CSX Announce Major Expansion of USA North East "River Line"

[trisonic]

Get the News here first!

 

On inauguration day CSX made the following announcement:

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - January 21, 2013 - CSX today announced a major track capacity expansion on its premier River Line between northern New Jersey and the Albany, N.Y., region. The $26 million project, with plans for additional River Line capacity expansion in future years, will enable CSX to handle more trains and support the growth of crude oil moving by rail, intermodal shipments, automobiles and other businesses while maintaining strong service performance.

 

A total of 18 miles of second track will be constructed over the next two to three years that will create additional capacity on the Hudson River's west shore. Preliminary work to prepare the sites in New York State at Ravena-Coxsackie, Catskill and Haverstraw is already complete with construction to begin early this year.

 

In addition, CSX continues to invest in terminals, clearance projects and other initiatives to prepare for near- and long-term growth in the Northeast Region, including Philadelphia's Trenton Line where clearance projects are under way. These projects complement other network capacity improvements including ongoing construction of the National Gateway to clear a route from Mid-Atlantic ports to the Midwest for double-stacked containers.

 

"It's critically important that we be prepared to meet our customer's needs as they grow," said Clarence Gooden, executive vice president and chief commercial officer. "The River Line is a key lane for growth and will further contribute to economic development as well as environmental benefits through CSX's terrific fuel efficiency."

 

Capacity on the River Line was last expanded in 2005. Consistent growth in rail traffic on the line over the last several years, along with growth projections, now warrant additional investment to further increase the corridor's capacity. The River Line is part of CSX's premier I-90 corridor that connects Chicago with New York, northern New Jersey, and the Philadelphia areas, and supports some of the network's highest velocity and volumes - much like when it existed as the centerpiece of the predecessor New York Central System.

 

"We continually model our growth projections to ensure that we are fully leveraging our network capacity," said Oscar Munoz, executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Today, we have sufficient capacity for our near-term growth projections, and the capacity expansion initiatives will ensure we're prepared for additional demand for our services. Demand for crude oil, for example, in the New Jersey and Philadelphia area may be as much as five trains per day, or over 400,000 barrels, over the next couple of years. Our capacity initiatives give us the capability to handle this growth along with business opportunities in our merchandise, automotive and intermodal sectors."

 

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation's leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states, the District of Columbia and two Canadian provinces. CSX's network connects more than 240 short line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).

 

Contact:

 

Gary Sease

 

 

 

 

Best, Pete.

[Ohmisterporter]

That has to be good news. Eighteen miles of track for $26 million, I don't know the area so can I ask if this is going through a wilderness or sparsely populated land?

[JWB]

It isn't really wilderness, since the area has been settled since the 17th century and the forests cut over many times, but much of it is prosperous-wealthy suburban-exurban area, and other parts are parks. However, I assume CSX already owns the right of way (which may have been double tracked in earlier times anyhow), and a second track will probably get by the environmental impact review. But never underestimate the power of Not In My Back Yard!

[Adrian Wintle]

Haverstraw is just north of the Tappan Zee bridge, so just outside NYC. Ravena is a fair bit further north at the junction of I-87 and I-90. I'm not sure if some of that line wasn't doubled before, so there may be existing right-of-way/track bed in some places (sure looks like it through Haverstraw). Based on the distance specified and the locations indicated, I'd say that it is 18 miles of loops, rather than doubling an 18-mile section. There are some single bridges along that section that would cost a lot more than $26M to double.

 

Adrian

[Ohmisterporter]

Thanks for the replies. Even if it is a series of loops you wouldn't get far in Britain on £16.25 million.

[dave1905]

Think about what they are spending on that 18 miles and then consider the UP is double tracking from El Paso to LA, about 700 miles.

[trisonic]

I haven't been up that route for a long time but I'm certain it is hemmed in by the Hudson River on one side and granite and homes on the other.......Prime Nimby area!

I thought the bit about ensuring that the route from the Mid-Atlantic Ports to the Mid-West for Double - Stacked container loads was more interesting but they didn't get into details....

 

Dave, Do you have a name and email address for the PR person at UP?

 

Cheers, Pete.

[Adrian Wintle]

I haven't been up that route for a long time but I'm certain it is hemmed in by the Hudson River on one side and granite and homes on the other.......Prime Nimby area!

I thought the bit about ensuring that the route from the Mid-Atlantic Ports to the Mid-West for Double - Stacked container loads was more interesting but they didn't get into details....

 

If it is like some of the work NS has done, it would primarily involve bridge and tunnel clearances as a lot of the lines in the North East don't (or didn't) have the clearances for double stacks (or double-deck coaches like Superliners). Being a heavily populated area, there are a lot of bridges, tunnels, and other structures that need to have their clearances 'adjusted'. Due to geography and population density, this is/was much less of an issue west of the Mississippi.

 

Some of the line in question runs right along the west side of the Hudson, but in other places it swings away from the river and it appears that it is in some of these places that the second track will be added.

 

Adrian

[trisonic]

Thanks, Adrian. When it is warmer (!) I'd like to make the trip up to Montreal on it...is that still possible?

Hope you're keeping warm it is bad enough down here.

 

Best, Pete.

[Adrian Wintle]

It is a bit frosty up here -10C/14F with wind and a bit of snow. Nothing too serious.

 

It is still possible to get from New York (Penn Station) to Montreal on the Adirondack - Amtrak Trains 68/69 run daily. It is almost 11 hours for 381 miles

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/835/418/Adirondack-Schedule-011413.pdf

 

You can also do the trip to Toronto on the Maple Leaf - Amtrak Trains 63/64. 13.5 hours for 544 miles*

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/809/490/Maple-Leaf-Schedule-011413.pdf

 

Both of those run up the old NYC Water Level Route on the other side of the Hudson. I expect the Adirondack is a prettier ride.

If you are a real sucker for punishment, do the loop with a VIA train between Toronto and Montreal...

 

*I have considered using this to visit a friend in Wilmington DE, but you can't actually do it. If the Maple Leaf makes it into NYC sharp to time (9:45PM)**, it might be possible to catch the last Regional (10:05PM, getting into Wilmington at 12:40AM - this was the scheduled connection a few years ago), but the connection in the current schedule is the last Keystone train (11:15PM) that only goes as far as Philly, leaving me an hour short of my destination at 12:40AM. Note that this would require me leaving my house in time to catch the 6AM or 6:30AM GO Train into Toronto to make the 8:20AM departure. The return trip would leave me in downtown Toronto with no train to get me home (although there is a bus). And people wonder why nobody takes the train these days...

 

**I laugh at the concept - I'm reasonably sure that making into NYC in time for the scheduled connection is no better than a toss up.

 

Adrian

[CraigZ]

This is the old New York Central "West Shore" line.  It was double tracked all the way to Selkirk Yard at Albany, NY so the right of way shouldn't be any sort of issue to CSX.  South of Dumont NJ it was four tracks from the late 1920s down to the mouth of the tunnel under the Palisades to Weehawken, NJ.  That tunnel is now used by NJ Transit's light rail line; the old yard facilities at Weehawken are long gone, covered now with residential blocks of flats/condominiums that are quite expensive...they're directly across from Manhattan.  Ferry boats take residents across or the light rail takes them to the old Lackawanna terminal at Hoboken where they can take the PATH trains (Hudson Tubes) to Manhattan.  And that's not to mention the spectacular views of midtown Manhattan from that place.  I shot this photo about 9 years ago from the top of the Palisades overlooking the old yard area.  You can see the old cribbing in the water that supported the NYC and the NYO&W docks/piers.  That's all gone now.  (Yes, the New York, Ontario & Western had trackage rights down the West Shore from Cornwall, NY to Weehawken...but that's another story!)

 

 

[dave1905]

Dave, Do you have a name and email address for the PR person at UP?

 

Easiest way is to go to UP.com, Media, Contact us, Media Contacts and there is a "send e-mail" for each of the regional and corporate people.  The PR folks are regional so pick the geographic area you are wanting info on.  That will go to the person listed which would be the same person I would send you to.

[Mike Boucher]

It is a bit frosty up here -10C/14F with wind and a bit of snow. Nothing too serious.

 

It is still possible to get from New York (Penn Station) to Montreal on the Adirondack - Amtrak Trains 68/69 run daily. It is almost 11 hours for 381 miles

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/835/418/Adirondack-Schedule-011413.pdf

 

You can also do the trip to Toronto on the Maple Leaf - Amtrak Trains 63/64. 13.5 hours for 544 miles*

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/809/490/Maple-Leaf-Schedule-011413.pdf

 

Both of those run up the old NYC Water Level Route on the other side of the Hudson. I expect the Adirondack is a prettier ride.

If you are a real sucker for punishment, do the loop with a VIA train between Toronto and Montreal...

 

Adrian

 

If you do take the Adirondack someday, you might want to try to switch seats at Albany.

 

Sitting on the west side of the train for the first half, you get great views of the Hudson on the "water level" route up to Albany.

 

Sitting on the east side of the train, you can look out over Lake Champlain when its here:

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=137565

[trisonic]

Easiest way is to go to UP.com, Media, Contact us, Media Contacts and there is a "send e-mail" for each of the regional and corporate people.  The PR folks are regional so pick the geographic area you are wanting info on.  That will go to the person listed which would be the same person I would send you to.

Thanks, Dave. I've sent an Email to Thomas Lange asking to be put on their "News" subsciption.

 

Cheers, Pete.

[lakeview770]

I wish we could see something like that on the CSX P&A Sub between Jacksonville FL and New Orleans LA since Katrina traffic has been cut back and the line sees about 8 to 10 trains a day mostly at night it just seems a waste of a good asset.

 

Andrew

[trisonic]

This is the old New York Central "West Shore" line.  It was double tracked all the way to Selkirk Yard at Albany, NY so the right of way shouldn't be any sort of issue to CSX.  South of Dumont NJ it was four tracks from the late 1920s down to the mouth of the tunnel under the Palisades to Weehawken, NJ.  That tunnel is now used by NJ Transit's light rail line; the old yard facilities at Weehawken are long gone, covered now with residential blocks of flats/condominiums that are quite expensive...they're directly across from Manhattan.  Ferry boats take residents across or the light rail takes them to the old Lackawanna terminal at Hoboken where they can take the PATH trains (Hudson Tubes) to Manhattan.  And that's not to mention the spectacular views of midtown Manhattan from that place.  I shot this photo about 9 years ago from the top of the Palisades overlooking the old yard area.  You can see the old cribbing in the water that supported the NYC and the NYO&W docks/piers.  That's all gone now.  (Yes, the New York, Ontario & Western had trackage rights down the West Shore from Cornwall, NY to Weehawken...but that's another story!)

If I have to go into Manhattan I usually drive to Weehawken, park the car at the ferry terminal and catch the ferry. Avoiding all the road crossings (getting to the Lincoln Tunnel is a nightmare going back at just about any time). You turn off for Weehawken just before the down helix. As you say the views are better than from Manhattan - one of the great views in the World IMO.

 

Best, Pete.