Rowland: I’ll recall laid-off workers
By Wayne Laepple
Published: November 22, 2011
POTTSTOWN, Pa. – Rail entrepreneur Ross Rowland said Wednesday he expects to recall the 21 workers laid off the week before from the Greenbrier Express renovation project just as soon as engineering work is approved by Amtrak officials.
In a telephone interview, Rowland called the layoffs “a temporary setback.” Contrary to his earlier statements, Rowland did not mention excessive regulation as a reason for the layoffs. In fact, federal crashworthiness regulations haven’t changed since the project started.
“Because we are converting sleepers into parlor cars, we have to change the window alignment on one side of the cars, which mean structural changes to the cars,” he explained. “We got ahead of ourselves because the engineering has taken longer than we expected.”
Rowland said engineering firm STV Inc. has been preparing the necessary calculations and drawings, which must be certified and submitted to Amtrak for approval in order to meet FRA regulations for crashworthiness. “These drawings must be stamped by professional engineers to certify that the changes are not weakening the car’s integrity,” Rowland said.
About 20 people are still at work in the former Bethlehem Steel facility in Pottstown, Rowland said, and he expects the rest to be called back within a month.
By Wayne Laepple
Published: November 22, 2011
POTTSTOWN, Pa. – Rail entrepreneur Ross Rowland said Wednesday he expects to recall the 21 workers laid off the week before from the Greenbrier Express renovation project just as soon as engineering work is approved by Amtrak officials.
In a telephone interview, Rowland called the layoffs “a temporary setback.” Contrary to his earlier statements, Rowland did not mention excessive regulation as a reason for the layoffs. In fact, federal crashworthiness regulations haven’t changed since the project started.
“Because we are converting sleepers into parlor cars, we have to change the window alignment on one side of the cars, which mean structural changes to the cars,” he explained. “We got ahead of ourselves because the engineering has taken longer than we expected.”
Rowland said engineering firm STV Inc. has been preparing the necessary calculations and drawings, which must be certified and submitted to Amtrak for approval in order to meet FRA regulations for crashworthiness. “These drawings must be stamped by professional engineers to certify that the changes are not weakening the car’s integrity,” Rowland said.
About 20 people are still at work in the former Bethlehem Steel facility in Pottstown, Rowland said, and he expects the rest to be called back within a month.
