Cars for customers on the Utica Branch are being dropped off in Utica by CSX. The first customers north of Chenango Forks are located in Sherburne (approx 40 miles north of Forks). Thereafter, there are customers in Sangerfield and Utica (one, Matt's Brewery, is off the Main on Schuyler Street, the others are all on the NY Mills & New Hartford Industrials, formerly NYC/West Shore & O&W). Of course, the Susquehanna's shops are also located in the old DL&W Freight House in the Utica Yard. Based on a conversation with someone knowlegeable with the RR, though no final decision has yet been reached, it appears likely that that damage caused by flooding south of Norwich (courtesy of the Chenango River) will not be repaired.
This would be a pity because the tracks from Forks to Norwich were the beneficiary of a major rehabilitation project in 2002 (the tracks north of Norwich received a big upgrade in 2003). If this part of the line is abandoned, the absence of tracks will most likely make the construction of the NYRI Power Line, if approved, easier (the NYS&W signed an agreement allowing a power line to be built along its ROW from Utica to just south of Norwich where it will turn southeasterly and terminate in Orange County). This may be the real motive if the tracks are not repaired. The company line probably would be, "Why repair the line if there are no customers for the first 40 miles north of CF"? Why, then, was the line re-habed in the first place (mostly at taxpayer expense)? Time will tell but I'm hoping the repairs will be made!