Crossing signals keep trains from restored tracks
By Shawn Magrath
Sun Staff Writer
CHENANGO COUNTY – Having been inoperable for 11 years, the 45.5 mile-long Utica Main Line which extends north to south through Chenango County is close to allowing freight trains to use the tracks again.
According to the Chenango County Industrial Development Agency, what’s keeping trains from operating now are the multiple defective crossing signals spanning the county from Sherburne to Greene.
CCIDA Director Steve Craig said $500,000 has been earmarked to have those signals repaired or replaced by the line’s proprietor, New York Susquehanna and Western. Presumably, that work will be done this year, he said.
Railroad repairs have been underway since 2016. Crews have expended $5.3 million on fixing and replacing 8,300 crossties, filling 32 washouts, resurfacing 16,900 feet of track, re-decking 36 bridges, and making any additional repairs along the way – all in the effort to reverse damage caused by heavy flooding in 2006 and 2011.
Fixing damaged and corroded crossing signals is the final step in the multi-phase project, said Craig.
“The rail line itself is in excellent shape right now,” Craig told county officials at July’s regular meeting of the Chenango County Board.
In March, many county residents welcomed the sight of the first train engine to traverse the tracks in more than a decade. Video of the train garnered 51,000 views on the Commerce Chenango Facebook page. Two more engines transported equipment down the line last month.
“People like trains, so this was big news in the railroad world,” Craig said. “People saw what our money paid for.”
Repairs to the Utica Main line are the result of a public-private partnership between several public entities and NYS&W.
The CCIDA cleared a number of financial hurdles since embarking on the project in 2011. In 2013, the organization scored a $4.7 million grant from the Federal EDA to cover 80 percent the estimated cost of the project. EDA funding supplemented a $772,700 grant awarded by the NYS Department of Transportation two years prior (contingent on the entire project being completed).
Remaining costs of the project were footed by private and local entities: $58,700 from the CCIDA; $112,500 from the Development Chenango Corporation; approximately $15,000 from the Chenango County government; and $85,800 from NYS&W.
This month, Craig was asked by members of the County Board if county taxpayers were given a fair shake in the deal.
“I think we got a really good deal. We had a lot of trouble getting bids from people within this scope who said we couldn’t do this amount of work with this amount of money.” said Craig, also noting that private-public partnership to subsidize private investments are commonplace. “It’s an investment,” he added.
NYS&W and the CCIDA renewed a 10-year PILOT agreement in 2013 that gives title of the line to the CCIDA while NYS&W is required to maintain the railroad. Intentions are to keep the line a “Class Two” railroad, meaning freight trains will be allowed to travel at 25 miles per hour. Only portions of the railroad will be designated “Class One,” which limits freights to 10 miles per hour.
When operating, the Utica Main will restore NYS&W service between Binghamton and Utica, and give freight customers access to interstate Norfolk Southern and CSX railways.
Sun Staff Writer
CHENANGO COUNTY – Having been inoperable for 11 years, the 45.5 mile-long Utica Main Line which extends north to south through Chenango County is close to allowing freight trains to use the tracks again.
According to the Chenango County Industrial Development Agency, what’s keeping trains from operating now are the multiple defective crossing signals spanning the county from Sherburne to Greene.
CCIDA Director Steve Craig said $500,000 has been earmarked to have those signals repaired or replaced by the line’s proprietor, New York Susquehanna and Western. Presumably, that work will be done this year, he said.
Railroad repairs have been underway since 2016. Crews have expended $5.3 million on fixing and replacing 8,300 crossties, filling 32 washouts, resurfacing 16,900 feet of track, re-decking 36 bridges, and making any additional repairs along the way – all in the effort to reverse damage caused by heavy flooding in 2006 and 2011.
Fixing damaged and corroded crossing signals is the final step in the multi-phase project, said Craig.
“The rail line itself is in excellent shape right now,” Craig told county officials at July’s regular meeting of the Chenango County Board.
In March, many county residents welcomed the sight of the first train engine to traverse the tracks in more than a decade. Video of the train garnered 51,000 views on the Commerce Chenango Facebook page. Two more engines transported equipment down the line last month.
“People like trains, so this was big news in the railroad world,” Craig said. “People saw what our money paid for.”
Repairs to the Utica Main line are the result of a public-private partnership between several public entities and NYS&W.
The CCIDA cleared a number of financial hurdles since embarking on the project in 2011. In 2013, the organization scored a $4.7 million grant from the Federal EDA to cover 80 percent the estimated cost of the project. EDA funding supplemented a $772,700 grant awarded by the NYS Department of Transportation two years prior (contingent on the entire project being completed).
Remaining costs of the project were footed by private and local entities: $58,700 from the CCIDA; $112,500 from the Development Chenango Corporation; approximately $15,000 from the Chenango County government; and $85,800 from NYS&W.
This month, Craig was asked by members of the County Board if county taxpayers were given a fair shake in the deal.
“I think we got a really good deal. We had a lot of trouble getting bids from people within this scope who said we couldn’t do this amount of work with this amount of money.” said Craig, also noting that private-public partnership to subsidize private investments are commonplace. “It’s an investment,” he added.
NYS&W and the CCIDA renewed a 10-year PILOT agreement in 2013 that gives title of the line to the CCIDA while NYS&W is required to maintain the railroad. Intentions are to keep the line a “Class Two” railroad, meaning freight trains will be allowed to travel at 25 miles per hour. Only portions of the railroad will be designated “Class One,” which limits freights to 10 miles per hour.
When operating, the Utica Main will restore NYS&W service between Binghamton and Utica, and give freight customers access to interstate Norfolk Southern and CSX railways.
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks