ALBANY, N.Y. — The state of New York has awarded $76.4 million in grants to fund 38 freight rail infrastructure projects, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. The awards range from $100,000 for the Ontario Midland Railroad to resurface a grade crossing to $5 million to Norfolk Southern for projects in the capital region including 15 miles of track rehabilitation, grade crossing improvements, welded rail, and other enhancements along the Voorheesville corridor.
“The infrastructure projects funded with these grants will further fuel our economic comeback with new construction jobs, while making regional economies more competitive in the long term and enhancing the movement of commodities in an environmentally sustainable way,” Hochul said in a press release.
The grants are part of the state Department of Transportation’s Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance program, which seeks to fund projects that aid the safe movement of freight, improve service reliability, and support economic development.
coporate welfare
These public sector financed improvements to rail infrastructure are nothing more than what is done as a matter of course to accommodate heavy trucks. Most, if not all, are to finance projects that in all probability would not be done with the minimal resources of many of these small and likely marginal operators. If they were not completed it is likely that we would only have more heavy trucking throughout the state. The public will probably be benefited by maintaining rail service.
The overtaxed taxpayers of New York State should not pay for infrastructure improvements for any Class 1 railroad. They all post record earnings and lower operating ratios. They should be able to invest in capital expenditures without taxpayer money. As a NYS taxpayer, this is only fairness…
Wholeheartedly agree.