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Oxford Area Transit Services

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

Signals Newsletter

During the past few weeks, Oxford Rail Road Committee / Oxford Area Transit Services ( OATS ) has been very busy networking with many governments ( Federal, State, and Local ), Business ( Local and Regional ), and private individuals in an effort to gather support for the Oxford Borough portion of the Revitalization efforts for the rail road that runs through the Borough proper and across the surrounding municipalities to our north and south. We are also trying to reestablish the name The Octoraro Line back into everyone’s vocabulary.

Time is drawing near for the 175th Anniversary Celebration of the Borough of Oxford...

Project Updates

Volume 1, Issue 1 July 2008

Preparations are now Under Way to Apply for Federal Funding Assistance

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Questions or comments? E-mail us at c.john.stevenson@oatrains.org or call (610) 932-9670

Total Assistance for this Project is Estimated to be $88 Million

C. John Stevenson is in the process of negotiating with the Strasburg Railroad to have the original “Doodlebug” Rail Diesel Car (RDC), which originally ran on the Lancaster, Oxford, and Southern Railroad (some of you may remember it as the “Little, Old, and Slow”), pay our Borough a visit for the 175th Anniversary Celebration in September.

OATS Working with Strasburg to Acquire Railcar for Celebration

C. John Stevenson, RA

John has been with the Railroad Revitalization Project since its inception. He was the Chief System Architect of CONRAIL, so ‘railroading’ is in his blood. John is the Chairperson of the ORRC and OATS.

The Oxford Railroad Research Committee (ORRC) is pleased to announce that it is ready to begin the solicitation process for acquiring federal, state, and county project funding to effect the return of passenger rail service to the Borough of Oxford and the southern Chester County region.

We are seeking funding to cover the costs of a preliminary engineering study to be performed on the railroad right-of-way, currently owned by Regional Rail, LLC, and operated by East Penn Railroad, LLC. In addition, we are requesting supplementary funds to cover administrative fees and other expenses.

We are also currently seeking to acquire Federal, state, and local financial assistance in order to cover costs incurred thus far, including reimbursement for expenses related to printing (ink jet cartridges, printing paper, bindings, etc.), telephone charges, and travel expenses. In addition, as this project proceeds, fixed costs will undoubtedly continue to accrue over time.