SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6
(By Senators Plymale, Chafin, McCabe, Jenkins, Fanning, Kessler,
Helmick, Ross, White, Rowe, Sharpe, Oliverio, Hunter, McKenzie,
Minear, Bowman and Tomblin, Mr. President)
Requesting the United States Congress provide funding for the
development of a double-stack-compatible rail route through
West Virginia in order to improve West Virginia's access to
affordable rail and truck transportation.
Whereas, Efficient and affordable intermodal transportation
has emerged as an essential element in international trade. The
absence of rail and truck intermodal capacity severely restricts
any region's ability to access global markets; and
Whereas, For most of West Virginia, existing intermodal routes
are too distant to provide a competitive alternative for the
state's producers. As a consequence, most West Virginia commerce
is isolated from burgeoning international opportunities; and
Whereas, West Virginia has invited its two Class I railroads,
CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation, to explore
remedies that would improve West Virginia's access to affordable
rail and truck intermodal transportation; and
Whereas, The most efficient land-side form of international
container movement involves stacking containers two-high on
railroad cars. This specific form of intermodel transportation is known as "double-stacking"; and
Whereas, Currently there are no rail routes in West Virginia
capable of accommodating double-stacked containers, so that double-
stack services cannot be offered to most of the state's producers,
and has an adverse effect on out-of-state producers to travel to
other states; and
Whereas, Providing adequate clearances for double-stack
movement in West Virginia would require that tunnels and other
track structures be modified; and
Whereas, Clearing a West Virginia routing for the movement of
double-stacked containers would provide significant benefits to the
residents of West Virginia and adjoining states and to the
participating rail carriers and the businesses who use them.
Providing the routing for the movement of such containers should be
pursued by a partnership that includes both public and private
entities; and
Whereas, Funding for implementing doubled-stacked rail
carriers in West Virginia is important to advanced infrastructure
improvements; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the United States
Congress provide funding for the development of a double-stack-
compatible rail route through West Virginia in order to improve
West Virginia's access to affordable rail and truck transportation; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the United States Congress should
consider that the implementation of this type of intermodal
transportation would not only greatly benefit the citizens of West
Virginia, but would also have a multistate effect on business and
industry and economic development; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby
directed to forward a copy of this resolution to West Virginia's
congressional delegation.
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