New crossing in LIC on lower montauk

Spotted an LIRR crew putting in a new private crossing just east of allied extruders this morning. The crossing goes across the two lower montauk tracks and (I presume) the switchback for Allied - unless they're also re-arranging the switch back there. Looks like it'll also line up with the very east end of 'railroad avenue' (the unsigned road accessible under greenpoint ave bridge).

No idea what this is going to be for, though WM is suppose to start shipping MSW from somewhere back there in the coming months/years (last I read it was suppose to start this year, but I'm sure there are a few dozen things that could hold it up).

Rooted around the internet a bit - the new crossing is definitely for WM. Tons of diagrams, etc in this .pdf: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dsny/downloads/ ... 01%206.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Page 22 describes how, as I assumed, cars will be kept at blissville, much like the Bushwick operation (with a WM trackmobile that fetches empties and pulls loads for pickup)

"For the railcars shuttling full and empty containers along the LIRR Montauk Branch
between the Review Avenue TS and Blissville Railyard, there would be one shuttle wagon operating for a total of 5 hours per day for an average day and 6 hours per day for a peak day. The wagon would move 6 railcars at time with full containers from the site to Blissville Yard, stage the railcars at Blissville yard and return to the site with 6 railcars with empty containers once every 3.5 to 4 hours. This round trip would require 30 to 60 minutes to complete. Thus, on an average day, there
would be 5 total round trips of up to 1 hour each, and on a peak day there would be 6 round trips"

I didn't go back there, so I don't know if they've actually laid the two new siding tracks that will go in. No new east switch has been installed at Blissville - which I suspect will need to happen.

Is using a trackmoblie permitted on the NY&A trackage from blissville to the waste site? Would that have to be a NY&A employee using that machine if it is permitted?

I'm assuming it will be a WM mobile with WM crew. They already do it in bushwick and the bronx. In bushwick it only takes them a few minutes to push the loads out and pull in empties. The Bronx used to have an SW locomotive when they started.

I looked at some photos I took yesterday and it doesn't look like the new sidings are in, though there's a road divider along where the track will be installed, sort of like the divider placed along side where the new wheelspur switch went in, blocking off the new track ROW from the fresh direct diriveway.

Judging from that, it'll probably be at least a few more months before service starts. When it does though, it'll be another 4-12 cars a day, 6 days a week.

Here's a before and after of the driveway - quite the change. You can see the yellow LIRR trucks down at the end.

New crossing is almost done, and the new switch for Waste Management is now in. The two siding tracks haven't been installed yet though.

nice shot and update!

I'm wondering if the stone cars that have been sitting in the Blissville yard will be used for the new WMX siding?

Hmmm... I don't know if they're loaded or not offhand. I'll take a look at the springs next time I'm in that area. They've been there since spring. I just assumed they were stored/bad ordered...

I'm trying to figure out when the last big customer was located west of maspeth. Maybe the aggregate place at arch street in the mid 90s?

Arch st. & allied were the only customers west of maspeth for a long time. WM has a 20 yr. agreement on trash haul. I heard materials for the kosciuszko bridge replacement are also suppose to move by rail, perhaps to 'victor siding' by the old phelps dodge crossing (which I'm guessing will just be the southernmost lower montauk track). That project should be starting in the next year or two - they've already bought up the property in the path though there's a few buildings they need to demo.

They look loaded from the LIE!