News - August 2007
Stone Consulting & Design in conjunction with Balfour
Beatty Rail has been selected to begin conceptual and preliminary design for the
rail access to a new coal mine in
Work on the conceptual design is to begin immediately with
construction estimated to take place in 2008/2009.
Stone Consulting & Design has been very busy this year
with energy projects. Including this
project, Stone is working on three coal mine rail facilities, four ethanol plant
rail facilities and has just completed a rail access project for a bio-diesel
plant.
So far this year Stone has worked in 17 states and 1
province in
Ethanol Facility Designed by Stone Consulting
in
News - February 2007
Warren County, PA named to national list of "Best Places to Live in Rural America"!
See Newspaper article linkage HERE for the full local story.
Our first-place nomination in the Northeast US is HERE .
News - January 2007
Request for Qualifications 1/9/07
Texas State Railroad Operating Agency
Palestine, TX
Texas State Railroad Excursion Railroad Operator Selection
Newspaper article on operator selection results here.
News - November 2006
The site is expected to become the premiere photo
opportunity for visitors to the University of
More construction photos from Gomaco available at their website here.
News - June 2006
The
“Stone Consulting and Design represents the best in
business practices: hard work, commitment to excellence, consideration of
community and a willingness to become involved without any expectation or
opportunity for direct personal or corporate benefit” – James Decker,
President of Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry.
The
News - April 2006
In memoriam …. Fred J. Perry
Our good friend Fred Perry died April 18, 2006.
Fred was the one who helped to lead us into the world of streetcars.
He opened a whole new world for us. He
was a person who would lend a hand whenever it was needed.
He loved what he did and he loved to pass on his knowledge.
Most of the heritage streetcar systems in this country and some of the
modern light rail systems have benefited from Fred’s vast store of knowledge.
Fred would travel the country from one end to the other,
east to west and north to south in one of his Volkswagens. He would stop at this
museum or that one, a streetcar system here or there, helping out where he
could, finding a part in the car or truck he was driving that was needed to fix
an old streetcar, help install it, then move on to his next stop.
He probably volunteered at more railroad and streetcar museums than
anyone in the country.
Fred was one of the friendliest people I ever met.
I liked him instantly and learned so much from him.
He is irreplaceable as both a friend and for his vast knowledge of
heritage streetcars and the infrastructure that supports them. He will be missed
by all of us at Stone Consulting.
News - March 2006
Stone Consulting & Design completed the City of Lancaster Streetcar Feasibility Report for the Red Rose Transit Authority of Lancaster, PA. The report outlines and investigates a 2-mile loop connecting the Amtrak station with the Penn Square downtown district, providing a historic streetcar circulator system connecting parking facilities, local attractions, businesses, and transportation facilities.
(Project renderings by Stone Consulting & Design)
The City is currently reviewing the report, soliciting community input, and pursuing possible funding sources for the next project steps.
News - February 2006
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad announced that they would be hosting "Thomas the Tank Engine" at Cumberland, MD, Sept 22-24 2006, and Sept 29-Oct 2 2006. Stone Consulting congratulates WMSR's successful negotiations with HIT! Entertainment following our initial investigation of the concept and recommendations to pursue the event, as part of the 2005 Five-Year Strategic Plan project.
See details at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad official webpage.
WMSR successfully completed 2005 with an exceptional effort, and was recognized by the Cumberland Times News in this article that outlines the recordbreaking season.
News - January 2006
(Stone Consulting performed the Engineering Analysis, Market Feasibility Study , and Economic Impact Analysis for the Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust)
(207) 942 – 8080
Ellsworth — An
agreement governing the Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust’s use of
29-miles of the Calais Branch Line was signed last week by the MDOT Commissioner
David Cole. The abandoned line is a historically rich, 127-mile “short-line”
railroad extending from Brewer to
Several years ago, members of the Trust began working on a
plan to bring the line back to life and operate it as the Downeast Scenic
Railroad. Other components of the plan include an Ellsworth based depot/museum
and maintenance facility. Findings from a 2005 market analysis and economic
impact study validated the premise that after start-up capital investments were
made the Downeast Scenic Railroad would be a self-sustaining operation. It was
with that information in hand that the Trust approached the MDOT to begin lease
negotiations last summer.
The MDOT lease and operating agreement allows the Trust
access to the Ellsworth to Brewer portion of the line to operate a 24-mile round
excursion trip from Ellsworth to
Thomas J. Testa, President of the Downeast Rail Heritage
Preservation Trust, was delighted that the lease had been signed. “This
is the first step towards preserving an important part of Ellsworth’s railroad
history and establishing the Downeast Scenic Railroad. The business-like
approach, commitment and hard work of our volunteers and advisors, whether in
project planning or line maintenance, has established credibility for this
start-up endeavor. I would like to thank the MDOT and the Trust’s members,
advisors and generous supporters who have all been instrumental in getting us to
this point.”
The mission of the Downeast Rail
Heritage Preservation Trust is to celebrate and preserve the railroad history of
Downeast
—END—
News - Summer 2005
