WASHINGTON — The operators of a pair of Pennsylvania feed mills have asked the Surface Transportation Board to require Amtrak to allow freight service to continue while a six-week maintenance project is under way on its Philadelphia-Harrisburg main line.
Amtrak plans to shut Track 1 to all traffic starting next month, which would prevent Norfolk Southern from serving some local shippers on the line via its trackage rights. Wenger and Esbenshade, which produce animal feed for distribution throughout the Northeast, would lose service to their feed mills in Mount Joy, Pa., for the duration of the project.
Both mills require NS service five days per week because of the high volume of animal feed production. The loss of rail service for six weeks would have “devastating consequences,” they told regulators last week. Wenger receives yellow corn and soybean meal by rail in order to produce feed for chickens, turkeys, pigs, and other livestock. Esbenshade also produces feed for livestock.
The shippers contend that Amtrak is in violation of common carrier obligations to provide service upon reasonable request. They have asked the board to prevent the line shutdown and to require Amtrak to file a plan for board approval that would maintain uninterrupted freight service. They’ve also asked the board for a directed service order that would maintain service for 30 days, as well as for damages in the event the track project goes forward as planned and freight service is halted.
In a decision this week, the STB ordered Amtrak and NS to respond to the shippers’ complaint by May 1.
Amtrak is preparing to complete essential track and roadbed renewal work between Lancaster and Harrisburg – Cork (MP 68.6) to Rheems (MP 83.4) interlockings and Roy (MP 94.2) to State (MP 103.6) interlockings – on the Philadelphia-Harrisburg Line. The work is scheduled to begin in late April with expected completion in fall. Amtrak will adjust its schedules and use Track 2 while Track 1 is out of service.
“This maintenance is necessary for continued safety of the railroad for both passenger and freight trains that operate along this track,” Amtrak spokeswoman Beth K. Toll says.
“Amtrak gave ample notice to Norfolk Southern regarding the resulting outages due to this track work in order to allow sufficient time for NS to work with local rail shippers to make the necessary logistical adjustments for the several weeks when rail freight operations will be limited,” she says. “While the project is targeted for fall completion, impacts to freight railroad shippers will not extend for the entire duration. In an effort to be a good partner, Amtrak remains willing to work with NS and shippers to identify alternative solutions during Amtrak’s important maintenance and construction work on the current route.”
— Updated at 9:20 p.m. CDT to repair link to STB decision. Updated 12:08 p.m. CDT to clarify only Track 1 will be out of service and that Amtrak will adjust its schedules accordingly.
How many parallel tracks has NS removed over the years for their own convenience and, presumably, for decreased taxation?
This feed mill is about midway between Landcaster and Middletown which have CPs connecting tracks 2 and 1. One is south of 2. The feed mill’s siding opens toward the west. Siding is probably no more than ~ 600 feet long from fouling point of the MT.
If the mill has a drop pit at mid point (unlikely) then at most just 4 grain cars could be positioned for unloading with one above drop pit.
Now what is the Amtrak plan to rebuild this track? Remove all track work and rebuild sub grade? Then there will not even be a switch for duration of rebuild.
No matter what Gardner will have stepped into it again More political pressure to can him!
The purpose of Amtrak is to provide good-paying union jobs with a nod to hiring non-union bureaucrats! Serving the Public for passenger and any needed freight service is secondary and a nuisance to AMTK–they work at chasing business away. Long story but I learned that lesson in 2011. TRAINS, do tell us what comes of this. In the meantime, why no word of these detours among the mileage-collectors? The Royalton Branch? Dare I hope? I missed that one when AMTK did it some years ago. Gloating Dept.: did the A&S twice while it was still in; should get Frequent Rider Miles for the Shocks Mills Bridge! Looks like I’ll be plotting a trip to PRR land soon!
No rare mileage involved. No detour involved. No service interruption involved for through traffic.
While work equipment is occupying #1 track, EB trains will run on the adjacent 2 track. Then when the MW equipment works back on 2 track, EB and WB trains will run on 1 track.
The feed mills are important to the Commonwealth of PA. I’m sure they and Amtrak can reach a solution to serve them, but NS has to start paying attention too.
Amtrak is a service interruption expert. Rain, snow, wind , sun we don’t run.
Since this line has two tracks I do not see why Amtrak has to stop nighttime freight service to these shippers. If the switch is only available off one track they still should not take the whole six weeks to prevent a freight train from accessing the shippers. Since Amtrak counts on Norfolk Southern to timely dispatch their trains over their freight tracks you would think they would try to accommodate the NS freight traffic as much as possible to continue good relations with them.
With two tracks, some way should be able to be found to maintain some service. When work directly at the two sidings is underway, for the week involved, asking customers to accept delivery on three, rather than five, days would not be unreasonable.
Subtitle is misleading, only these customers affected. See footnote in Docket:
There are two main lines owned by Amtrak running between Rheems and Lancaster.
According to NSR, Amtrak is halting NSR’s freight service over the main line to which Petitioners’
facilities are connected. Further, Amtrak intends to continue its passenger service and NSR’s
freight service over the other main line
Is this bogus?
BTW the caption sez six weeks while the article sez “The work is scheduled to begin in late April with expected completion in fall.” Six weeks from late April (i.e. now) is mid-June.
I STRONGLY suggest TrainsMag corroborate this information with Amtrak.
First, the dates are inconsistent. Second, Amtrak usually plans these projects many months in advance so the crews, machines and materials are ready to go, and affected travellers and shippers can plan. It was NS’ responsibility to tell their customers.
Amtrak has posted Keystone Service schedule changes between April 29, 2023 and October 15, 2023 and are accepting reservations so they intend to operate passenger service.
The line from Lancaster to Harrisburg is double-track with bidirectional signalling. Amtrak usually does MW work on one track at a time with the other in service. If the shipper were accessible from only one track, then they would probably not be accessible while their track is out of service. Again, it is NS’ responsibility to tell their customers.
NS can work with a transload operation for 6 weeks or so to continue to deliver enough material so the feed mills can continue to operate…or just ship enough feed to last through the 6 weeks that freight service will be shut down. There’s alternatives, find them and use them…otherwise let Amtrak charge the two freight customers for any additional cost that not shutting down the line to complete the necessary work would add to the project.
BNSF shut down a former Frisco main for a number of weeks for a rebuild. The railroad worked with the shippers to get shipments in advance. This was about 20 to 25 years ago.
Gerald, transloading costs more money.Do they even have one close?Where are they going to store 6 weeks of grain? They are served 5 days a week for a reason
Amtrak is not being nice to NS as NS serves the feed mills. Work around the reconstruction.
Ed Burns
Like the government really cares?
Mayor Pete at work again.