Recent Newspaper Articles about Utica Branch

[kemay59]

"Study Gauges Potential Rail Redevelopment," Evening Sun, Norwich, NY, March 3, 2009:

http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2009 ... velopment/

"Arcuri Says Rail is Key to Redeveloping Upstate," Evening Sun, Norwich, NY, April 16, 2009:

http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2009 ... g-upstate/

[kemay59]

The March 3 newspaper article in the Norwich Evening Sun did not mention that the consultant (TranSystems/Stone Consulting and Design of Warren, PA) estimated that it will cost $1,150,020 to repair the NYS&W Utica branch line in Chenango County. (Study, p. 128)

Also, the consultant made an interesting discovery not mentioned in the article:

"The other significant discovery during the bridge inspection function was to immediately document and re-estimate the NYSW damage claims, and verify that NYSW had not submitted a damage claim to FEMA that may have been eligible for payment had it been submitted in a timely manner. This is because the railroad property itself was controlled under public title (through the Chenango EDA) even if NYSW itself was a for-profit operator of the corridor and not eligible themselves. Chenango County's inquiry to FEMA disclosed that an application would still be accepted through the County if promptly completed and submitted; this effort was immediately done through this study program as a valid third-party engineering estimate." (Study, p. 114)

It is my understanding that Chenango County's application for repair funds to FEMA in 2008 missed the deadline. Perhaps the County will be able to obtain federal stimulus funding to repair the tracks.

[NYS&W142Fan]

Thanks For sharing! One can only hope that they finally see the potential in that line. At one time I had heard that they were going to put in a Alternative Fuel plant in Norwich, what ever happened to that, it would need rail access. At least they haven't ripped up the rails yet. That in it's self is a good thing.

[lvrr325]

1.1 million is a lot for the NYS&W itself to spend to fix that line, but doesn't seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things with federal budgets in the trillions. I'm surprised it's taken so long to get funding together, but whoever does fund it should make some kind of deal to take title to the track materials when they do it, or whatever it is that ties the NYS&W to that line.