Railroad Forums 

  • Utica Branch Discussion Thread

  • Discussion related to New York, Susquehanna & Western operations past and present. Also includes some discussion related to Deleware Otsego owned and operated shortlines. Official web site can be found here: NYSW.COM.
Discussion related to New York, Susquehanna & Western operations past and present. Also includes some discussion related to Deleware Otsego owned and operated shortlines. Official web site can be found here: NYSW.COM.

Moderators: GOLDEN-ARM, NJ Vike

 #1476095  by JoeCollege
 
I was off by a few hours. But both units did return north with 2 loaded bulkhead flats of steel for a customer in the Utica area. First revenue freight since 2006. Hopefully a sign of things to come.
 #1476164  by milkman
 
Nice video ut-1!, I was hoping you would post a video of it.
I video taped the train as it went by our house, but yours is much better.
 #1476866  by milkman
 
NYS&W142Fan wrote:
milkman wrote:some info on the railroad from the Norwich Evening Sun.
https://www.evesun.com/news/stories/201 ... -business/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Can you please post the content of the article here so those of us who do not have a subscription can read it.

Thanks!
I don't have a subscription to the paper so I can't copy and paste it, but I did buy the paper so I could read the article.
It didn't say a whole lot, just explained how they got the grants to restore the line and that the line is now open and ready for business.
It did mention that they are talking to potential customers in chenango county and else ware along the line.
 #1476887  by johnpbarlow
 
If NYSW is actively marketing the Utica branch, it has yet to publish tariffs on its web site for points south of Sangerfield/Waterville along the line (eg, there are no tariffs shown for Norwich or Shelburne). The tariffs for the so-called "Utica Group" include only the following stations, which are all serviced from Utica via CSX interchange:
Chadwicks, NY
Clayville, NY
New Hartford, NY
New York Mills, NY
Sangerfield, NY
Paris, NY
Richfield Junction, NY
Utica, NY
Waterville, NY


And at the south end of the Utica branch, the "Binghamton Station Group" references only Binghamton, Chenango Bridge, and Chenango Forks.

Furthermore, in the Lumber and Related Panel Products Tariff document, effective 1/1/2018 through 12/31/2018, is this text:
Utica Station Group: - Interline traffic to/from stations contained in the Utica Station Group must be routed via interchange with the CSX at Utica, NY.
The other published commodities tariffs currently in effect (Grains and related products, plastics, and Fertilizer) indicate the same stipulation re: Utica Station group.

Here's the URL to NYSW corporate web site: http://www.nysw.com/

Perhaps the NYSW web site is not yet up to date wrt new tariffs to market the whole of the Utica line....
 #1476893  by johnpbarlow
 
I found this article in today's on-line edition of Railway Track & Structures:

https://www.rtands.com/freight/shortlin ... -12-years/

Excerpts:
The first freight shipment in 12 years on New York Susquehanna and Western (NYSW) Railroad’s Utica Line consisted of a locomotive pulling two flat cars carrying hollow steel beams from Elkhart, Ind., to New York Mills near Utica, N.Y.
So I'm guessing these two centerbeam cars were interchanged from NS at Binghamton.

And:
CCIDA [County of Chenango Industrial Development Agency] hopes the steel beam shipment will be the first of many as the restored freight rail service is now being marketed to potential customers in Chenango County and elsewhere on the NYSW system.
 #1477504  by JoeCollege
 
The empties returned south today. There is demand for loads of stone from the West Winfield area to Binghamton during construction season, which will be over before we know it. Not sure pet food is a customer anymore, and the old Sherburne Metal plant is closed. There was a plastics manufacturer in the county that got pellets, but I think those were transloaded at Utica and that was many moons ago. Not sure who else the IDA is marketing to but I wish them tremendous success.
 #1477582  by milkman
 
JoeCollege wrote:The empties returned south today. There is demand for loads of stone from the West Winfield area to Binghamton during construction season, which will be over before we know it. Not sure pet food is a customer anymore, and the old Sherburne Metal plant is closed. There was a plastics manufacturer in the county that got pellets, but I think those were transloaded at Utica and that was many moons ago. Not sure who else the IDA is marketing to but I wish them tremendous success.
I heard Raymonds might be interested in using rail service.
Why doesn't Chenango Asphalt use rail service?, the tracks go right by there plant.
 #1477609  by JoeCollege
 
milkman wrote:I heard Raymonds might be interested in using rail service. Why doesn't Chenango Asphalt use rail service?, the tracks go right by there plant.
I don't work there so I don't know but my guess would be that (A) they source their gravel from pretty much right across the street, and (B) they don't use enough oil or whatever to make it cost effective for them or the railroad.

I could see Raymond transloading steel somewhere- Binghamton maybe?- which would negate use of the line unless they could find a spot in Greene and dray it over to the plant. They or someone is using space for box trucks all over town, maybe a piggy back ramp like Victory used in Norwich? I am sure they've looked into it. NYSW does NOT have a good reputation in the local business community as shipper friendly, especially for small irregular shipments. Baillie used to transload at Sherburne but now puts lumber into containers and sends it to Syracuse for CSX to haul away. Chobani doesn't seem to have the need, but I would love to see fruit or something come to Norwich by rail for transload.

If there is business to be generated in Chenango county, I can't seem to find it.
  • 1
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 92