Middletown, NY — Orange County Partnership President and CEO Maureen Halahan underscored the role of freight rail in moving New York’s economy in a recent op-ed for the Times Herald-Record. As a signatory on group letter urging Congress and policymakers to preserve a balanced approach to freight rail policy, Ms. Halahan pointed to the economic impact of rail’s private investments.

“On the flip side of the rail coin are privately owned freight railroads, which pay their own way and invest their own capital to keep trains running safely, smoothly and efficiently. Freight lines like CSX continue to invest billions of dollars into track, equipment and technology.”

She also emphasized the importance of healthy freight railroads in the context of the pandemic.

“As we struggle to maintain our commuter rail service, freight railroads have continued to invest in the rail network, even during the Coronavirus pandemic. It is essential that leaders in Washington do nothing that would undercut their reliability.”

Read the full op-ed.