Utica Branch Discussion Thread

Last month I drove from Binghamton to Utica and noticed the NYS&W line through Norwich. The row looked overgrown with weeds and some seemed knee high north of the city. The northern 15 miles of this line out of Utica looks well-used, but is there any thru traffic? I also noted some traces of the NYO&W line that paralleled the existing tracks, but I was 60 years too late to see any trains.

Amazing! Wow! Saturday morning, and this forum gets its first post since Tuesday evening!

If you are interested in this line, look for the book "Clear The Tracks" by Joseph Bromley. The guy started on the U&BR in the 1800's on woodburning engines, then went to the DL&W. Fascinating insight on railroading in the days of iron men and wooden cars. You mentioned Norwich. IIRC, the agent there back in his days was known as "Santa Claus" due to his bushy white beard.

There is another very long thread on this here:
http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=36243" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The mods may wish to merge this into it.

ewh wrote:Last month I drove from Binghamton to Utica and noticed the NYS&W line through Norwich. The row looked overgrown with weeds and some seemed knee high north of the city. The northern 15 miles of this line out of Utica looks well-used, but is there any thru traffic? I also noted some traces of the NYO&W line that paralleled the existing tracks, but I was 60 years too late to see any trains.

The Utica-Binghamton line was severed south of Sherburne by severe flooding in 2006. Further damage was caused by flooding in 2011.

In Nov 2009, the line was embargoed south of Sangerfield; there were two customers in Sherburne: a pet food company & a lumber company. The pet food company received 1-2 cars per month while the lumber company, Baillie Hardwood, shipped product out once in a blue moon. Traffic was deemed insufficient to keep the line open Sangerfield-Sherburne.

It took nearly 10 years, but enough federal, state & county grant money was received (the NYS&W kicked in a small amount) and an approx 5 million dollar project is underway to re-hab the tracks from Chenango Forks to Sherburne. Completion date: next summer. Track speed will be 10 MPH FORKS-SANGERFIELD which will make for a long trip.

The NYS&W opened the line last Nov between Sangerfield-Sherburne. As far as I know, the railroad is not serving customers in "BURNE" yet.

Here's a video showing the Nov '15 run: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Md-HOBzOM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Susquehanna is also doing tie replacement work this summer on the Utica-Sangerfield (23 miles) segment as well as on two Utica-area industrial spurs (ex-NYO&W & West Shore).

Here are a few pics from this morning showing work just north of Higby Rd, Utica:

ut-1, I'm pretty sure I read that the CCIDA wants the line to meet the standards of a class 2 railroad which would allow speeds up to 25mph.I could be wrong.
Anyways I went by Woods Corners in Norwich today and noticed that they have a lot of railroad ties stock piled there along with some rail.

I guess its a very positive sign if they are doing all the track work in the Utica area and Utica-Sangerfield segments.
Hopefully they will continue to service this route for a long time and add some new business.
I doubt they would do so much track work if they didn't have expectations of keeping it and growing it.

THANKS for the pictures and updates.
Lackman

Would be neat if someone could get permission to mount a camera on 3040 and record the trip from Utica Yard to Sangerfield and put it on a CD. Don't know the time it takes for the train to make this run, but in this digital age, maybe something can be done. Might sell a few copies for a little work.
Lackman

had any new updates on the workers are at I taking a guess they might at greene or close to the Chenango broom county line

Today I heard Steve Craig (pres of the CCIDA) on the radio talk about the railroad restoration.He said they had to change plans a few times because more drainage was needed than planned in some areas but everything was on schedule and trains should be using the line next year. He also said that a few area businesses have expressed interest in rail service.
Last I heard the crew was still working in the Brisben area.

thanks for the update milkman

Here are a few shots from UT-1's run yesterday:

1) Southbound, Durant Farms, Waterville, at 11:41am.

2) Northbound, approx 1/3rd mile south of Lewis Rd, Waterville, 12:36 pm.

3) Northbound, Durant Farms, Waterville at 12:37 pm.

Today on my way home as I went by Woods Corners I noticed a lot more equipment parked along the railroad tracks along with a lot more railroad ties.
As I traveled north along Rt 12 I noticed a lot of new railroad ties lying along the tracks.They must be way ahead of schedule because from what the paper said they weren't expecting to replace the ties until next year.

does someone know if they start with replacing the railroad ties yet?

Went by Woods Corners yesterday and many of the ties they had stored there are gone, so it looks like they have replaced a lot of ties.

Drove down to Brisben today to see for myself the progress they're making on the railroad.
It's looking good , a lot of the washouts have been filled in and ties replaced..