ALBANY, N.Y. — New York will fund some $111.1 million for 38 rail and port infrastructure improvement projects — the largest amount ever awarded under the state’s Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday.
The projects address safety and resilience, support efforts to move freight traffic from truck to rail, and also facilitate use of equipment to reduce emissions. The state money, administered through a state Department of Transportation program, leverages an additional $20.5 million in private funding for the projects.
“New York’s ports and freight rail networks are vital to the state’s economic well-being and these historic investments will ensure that they remain globally competitive,” Hochul said in a press release. “This funding will upgrade important parts of our transportation infrastructure to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, reduce pollution, and fuel the economic engines that power our state.”
Projects selected include:
Capital Region
— $9.9 million to the Albany Park District Commission Lift Wharf Deck and Rail enhancement project, to upgrade infrastructure to handle heavier cargo.
— $4.4 million to Pan Am Southern for the Patriot Corridor Safety Enhancement Project, including replacement of rail, elimination of joints, and other safety improvements.
— $3.9 million to CSX Transportation for the Vertical Clearance Improvement and Safety Enhancement Project, to remove five abandoned highway bridges, eliminating safety risks and addressing clearance standards.
Central New York
— $5.7 million to the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway: $3.1 million for the rehabilitation of a bridge at Erie Boulevard in Syracuse; $2.6 million to replace 3.75 miles of jointed rail with welded rail, new ties, and ballast and surfacing, improving the Syracuse main line.
— $4.7 million to the Port of Oswego: $2.9 million for additional storage track capacity, rail safety upgrades, and improved unloading for agricultural methods; $1.8 million for an electric railcar mover.
— $2.8 million to the County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency for the Novelis Oswego Rail project, realign and reactivate access, including the purchase of two new railcar movers.
— $1.2 million to the Finger Lakes Railway Corp. to reactivate the Frazer and Jones track to serve a specialty casting manufacturer.
Finger Lakes Region
— $4.2 million to the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad Corp.: $3 million for the purchase of a reduced-emission diesel locomotive, and $1.2 million for construction of a rail-to-truck bulk distribution facility in Avon.
— $4.1 million to the Rochester & Southern Railroad for main line improvements to increase capacity and fluidity at the P&L junction.
— $4 million to the Finger Lakes Railway Corp. for Watkins Glen grade crossings and bridge rehabilitation projects, which will allow the handling of industry-standard 286,000-pound railcars.
— $3 million to the County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency for rail infrastructure improvements in the Eastman Business Park.
— $2.5 million to the Fall Roads Railroad Co. for Falls Branch track rehabilitation, improving spurs serving the Bonduelle Brockport Facility and Lineage Logistics cold storage facility.
— $2 million to the Arcade & Attica Railroad Corp to complete the Arcade & Attica Rail Rehabilitation Safety, Capacity, and Reliability project, preventing closure of the rail line.
— $1.5 million to the Seneca County Industrial Development Agency for track rehabilitation reconnecting a current business, and a transload facility for rural business and farmers.
— $1.5 million to the County of Orleans Industrial Development Agency for industrial track access improvements to better serve customers.
— $283,000 to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad museum for track rehabilitation.
Mid-Hudson Region
— $8 million to Central New York Railroad: $6.2 million for the installation of curve patch rail with ties, and ballast and resurfacing; $1.8 million for the installation of ties, ballast, and surfacing in Sullivan County.
Mohawk Valley Region
— $4.7 million to the Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern Railroad Corp. for construction of a transload warehouse in Utica, N.Y.
— $2.9 million to the Adirondack Railway Preservation Society: $1.6 million for fleet enhancement and modernization to meet Federal Railroad Administration regulations; $804,379 for completion of a Utica shop facility; $549,550 for track capacity optimization.
New York City
— $5.5 million to CSX to increase capacity and mitigate congestion along the Fremont Industrial track, improving freight operations between the Oak Point and Fresh Pond yards.
North County Region
— $5 million to the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority to install rail capable of handling 286,000-pound cars.
— $1.2 million to the Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern Railroad Corp. for bridge and culvert work to restore service on the Newton Falls Branch.
Southern Tier Region
— $3.9 million to the New York, Susquehanna & Western to rehabilitate a bridge in the Town of Chenango in Broome County.
— $3.9 million to the Central New York Railroad to rehabilitate a bridge in the Village of Deposit in Delaware County.
— $2.9 million to Norfolk Southern for East Binghamton Yard improvements.
— $1.6 million to the Grown Resources of Wellsboro Foundation for rehabilitation of the Corning Secondary infrastructure.
— $796,575 to the Catskill Revitalization Corp. for replacement of the State Route 30 grade crossing.
Western New York Region
— $5 million to the South Buffalo Railway Co. for a reduced locomotive emissions plan to meet or exceed EPA Tier 1 standards.
— $1.9 million to the Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany & Steuben Southern Tier Railroad Authoriy for the rehabilitation of the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad main line from Allegany to Niobe to prevent speed restrictions and improve bridge integrity.
— $1.1 million to the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency for Monofax track expansion and rehabilitation.
Multiple regions
— $690,770 to Norfolk Southern for the installation of 12 new wayside detectors and upgrades to six others between Schenectady and Depew, N.Y.
Nothing for the Hudson tunnels?
When is Kathy going to fund new equipment for Empire Service and implement the plans to increase speeds and frequency? IIRC, ESPA reported the Siemens trainsets won’t arrive until 2032 or something ridiculous like that. The state has allowed CSX to block plant improvements and third tracks for a decade and a half but sitting on the “HSR” EIS from the Obama 2009 stimulus.
We live in a failed state and country.