Blissville Yard

[Sir Ray]

On a side note, at the old PhelpsDodge site, construction has begun with pilings being put in. Don't know what or who is going in there or if they will get rail service. I have always said with UPS across the street, piggyback service would be perfect for a yard there.

Hmmm, I know that the Phelps Dodge site was/is being considered for just such a possiblity of being an intermodal yard (originally this was in conjunction with the Trans-Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel, but certainly no reason why this couldn't be a seperate project).
I know our Big Box friends are looking elsewhere for store sites (Ikea in Red Hook, Walmart in Rego Park and Kew Gardens, Home Depot somewhere else), so perhaps this would support facilities for site remediation (was the cleanup ever completed at that site)

[Knife-Switch]

I have no sources to validate this statement, but I believe it is going to be either Lowes or Home Depot.

Many of us at NYAR saw the potential for an intermodal truck/barge/ship/train yard but that would have been the smart choice!!

[RRChef]

That would be the stupidest use for that site if it's true. I thought the cleanup of the site wasn't completed yet.

[Legio X]

Did the LIRR drill the Blissville Yard with the SW-1001's and MP-15ac's, or was it abandoned by the time they arrived and replaced the Alco's?

[dukeoq]

Legio X; As I rememmber, the GM products were delivered about 1976.
All of the siding jobs were still working as directed at that time.
That means that no regular jobs were assigned to do this work (I may be wrong here and there may be exceptions) so that it would be entirely possible that those engines whold have been used.
It wasn't long after the SW1000s came onto the property that they took over all switching duties.

[Legio X]

Anything new with this yard getting reactivated for NYA's use since the loss of Yard A for the ESA project? Is it possible Getty could possibly become a customer?

[jayrmli]

The yard will not be built, as originally was planned. NYAR negotiated a reduction in switch maintenance fees instead of MTA building the yard.

Jay

[rb]

Details, details...

I just read somewhere (the Times?) that the Phelps Dodge site was actually becoming a wholesale food warehouse. Can anyone confirm? Sounds a like a real good candidate for rail freight.

Just spent the weekend in Cleveland, where EVERYTHING moves by train.

[Legio X]

Hmm, a reduction in switch fees rather than an expansion of yard space.....sounds like a real winner for the NYA in the long run!!! Good job, whoever the nimrod was who thought that out. Fresh Pond has no room, 65 Street is far away, the Bay Ridge trackage is decrepit, Maspeth Yard is decrepit, Yard A is no more, Garden City is off limits.......

[freightguy]

I actually read that awhile back in one of those Queens newspapers about the food warehouse. I forget which one of the NYA haters wrote that one maybe the Ridgewood Times? Ironically one of them actually wrote an article in favor of NYA in reference to an outdated LIRR infrastructure and the need to increase rail freight on Long Island and in Brooklyn and Queens. This was to keep trucks off the local streets. It even explained about increasing the weight to handle 286,000 lbs freight cars vs. 263,000.

I talked to one of the bosses about Blissville the other day. They are still working on the ethanol costumer down there. Once again the cost of the switch comes into play. If you want to see the old Blissville yard it is stacked up in the East yard of Fresh Pond. That is the old rails and ties. NS just recently built a terminal for ethanol in New Jersey. I am sure it will continue to truck its way to the island, ashame.

[Legio X]

So the rails and the ties of Blissville Yard have been pulled up and are stacked at Fresh Pond awaiting further disposal? Interesting. Maybe with the money NYA saves from it's new, gold-plated, switch fee deal with the LIRR, they can repair the 156, and when it's put back into service the crews will be able say as they pass Blissville on their way to switch Long Island City team yard "Well, we lost a yard, but got an engine!"

[rb]

Don't forget the carspot to be gained by getting the 156 moving again.

[DogBert]

fan-tastic. :o) (sarcasm)

I sure hope they got a good deal on switch upkeep...

It's almost a game of russian roulette - if no yard space is added and business increases - will CP or CSX run to and from FP more often to keep cars flowing?

Sounds to me like mgmt. is betting they would, or otherwise planning on dealing with future problems only when it becomes a crisis, and dealing with current issues like switch upkeep fees right now. Thus it might be a little more logical than it seems...

Great to know that the cost of putting in new switches is still stifling NY&A business. You'd think they could come up with some way to put in switches cheaper, or maybe a tax rebate for customers that do get them put in... or something! Ah but I forget, this is NY state we're in, with a bunch of worthless dead weight taking up space in albany and in city hall instead of actually doing anything that would help make the area mroe livable and less polluted.

[DogBert]

As of last week there is a large boxy warehouse type structure going up on the phelps dodge site. it utilizes only a portion of the site and is right by the crossing. I'll do a little homework and try to see who and what it is going to be.

At blissville, there's nothing but trees by the west end of the 'yard'. curiously though in the middle of the yard area the old tracks were ripped out and many many ties pulled (though there were still a few in the ground). I don't recall it if was like that the last time I went around 2001 - it sure did have a lot more trash in the yard area at that time though.

[Legio X]

I checked out Blissville Yard today. The place was cleaned up, and concrete barriers have been placed next to the street to prevent illegal dumping. It would be nice to see this yard get reactivated eventually.