Indiana University of Pennsylvania students may be surprised to find the railroad tracks around campus clear of brush within the next two weeks.

Finals week will bring another surprise. For the first time in years, a slow-moving train will pass south through campus and return north a few hours later. "It won't be any more than one train in, and one out. It won't be stopping on campus," said David Baer, vice president of Engineering for Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad.

This particular train will carry tons of steel rails south of Indiana to be used in rehabilitating the rail line from Creekside to the Homer City power plant.

It will be about one-quarter mile long, about half as long as the coal trains that will rumble through, beginning late summer.

Baer said the work train will move no faster than 10 miles per hour, given its cargo and the current state of the track.

Along the 15-mile stretch, 12 miles of new rail and approximately 30,000 new railroad ties will be installed, and surfacing and aligning the tracks will be done, which will provide a smooth and sturdy surface for the trains, Baer said.

Five bridge decks will also be replaced, including those crossing Oakland Avenue and near the footbridge between Zink Hall and R&P parking lot. "We also plan on rehabilitating the [road] crossing surfaces; there are about 30," Baer said.

In the interests of safety and convenience, however, major work will not begin until most students are gone. "We won't be doing any work between Philadelphia Street and Rose Street until after commencement ceremonies are done," Baer said.

BPRR has been working with the affected communities, including IUP, to minimize disruption and to promote safety. It will work on only one road crossing at a time, and it is using town meetings, the media and its railroad safety program Operation Lifesaver to build community awareness and caution.

Baer hopes the public will be excited about this opportunity for growth and regional revitalization. Construction can be a dangerous process, however, and for the sake of safety and allowing the workers to concentrate on their jobs, maintaining a safe distance is imperative.

"Our goal is to make people aware of the areas where we're working, so if they want to come out and see what's going on, we just ask that they stay out of harm's way," Baer said.