  and being an important part of the Stimulus Program.

Text Box: People in the Spotlight Text Box: Oxford Area Transit Services is pleased to announce that it has already begun the application process for federal, state, and county project funding to assist in the upgrading of Rail Freight Service and the return of passenger rail service to the Southern Chester County Region. We are currently seeking PCTI funding to complete a ‘Final Feasibility Study’ for the five OATS Proposed Routes. OATS has also recently submitted a Letter of Intent to File (RFEI ) for an FRA Program due to be submitted in a formal format by September of 2009. OATS continues to be a NON - Profit  group serving the people of Southern Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Text Box: 133 Respondents advised OATS on their needs and support of the program. Please review the results and prepare for your response to the soon to be available Survey # 2