NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — NJ Transit has begun work on a new facility to provide storage for locomotive and railcars that protects against flooding, a project reflecting the impact of 2012’s Hurricane Sandy.
Groundbreaking was held today (Dec. 12) for the County Yard/Delco Lead Storage and Inspection Facility project, to be built along the Northeast Corridor in New Brunswick. Along with providing a site where rolling stock can be stored safely during extreme weather, it will include a new service facility allowing equipment to be inspected and returned to operation following such weather events.
“NJ Transit continues to take proactive steps to enhance the resiliency of our facilities across the state,” NJ Transit Board Chair Fran O’Conner said in a press release. “Through the Delco Lead Project, we are safeguarding our rail cars against severe weather events and enabling faster restoration of services. This forward-thinking approach not only protects critical assets, it reinforces NJ TRANSIT’s commitment to maintaining a robust, resilient customer-focused transit system.”
The project calls for reconstruction of 4 miles of the existing Delco Lead, plus construction of approximately 1 mile of track from County Yard to North Brunswick. This area was identified as a safe haven for equipment storage following Hurricane Sandy because it is above the floodplain with a minimal number of adjacent trees. It will be used if NJ Transit’s primary maintenance facility in Kearney, N.J., and another yard in Morrisville, Pa., are evacuated. The 1,250-foot-long Service and Inspection Facility will include two 12-car inspection tracks and five 12-car storage tracks, and will be used for inspection and light maintenance, and spare parts storage.
In September, George Harms Construction of Howell, N.J. was awarded a $498 million contract, plus 10% for contingences, for the project. Funding includes $175 million from the Federal Transit Administration, reallocated when NJ Transit cancelled a proposed electrical generating plant [see “NJ Transit cancels power plant …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 28, 2024]. Video from today’s event is available here; more information is here.
