Canadian/Saratoga-Champlain Mainline Work Update

[Champlain Division]

From the May - June 2004 issue of the ESPA Express newsletter:

Canadian Pacific American Mainline Update
The 173-mile Canadian Pacific - Delaware & Hudson (CP-D&H) mainline between Schenectady and Rouses Point will continue to see infrastructure improvements during the remainder of 2004. The joint CP/NYSDOT project is part of the economic development / passenger rail enhancement program for the I-87 rail corridor. CP has completed their contractual obligation for the line upgrade during the past year.

New power turnouts installed at the new Saratoga Springs Station will be powered up during the 3rd quarter of 2004. This will allow for remote control operation of the switches by the CP dispatch center in Minneapolis, MN. eliminating the hand throw operation of the controlled siding into the station.

During the 4th quarter the real centerpiece of the capital program should become operational. The fiber optic signal system which eliminates all lineside and roadside signal wiring is due to be cut into service. Signal problems have always been a significant problem for the Amtrak Adirondack and Ethan Allen trains which operate on the line.

Also scheduled and ongoing for the 2004 construction season is a joint Federal/State/CP tunnel clearance project unrelated to I-87 initiative. Steve Fisk- senior manager of business development for CP points out that these improvements are for double stack container service to and from the U.S. and Canada.

One tunnel is located at Willsboro and the other at Fort Ticonderoga. Canadian Pacific and Norfolk Southern have been working closely together on marketing efforts to build traffic volume on the Canadian Mainline and thus the need for the freight improvements Mr. Fisk did not indicate that Amtrak service would be delayed as a result of this construction.

Ben Gottfried

[lvrr 560]

When will the welded rail portion be completed ?

[Champlain Division]

Anybody got a update on this project? Seems I read about the tunnel clearance project somewhere recently.

[Railjunkie]

Went north last week on 71 and they were starting to do work on the Ft Ti tunnel still waiting for still waiting for the new CPC 36 to be cut in. Have heard rumors that a "new" siding will be put in at rockland and possibly Port Henry do to the increased traffic

[Railjunkie]

An addition to my last post CPC 36 was cut into service as 1600 yesterday afternoon there is now a controled siding between CPC 36 CPC 37 under control of the north end train dispatcher.

[trainman111]

About 2 days ago, the CP 250 came through my town (Rouses Point). The train consisted of about 20 drop-end gondolas. The load was one continous rail that extended the whole train. I'm guessing that the rail was heading south to the work are where the welded rails are being placed.