Gensee Regional Market trackage in Henrietta/Rochester

BR&P wrote:I disagree - bear in mind that as new owners gradually build on what was once the railroad right-of-way, they will begin paying taxes.

The Rochester subway was abandoned in 1956. Nearly the entire ROW northwest of Broad Street is still there, and still empty. CSX and R&S have bridges over empty fields. In fact, the rest of the subway is public streets and highways - no tax dollars there.

The PRR ROW is the Greenway trail - no tax dollars there. Much of the LV ROW within city limits is a park - no tax dollars there.

The ROW north of the R&S is still empty, all the way to the old Genesee docks and the Hojack, including the bridge over CSX - no new development there.

There is even an old trolley ROW still in existence from around Culver road in the city north through residential neighborhoods into Irondequoit. Some of it is used by RG&E, the rest is empty.

East of the yard up to 390/490, the RR is on an embankment. Who would pay to remove it to allow development?

Access to large portions of the ROW would only be from the existing cross streets - who wants property that is 100' wide and a half mile long? Additional access roads could be built, but would require demolition of private property.

BR&P wrote:No more trucks getting stuck under St Paul Street, Buffalo Road, or Lexington Ave. No more flooded highways under the bridges when it rains.

True. Just incredibly huge traffic delays at all of the grade crossings from Fairport to Chili. There are no grade crossings on the mainline from Fairport to Gates.

BR&P wrote:I'd have to think the cost of double tracking the shore would not be a determining factor. The grading and roadbed is there. They could recover the rail from the main line and re-lay it other places. When you consider what they would save it would be considerable.

There would be the considerable expense of new bridges. 390, E. & W. Henrietta Roads are all single track, for example. There there is the Genesee River bridge shared with the LA&L. Where would the third track go?

The lost tax revenue would never be replaced. Especially not as Kodak continues to shrink and large portions of their property become available.

Wow - threw a rock through a hornet's nest on that one, LOL! And admittedly I had not considered the bridge issues nor the LA&L's use of the second track. So there would be more obstacles than I thought.

It would still be interesting to see a cost analysis of the whole thing. And while there may be parts of the ROW which would be harder to develop, some parts would be in demand. I'm sure the city would love to remove traces of the line from about the Depot to Frontier Field. We only have to look at the Charlotte area to see how they manage to come up with tax dollars when it's in the name of tourism.

And to add another drawback to my scenario, I vaguely recall a major fiber optic line along the line - did that follow the main line through the city? That would be major bucks to re-arrange.

So - looks like I'm right! Remember - the more reasons it does not make sense, the more likely they are to do it!

tony_p wrote:

BR&P wrote:Access to large portions of the ROW would only be from the existing cross streets - who wants property that is 100' wide and a half mile long? Additional access roads could be built, but would require demolition of private property.

im not sure what you meant, all it takes 66' wide to build ROW for new state road.

Once that has been abandoned, I am pretty sure the RR bed will turn into State road pretty fast! it would be most easiest and fastest access to E.Roch and Fairport and beyond. have you tried to drive from 490/590 to fairport main st?? it's like what? 15 min -20 min! with new road, I can get to fairport main st in 5 min..



oh what the heck, with mainline gone, I have no reason to go to E roch or/and Fairport (or vice versa to rochester... Goodman's gone!), LOL

ken

sd80mac wrote:
im not sure what you meant, all it takes 66' wide to build ROW for new state road.

What I meant was, how do you get to the middle of a 100' wide, half mile long piece of property if there is development at each end? If you build a road along the ROW, then the size of the available lots would decrease significantly.

tony_p wrote:

sd80mac wrote:
im not sure what you meant, all it takes 66' wide to build ROW for new state road.

What I meant was, how do you get to the middle of a 100' wide, half mile long piece of property if there is development at each end? If you build a road along the ROW, then the size of the available lots would decrease significantly.

not necessary... 66' wide is for 2 lane road... so we can add 2 more lanes to fill in 100' wide. It could be just "express lane" no exit or anything... it can be straight shot to E.R. or Fairport.. just remember... how many cars are TRYING TO GET INTO Fairport on main street???

sd80mac wrote:
not necessary... 66' wide is for 2 lane road... so we can add 2 more lanes to fill in 100' wide. It could be just "express lane" no exit or anything... it can be straight shot to E.R. or Fairport.. just remember... how many cars are TRYING TO GET INTO Fairport on main street???

I'm talking about private development of the ROW to replace the lost tax revenue. A highway would add to the tax burden.

Apples and oranges fellows. CSX can't afford to put in 20 miles of mainline track including bridges where an already exsisting double main is already in place. UP might, but not CSX. The current mains are in fairly good shape, and the city would be in deep trouble if CSX cut the tracks at Chilli and Fairport. What you may see is the R&S buying Goodman St. yard, and servicing the few remaining CSX customers, including Kodak and RG&E. FYI, latest CSX rumor has CSX winning the Kodak coal contract back this year. Also, the afternoon yard job Y220 is back on replacing the Y101. Simply a shift in assignments. We will see what the future brings

tony_p wrote: I'm talking about private development of the ROW to replace the lost tax revenue. A highway would add to the tax burden.

you're right in a way.. but highway WILL BRING IN SALE TAXES and more property taxes.. If we give you most easily and direct route, people will come, even better, move to the area. Right?

ok we're way way way off from subject of henrietta area....

ken

I think we're straying just a little bit from the original Genesee Regional Market topic...

-otto-