By Wallace Venable

I just attended a virtual meeting of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation’s Freight Forum.

Vince DeCarlo of the Corps’ Pittsburgh District reported that the new New Lock 4 (Charleroi) chamber is due to open in March, and that the Corps will have a big ribbon cutting event this summer.

In July Lock 3 will close and the breaching and removal of the old dam will start.

Remote lock operation at Charleroi is set to begin in July. 

This is the first remote operated facility and is a demonstration of the technology which is to be used “Enterprise Wide” – The Mon will again be the demonstration place for the entire US.

Remote operation at Maxwell, Grays Landing, Point Marion, is to follow, with the expectation that the entire section from Point Marion to Braddock will be capable of remote operation by 2029.