Photo courtesy of Tiarnan Ferry.

We had the pleasure of having Tiarnan on our Maintenance of Way team this past summer. We want to wish him the best of luck as he heads back to school!
Thank you, Tiarnan!

Feature from the President
As far as they are going

No one will be surprised when I say 2020 has been a challenging year - in fact, you might find that to be the understatement of the year. Whether it was the pandemic, the economy, the political landscape, the lack of typical social interaction, the changes in routines, or a host of other related issues and concerns, the challenges came at us rapidly and furiously. As companies, families, and individuals, we endured - evolving quickly to do our best to safely ensure some sense of normalcy and consistency during times that were anything but normal.

Whether we realize it or not, that attitude of endurance takes a lot of willpower and tenacity. It takes a conscious rising above and reaching out - helping when and where it is needed, and beating back the self-doubt and insecurity that can arise from isolation. We are all to be commended for those efforts, but this is no time to relish commendations nor to rest. In fact, it is a time to shore one another up and prepare to take on the new year. I share this brief story to aid in our collective preparation to stand firm and strengthen one another. This event occurred in Belgium, approximately 76 years ago.

On December 23, 1944, during WWII’s Battle of the Bulge, an entire US Armored Division was retreating from the Germans in the Ardennes Forest when a Sergeant in a tank destroyer from the 7th Armored Division spotted an American soldier digging a foxhole. That soldier was Private First Class (PFC) Martin, from the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment.

PFC Martin looked up and asked the Sergeant, "Are you looking for a safe place?”

"Yeah", answered the retreating tank destroyer commander.

"Well, buddy," he drawled, “Just pull your vehicle behind me. I'm the 82nd Airborne, and this is as far as the bastards are going.”

I don’t know about you, but reading that brief recollection gives me chills. It’s inspiring. It puts things into perspective. Let us be cognizant and resolute. Let us rise above and shore up those around us.

All of those challenges we are facing are the bastards, and 2020 is as far as the bastards are going.

Our Railroad Family

2020 New Hires

Notable 2020 Anniversaries

10 Years of Service

15 Years of Service

Our company’s 2020 retention rates are as follows:

• 77% of our employees have worked for us 5+ years

• 55% of our employees have worked for us 10+ years

• 30% of our employees have worked for us 15+ years

• 12% of our employees have worked for us 20+ years

2020 Terry Webster Safety Award

Congratulations to our 2020 Safety Award winner, Ray O’Brien, Chief Mechanical Officer in our Locomotive Shop!

Another Addition to the Family

Notes from Marketing
Persevering in a Pandemic

2020 will go down as a very strange and challenging year.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has altered almost all aspects of daily work and personal life. Regarding the business of marketing our short line railroad services and sites, many things have changed and forced us to rethink how best to do what we do safely.

There are far fewer “in-person” and field meetings now, and those that do happen are held with appropriate and safe, social distancing. Many meetings and discussions have resorted to available technology options like Zoom, Go to Meeting, etc. Many of us are now working from non-traditional locations away from the company’s main office.

What has not changed is our drive and effort in marketing our various railroad services and sites. We are just doing things a little differently these days.

Business development discussions are still happening at a furious pace, leads are being chased down daily, and all of our projects remain very active - pandemic or no pandemic. We also continue to remain in close contact with our Class I partners and other short line connections - via various electronic means.

Business goes on.

It would seem difficult to believe that any new business could come to fruition in a year like 2020, but that is exactly what has happened for Central PA freight. For a number of years, the Delta Place siding on our UCIR in Lewisburg, PA, has been idle. Because of the foresight of a local entrepreneur and efforts from our Marketing Team, it is now up and running once again. We welcome a new transload customer to this great site and look forward to helping them expand their work in 2021. 

Any time we can offer local customers access to rail via transloading (rail to truck OR truck to rail), we make our market more competitive for producers and consumers. Thank you to the transloaders and truckers who are meeting needs in our communities. 

We’re all in this together. Let’s get it done together.

What railroads are doing in this pandemic is extremely essential nationally and locally. On our short line railroads, we supply many customers that manufacture many consumer goods from food products to toilet paper (all now in high demand as people resort to doing more at home). We will continue to do what we do well - albeit somewhat differently. That being said, our focus remains on growing our business and taking care of our customers.

What can we do for your company’s logistical needs?

Stay safe, healthy, and well!

Tartaglia Railroad Services

Tartaglia Railroad Services is an established railroad contractor built on a strong history of reliable railroad services.

Based in Syracuse, New York, Tartaglia has developed into a nationally known hi-rail equipment company - building, repairing, upfitting, and selling quality hi-rail trucks and equipment.

Railroad Construction
Covering All Bases

Tartaglia offers 24-7 coverage for its customers.

• Industrial Construction and Maintenance

• Crossings

• Bridge Decks

• Short line Railroads

• Tie Gang Experience

• Surfacing Gangs

• Tourist Railroads

• Track Support Systems

Tartaglia interacts with CSX, NS, and many short line railroads, equipping its crews with state-of-the-art service vehicles and providing qualified mechanics to best meet our customers’ needs.

Railroad Equipment
Premier Hi-Rail Equipment
Supply - Service - Provide

Tartaglia has a team of mechanics and technicians who are second to none. The team has a wide array of expertise to meet virtually all hi-rail needs.

• Build or retrofit rigs

• Hi-Rail Inspections (Remote capabilities)

• New York State Inspections

• Service vehicles for railroads, contractors, and even fire departments

Our Tartaglia shop, in Syracuse, New York, is completely equipped for any build, rebuild, or repair. There, the mechanics work on and/or provide pickups, log trucks, rotary dumps, excavators, drilling rigs, pole trucks, Gradalls, and more!

Tartaglia is a SERCO Dealer.

Services
Full-Service Contractor

From Maintenance of Way equipment to railcars and locomotives, Tartaglia can help! Tartaglia offers additional services that include, but are not limited to:

• Heavy and Railroad Equipment Hauling

• Tractor trailer services for all of your rail equipment

• Hi-Rail installation

• Hi-Rail repair

• Emergency Repair (wash outs and derailments)

• Bridge Timber Renewal

• Crossing Renewal

• Ditching

• Track Surfacing

Learn more about Tartaglia Railroad Services by visiting TartagliaRail.com.

In the Community

Goose Day in the Juniata River Valley

Our JVRR crews helped spread the news about Goose Day in the Juniata River Valley - an event organized by the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau and Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“Eat goose on Michaelmas Day, and you’ll never want money all the year round,” - An Old English Proverb

In 1973, the Mifflin County Commissioners issued a proclamation formally establishing September 29th as Goose Day. The celebration of Goose Day, or St. Michaelmas Day, is an example of an old custom that has continued to survive each year, because it has become a tradition for the Juniata River Valley. Further, Juniata County Commissioners signed a proclamation in 1976, proclaiming Goose Week in Juniata County.

We were glad to be able to take part in this year’s celebration.

Drive-Thru Veterans Appreciation Event

This past November, we were honored to be a part of a drive-thru Veterans appreciation event at the Susquehanna Valley Mall. There, we cheered on and thanked more than 180 area veterans. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful event. Thank you so much to Representative Lynda Schlegel-Culver and her team for organizing such a great tribute!

Sunbury YMCA Coat Drive

Each year, our Northumberland office collects new and gently-used coats for the Sunbury YMCA’s coat drive. This drive offers coats (free of charge) to local families who have a difficult time affording them.

Our employees again went above and beyond, this year, to donate nearly 75 coats and a box full of hats and gloves to the drive.

Toys For Tots Ride

For the 17th consecutive year, we invited North American Railcar Operators Association (NARCOA) motorcar drivers (with the help of Larry Maynard from Central PA Excursions), to ride the NSHR (from Northumberland to Danville and return) and help collect toys for the US Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots drive in November 2020. We also collected toys on UCIR (from New Columbia, to Allenwood and Winfield) for the second year.

With the help of all of the families who waited along the railroad tracks to make donations, we are glad to report more than $3,729 in donations and more than 1,155 toys were collected! Thank you to all who participated and donated!!

Sunbury Station

Our company store, the North Shore Warehouse has a new location - the Sunbury Station, 100 N. Third Street, Sunbury, PA.

We are excited about this move, due to the fact the station represents the latest venture by our President & CEO, Jeb Stotter. Jeb’s family made a decision to invest in the city of Sunbury, PA, purchasing this PRR Station, built in 1872. Some call it the city’s most historic building. This past November, the station was opened to the public as an antique mall.

Showcasing the building’s incredible history,the station is open Wednesday-Sunday (11am-6pm), and offers a unique shopping experience that features an ever changing and broad assortment of antique inventory; collectibles; local, handmade crafts; and of course, our company store -shirts, hats, and calendars!