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Discussion related to NYAR operations on Long Island. Official web site can be found here: www.anacostia.com/nyar/nyar.html. Also includes discussion related to NYNJ Rail, the carfloat operation successor to New York Cross Harbor that connects with NYAR.
 #338538  by Nova55
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 15, 2006
GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES $60 MILLION IN STATEWIDE RAIL FUNDING


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$8 Million Will Improve and Expand Rail Infrastructure in Adirondack Park

Governor George E. Pataki today announced $60 million in State rail funding, including $3 million for rail improvements between Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, and North Creek, Warren County, and $5 million to extend the Adirondack Scenic Railway between Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, Franklin County. The improvements will modernize New York’s rail system, increase capacity, and advance tourism opportunities throughout the State.

“Today’s $60 million in rail infrastructure investments will extend rail services, update facilities, improve tourism, reduce congestion and harmful emissions from heavy truck traffic across New York State, and provide significant economic and environmental benefits in the Adirondack Park,” Governor Pataki said. “Rehabilitating rail tracks in the Adirondacks will help draw visitors and boost economic opportunities throughout the region, tying into the planned expansion of Gore Mountain.”

The funding announced today includes the final three years of the five-year, $100 million Rail Freight and Passenger Rail Assistance Program financed by the State Dedicated Fund. The initiative provided $100 million for rail improvements, $20 million per year, through 2010. During the first round of funding in 2005, 19 railroads were awarded $40 million.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said, “Improved rail service is critically important for New York to remain a transportation leader and innovator in the 21st Century. Better rail service will offer a more reliable and affordable way to move freight, help passengers travel more efficiently, and will be an increased incentive for businesses to locate in New York, creating new jobs, and strengthening both our economy and our infrastructure for the future. In addition, improved rail service will make Upstate New York even more attractive as a tourist destination.”

Senator Hugh T. Farley said, “Development of the rail line can mean tremendous opportunities to improve the economy in this part of the Adirondacks. The area is rich in tourism and recreational resources, and expanded rail travel has been eagerly anticipated by communities such as Saratoga Springs and Corinth. I commend Governor Pataki’s commitment to helping our Adirondack communities.”

Assembly Republican Leader James Tedisco said, “I often hear from my constituents that they would like to see trains running at more convenient times to New York City and elsewhere. These rail improvements will be a major boost to Saratoga County’s already growing and vibrant economy as well as the region and our Upstate communities and will benefit residents and businesses by providing more efficient and timely service.”

Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward said, “Once again, we can applaud Governor Pataki for his enthusiastic commitment to the economic well being of the North Country. This funding Governor Pataki is providing will greatly enhance tourism and improve accessibility for commuters and visitors throughout the region.”

Assemblyman Roy McDonald said, “Having a strong transportation infrastructure in place is a key part to developing the economy in Saratoga, Washington and Rensselear Counties. Now that Advanced Micro Devices is building a plant in Malta, improving rail service to the area is even more critical.”

Mayor of Saratoga Springs Valerie Keehn said, “I am very pleased to learn that our area will be receiving $8 million in State rail funding, with a significant portion of it going toward rail improvements in Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County. These improvements will encourage tourism and provide an alternative mode of transportation to places like Gore Mountain.”

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Harry G. Gutheil Jr. said, “It’s nice that Governor Pataki continues recognizing the needs of Upstate New York. This rail infrastructure initiative is a very positive, pro-active approach to enhancing tourism and supporting industrial and retail economic development. The intermodal freight transportation assistance to the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Delaware and Hudson Railroad is also great news as these companies service industrial parks in Saratoga County and the Capital Region.”

In Saratoga County, $1 million in funding will be provided to the Town of Corinth to repair approximately 200 feet of track that was damaged following a beaver dam break that caused the track and surrounding terrain to wash out. These improvements, in addition to upgrades along the 16.5-mile rail spur between Saratoga Springs and Corinth, will allow rail passenger and freight excursion services to resume operation. Another $2 million will be provided to Warren County for ongoing track rehabilitation to a 40-mile stretch of the same track that extends from Corinth to North Creek.

Track improvements to the rail corridor between Saratoga Springs and North Creek will provide a direct rail link between Manhattan and North Creek, allowing easier access to Main Street businesses, as well as to the newly enhanced facilities at the North Creek Ski Bowl and Gore Mountain. It will also provide added economic opportunities and jobs in the area by attracting businesses that depend on rail to ship freight. The work will preserve the rail line and will include installation of new ties, ballast work, track surfacing, joint maintenance and signal improvements at grade crossings.

The other Adirondack region project being funded calls for $5 million to be provided to the Adirondack Scenic Railway during State Fiscal Years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 to upgrade 28 miles of existing track between Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake for passenger use. The Adirondack Scenic Railway runs along a 118-mile rail corridor from Remsen, Oneida County, to Lake Placid, Essex County. Currently, 45 miles of the corridor is used for tourist passenger service, including track between Remsen and Thendara, Herkimer County, and track between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.

Improvements to the Adirondack Scenic Railway will include tie replacement, ballast improvements, resurfacing, track rehabilitation, vegetation control and grade crossing rehabilitations. The extension will provide visitors and residents with access to hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, fishing and camping in sections of the Adirondacks where vehicle access is limited or non-existent and will provide a significant boost to the regional economy.

New York has led the nation in railroad investment, providing approximately $359 million for rail capital projects since 1995. Investments have been focused on increasing rail access to New York City and Long Island, as well as expanding the capacity of New York’s Upstate railroads to ensure that future increases in rail freight can be absorbed by the industry, helping to reduce commercial vehicle traffic on State roadways.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Thomas J. Madison Jr. said, “Expanding the availability of rail service improves economic development opportunities for businesses, enhances passenger rail service, generates tourism, and reduces congestion on our roads and bridges, especially in northern New York. The Governor’s Rail Program, which has funded more than $359 million in vitally important rail improvement projects since 1995, represents an unprecedented level of commitment by Governor Pataki, and has expanded and improved critical rail systems in a very significant way all across New York State.”

The Rail Freight and Passenger Rail Assistance Program, administered by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), is financed by the State’s five-year transportation capital program. The funds will be used for track and bridge improvements, grade crossing eliminations or upgrades, construction of inter-modal facilities, and the provision of passenger service subsidies.

Saratoga Economic Development Corporation Senior Vice President Jack Kelley said, “The re-establishment of the rail line from Saratoga Springs to Corinth and on to North Creek will assure the economic viability of the Southern Adirondack Region. Governor Pataki’s outstanding record of creating jobs in New York State will live on for many years with this investment in transportation infrastructure. Future generations will look back on his economic development leadership with admiration. The people of the Towns of Saratoga County all thank you.”

Warren County Economic Development Corporation President Len Fosbrook said, “I would like to thank Governor Pataki for his continued support of Warren County and the Adirondacks. This funding completes our dream of being able to get on a train in New York City and arrive at the heart of the Adirondacks: North Creek, New York.”

Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce President, and Adirondack On Track Partnership Chairman Garry Douglas said, “This is great news for the Adirondacks, helping to preserve rail access for the future, with all of its opportunities for tourism promotion, economic development, and the movement of people in and out of the region by other than cars, including potential major events in Lake Placid in the years to come. And it is especially great news for the tri-lakes, which can now look forward to the scenic railway moving visitors around to the attractions in Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, including the new Wild Center. We cannot thank Governor Pataki enough for appreciating the vital importance of the Adirondack rail line, restoring the north and south sections several years ago and now funding the next step in the region’s dream of a fully restored and active railway from Utica to Lake Placid.”

Additional projects funded as part of the $60 million program include:

YEAR 2007 - 08 PROJECTS

$3 million to Canadian Pacific Railway and the Delaware & Hudson Railroad to establish an intermodal freight transportation facility in the Capital Region;
$1.5 million to Canadian Pacific Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway Co. and New York Susquehanna & Western Railway for improvements at Binghamton Yard, which serves Canada, New England, the Southeast, the Midwest and the Port of New York/New Jersey;
$4.5 million to CSX Transportation, Inc. for track improvements and siding construction, in Catskill, Green County; and
$5 million to Amtrak to subsidize operating costs in Schenectady, Saratoga, Essex, Washington and Clinton counties.
YEAR 2008 - 09 PROJECTS

$2 million to Norfolk Southern Railway Company to replace a bridge over the Genesee River near Portageville, Wyoming County;
$4 million to the Canadian Pacific Railway and Delaware & Hudson Railroad for an intermodal freight transportation facility in the Capital Region;
$1.3 million to New York & Atlantic Railway Co. for track restoration at Fremont Yard, Bay Ridge Branch, Queens County;
$1.7 million to CSX Transportation, Inc. for track improvements and siding construction in Kingston, Ulster County;
$4 million to CSX Transportation, Inc. for track improvements and siding construction in Mt. Marion and Saugerties, Ulster County; and
$5 million to Amtrak to subsidize operating costs in Schenectady, Saratoga, Essex, Washington, and Clinton counties.


YEAR 2009 - 10 PROJECTS

$1.5 million to Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority for track rehabilitation in St. Lawrence County;
$1.49 million to Mohawk Adirondack & Northern Railroad Corp. for track rehabilitation in Utica and Rome, Oneida County, and Lyons Falls, Lewis County;
$500,000 to Livonia Avon & Lakeville Railroad Corp. for track rehabilitation in the Town of Avon, Livingston County, and the Town of Henrietta, Monroe County;
$820,000 to Finger Lakes Railroad Co., Inc. for track and bridge rehabilitation and improvements in Schuyler and Yates counties;
$875,000 to Batten Kill Railroad Co., Inc. for bridge rehabilitation on four bridges in Washington County;
$270,000 to Empire State Development for track improvements at the Radisson Park Rail Yard, Onondaga County;
$1.5 million to Owego & Harford Railway, Inc. for track improvements in Tioga and Cortland counties;
$895,000 to Clarendon & Pittsford Railroad Co., for track installation in the Town of Whitehall, Washington County;
$720,000 to Buffalo Southern Railroad, Inc. for track rehabilitation in the Town of Eden, Erie County;
$2 million to Middletown & New Jersey Railway Co., Inc. for rail replacement in Orange County;
$1.68 million to New York & Atlantic Railway Co. for industrial rail terminal construction and yard restoration in Suffolk County;
$1.1 million to Arcade & Attica Railroad Corp. for rail rehabilitation in Wyoming County;
$1.65 million to Central New York Railroad Corp. for track rehabilitation in Orange, Sullivan, Delaware, and Broome counties; and
$5 million to Amtrak to subsidize operating costs in Schenectady, Saratoga, Essex, Washington, and Clinton counties.
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 #338613  by jayrmli
 
Just because it was announced doesn't mean it will be spent. I'll take a wait-and-see approach. Here's a couple more blasts from the past to justify my attitude...

1) Remember a sizeable grant to restore the siding at Continental Baking in Jamaica? Nothing was done there.
2) $1.5 million to restore the siding to the old Grumman plant at Calverton. Not one tree has even been cut down in the last 4 years.

Jay
 #338618  by Sir Ray
 
Nova55 wrote:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 15, 2006
I guess this forum has been pretty quiet lately, as this news is 9 days old - or did Albany really delay that long before releasing it?

Tonnes of self-congratulatory back-patting about rather insignificant grants snipped...
YEAR 2007 - 08 PROJECTS
...
$1.3 million to New York & Atlantic Railway Co. for track restoration at Fremont Yard, Bay Ridge Branch, Queens County;
OK, I thought Fremont was just an interchange track near Fresh Pond - is there really a yard called Fremont or did the press release muck up? (no surprize there). Do they really mean Fresh Pond yard? Googling was somewhat inconclusive. (In particular, 'Fremont Yard' either links back to this press release, or to various departments in the City of Fremont, California). However, West Island seems to indicate that Fresh Pond Yard is scheduled to be rebuilt and expanded after the Bay Ridge & Bushwick branches are rebuilt: West Island Railfanning Page
YEAR 2009 - 10 PROJECTS
...
$2 million to Middletown & New Jersey Railway Co., Inc. for rail replacement in Orange County;
Heh - how's that MSW transfer station coming along?
$1.68 million to New York & Atlantic Railway Co. for industrial rail terminal construction and yard restoration in Suffolk County;
Well, this earmark is even vaguer than the Fremont Yard - our minds can really reach on this one - Price Parkway :-) Calverton :-D Pilgram State Intermodal :P ! Seriously, anyone know what the real project is?

 #338621  by Sir Ray
 
jayrmli wrote:1) Remember a sizeable grant to restore the siding at Continental Baking in Jamaica? Nothing was done there.
This I use as my poster child for ineffectual downstate railfreight policies.
What was the deal anyway - did Continental have no intention of using rail freight, just wanted a better contract w/ it's trucking firms, and figured Pataki was just the Patsey to help?
2) $1.5 million to restore the siding to the old Grumman plant at Calverton. Not one tree has even been cut down in the last 4 years.
This one seemed a little clearer, as the building material firm moved out of Calverton (perhaps due to the Township fartzing around in the first place), so there was not enough customers left to justify the rebuilt branch. Or am I mis-remembering...

 #338717  by Nova55
 
Building ferm? Eastern Fence is still tehre on a nice size chunk of property they bought out right inside the property..

 #338757  by Sir Ray
 
Nova55 wrote:Building ferm? Eastern Fence is still tehre on a nice size chunk of property they bought out right inside the property..
Kamco
From the original grant announcement (Sept 2002)
Governor George E. Pataki today announced approval of a $1 million Industrial Access Program (IAP) grant to restore rail service to the former Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Property located at the Calverton Enterprise Park in the Town of Riverhead, Suffolk County.
The IAP money will be boosted by $500,000 in funding secured by Senator Kenneth P. LaValle. The improvements will provide much needed, direct rail access to the Mivila Food Distribution Facility and the Kamco Lumber Supply Corporation—a step that will help to create 225 new jobs over the next three years.
Seems like Kamco was the one to drop the ball, although I'm sure Riverhead township didn't help matters (article from March 2004):
After failing to make inroads into the East End development market, Kamco Building Supply is in contract to sell its facility at the Enterprise Park at Calverton to Vertical Line Productions, another tenant of the park, according to several real estate sources.
...
The source said Kamco failed to make inroads into the bustling residential development market on the East End, which is dominated by Riverhead Building Supply.

 #338758  by n2qhvRMLI
 
NOVA,

Forget Eastern Fence, they bought the property, put up a fence and called it a parking lot - instead of a rail spur :P

The building company Sir Ray is talking about was KAMCO, and they did indeed move out of Calverton pronto. The snail's pace on that spur may very well have been the catalyst for their exit. I think Mivila Foods is all that's left at Calverton who was interested in getting that spur up and running.

I ditto Jay on this one, much water will flow below the Hell Gate Bridge and many tractor-trailers will ride the LIE long before the 08-09 and 09-10 fiscal year projects come into view. By then who knows what the political landscape will be.

Oh well, the press release gave the politicos an oportunity to vent some hot air at Holiday time just before the new year, Merry Christmas.

See ya,
de Don n2qhvRMLI

 #339438  by jayrmli
 
Kamco left Riverhead in disgust after they were screwed over by the Town of Riverhead and anyone else associated with the grant. The money was there...ready to be spent. $1.5 million dollars for three companies - Kamco, Mivila Foods and a third which has never been announced publicly (but still wants to go in there).

There's still business to be had in there, and after the Town of Riverhead said "thanks, but no thanks" to $1.5 million, they eventually asked for it back. Still, no action.

Jay

 #340562  by tahawus84
 
Riverhead screwed 84 lumber too

 #340806  by Spartan Phalanx
 
So that's it, 84 Lumber will remain a truck-served business in Riverhead, and nothing will be done in Calverton? Is the Town government still anti-rail?

 #340810  by Nova55
 
Riverhead is VERY anti rail...
Only guys in Riverhead that gets cars are Paraco and Riverhead Building supply gets a car once in a blue moon. Thers a guy getting cars in teh team track but I beleive thats RBS.

 #340835  by Spartan Phalanx
 
I wonder if their anti-rail freight sentiment is something the Suffolk County DA or the State Attorney General should look into.....