Barton, AL – The Retirement Systems of Alabama has agreed to lend an additional $275 million to help get a western Colbert County railcar manufacturing plant back on track.
A spokesman for the National Alabama plant, Peter Earle, said development of the nearly mile-long plant has slowed as the company struggled to find capital investments needed to begin producing railcars.
With the additional loan announced Friday, RSA will have up to $625 million invested before the first railcar is produced. RSA chief David Bronner insisted on creating a five-member board to oversee financial decisions until the 15-year loan is repaid as part of the arrangement.
The announcement to open the 2 million-square-foot plant at the Barton Riverfront Industrial Park came in July 2007.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)