NS gets D&H rail line fron Delanson to Voorheesville

I read in Trains Magazine that the sale of the D&H line includes that track to Voorhesville. Did SMS lose the contract to operate from Delanson to Voorheesville?
I thought D&H gave up that running track to SMS.

I'm not sure as far as trackage rights go but I know they are still doing interchange there currently. The new rumor is NS is looking into the possibilities of rehabilitation of the old Albany main to cut out if not avoid CP all together to access Mechanicville. They are researching what the total costs would be.

Footnote #20 on page 26 of the original 11/2014 NS filing with the STB to acquire D&H South lines says:

"...D&H has leased the Track to SMS Rail Lines of New York LLC ("SMS"), a Class III carrier...SMS serves the Northeastern Industrial Park located in the Town of Guilderland, Albany
County, NY. SMS will continue to operate the Track under the existing lease following the Transaction, and NS will merely replace D&H as lessor. Post-Transaction, SMS will continue to
interchange with CSX and will gain access to NS in place of D&H..."

WRT speculation that NS could use the Delanson to Voorheesville Jct line to get to/from Mechanicville without involving CP, I don't see how that is physically possible without trackage rights on CSX and CP. This rumored alternative route would either need to go by way of Rotterdam Jct via reverse moves over CSX Selkirk branch to Pan Am and CP from Crescent to Mechanicville, or via CSX to Port of Albany via Selkirk yd and then CP to Mechanicville. Perhaps the rumor is about how NS might route crude oil/ethanol trains via CSX to the Buckeye Terminal at the Port of Albany?

Autoblock wrote:I'm not sure as far as trackage rights go but I know they are still doing interchange there currently. The new rumor is NS is looking into the possibilities of rehabilitation of the old Albany main to cut out if not avoid CP all together to access Mechanicville. They are researching what the total costs would be.

This is a non-starter and not the rumor. Spending millions rehabilitating the Albany Main just to have to get on trackage rights over CP once again in Albany to go to the same place makes no sense. It would do nothing to get CP out of the picture. Nor is there a switch from the Colonie Main into Mechanicville - the east end is set up only with access to the B&M.

The real rumor is that they are interested in the Albany Main to dip into the port and oil traffic. Albany has pretty high freight volumes to truck on by only 10 miles to the west.

They are not kicking SMS off the Industrial as far as what has been said - just taking over ownership from CP. Has SMS ever used their interchanged rights with CSX at VO?

newpylong wrote:Has SMS ever used their interchanged rights with CSX at VO?

Currently they just use the interchange track adjacent to the park, a lot easier than the Vorheesville move. Can't say if they have used it in the past, I'll have to ask.

newpylong wrote:The real rumor is that they are interested in the Albany Main to dip into the port and oil traffic. Albany has pretty high freight volumes to truck on by only 10 miles to the west.

So the rumor has NS re-establishing the diamond at VO and re-laying track from VO to Albany? Or just seeking rights over CSX to Albany via Selkirk? The former option would be time consuming, expensive, and put NS trains directly on CP track at the Port. And the latter option might require some serious negotiation with CSX since I suspect CSX would like to deny any competitors beyond CP to the port. I wonder if NS / CSX would agree to meet halfway and interchange Albany-bound ethanol/crude/grain(?) traffic at a place like Cleveland, OH (of course they could do so today without NS acquisition of D&H South)?

I believe none of this. More likely to see NS leverage New England connections to get all the way to Saint John or if they want to export, look for a port in New England. Otherwise, just go to Perth Amboy which recently completed an expansion and they already have rights to over CSAO.

johnpbarlow wrote:

newpylong wrote:The real rumor is that they are interested in the Albany Main to dip into the port and oil traffic. Albany has pretty high freight volumes to truck on by only 10 miles to the west.

So the rumor has NS re-establishing the diamond at VO and re-laying track from VO to Albany? Or just seeking rights over CSX to Albany via Selkirk? The former option would be time consuming, expensive, and put NS trains directly on CP track at the Port. And the latter option might require some serious negotiation with CSX since I suspect CSX would like to deny any competitors beyond CP to the port. I wonder if NS / CSX would agree to meet halfway and interchange Albany-bound ethanol/crude/grain(?) traffic at a place like Cleveland, OH (of course they could do so today without NS acquisition of D&H South)?

The former - but this is a rail fan rumor only.

CN9634 wrote:I believe none of this. More likely to see NS leverage New England connections to get all the way to Saint John or if they want to export, look for a port in New England. Otherwise, just go to Perth Amboy which recently completed an expansion and they already have rights to over CSAO.

The traffic that actually goes on a barge/ship is only a fraction of the carloads the Port of Albany railroad moves. There are other huge customers such as Cargill. Still, it is a long shot - a lot of hurdles.

newpylong wrote:

johnpbarlow wrote:

newpylong wrote:The real rumor is that they are interested in the Albany Main to dip into the port and oil traffic. Albany has pretty high freight volumes to truck on by only 10 miles to the west.

So the rumor has NS re-establishing the diamond at VO and re-laying track from VO to Albany? Or just seeking rights over CSX to Albany via Selkirk? The former option would be time consuming, expensive, and put NS trains directly on CP track at the Port. And the latter option might require some serious negotiation with CSX since I suspect CSX would like to deny any competitors beyond CP to the port. I wonder if NS / CSX would agree to meet halfway and interchange Albany-bound ethanol/crude/grain(?) traffic at a place like Cleveland, OH (of course they could do so today without NS acquisition of D&H South)?

The former - but this is a rail fan rumor only.

Well, to be fair, I myself heard it almost two months ago from a rail WORKER who just happens to also be a buff. YMMV.

Does SMS run on Tuesdays? I have next Tuesday off and was considering going to railfan that day.

SMS runs to DJ when traffic warrants. They ran out there this morning at 0500. Current traffic levels warrant about two runs out per week, sometimes with a good string of empties, sometimes light power in one direction. SMS hopes to grow the traffic in a good partnership with NS.

Is there any indication when they are going to make a run? Like cars piling up in the yard or something?

I am hoping to railfan the line this spring in a month or so. Any updates to the scheduling, or any way to know if a train will be run the next day? I have friends who live right by a crossing and they weren't even sure what the schedule was.