SCHUMER: WITH MAJOR NEW MANUFACTURERS COMING TO CNY WE NEED TO GET AGING RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE BACK ON TRACK; STANDING AT THE OLD SUSQUEHANNA TRAIN STATION, SCHUMER DELIVERS[...]

The NYSW Main Line Connecting Cortland & Onondaga Counties Is A Vital Corridor For Freight Rail Needed For Central NY Industry & Manufacturing - And Is Expected To Become Even More Critical With Major Projects Like Micron On The Horizon - But Early 1900s Infrastructure Has Limited Load Sizes And Sustainability Of Line

Schumer Recently Secured Millions In New Fed $$ For The Final Piece Of The Puzzle, Allowing NYSW To Complete Final Phase Of Upgrades To Increase Capacity, Reliability, Safety, & More In CNY - Bringing The Total Federal Investment Above $10 Million

Schumer: We Need To Keep Central NY Moving Full Steam Ahead For Next Chapter!

Standing at the Old Susquehanna Train Station in Cortland County, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced $3,961,750 in federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to complete a major modernization project for New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway's (NYSW) Main Line stretching between Cortland and Onondaga Counties. Schumer said the funding will help replace miles of near century old rail to increase safety, reliability, capacity, and sustainability, all of which are critical for major economic development in Central NY.

"The feds just greenlit the third and final phase of a major rail modernization project for the NYSW railway's corridor between Cortland and Syracuse. Many of the rail tracks are old - dating back to the early 1900s - and in need of major repair, which is why I'm proud to deliver almost $4 million from my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to increase the railway's safety and capacity, to help ensure major manufacturing projects like Micron's historic $100+ billion investment and many more can have access to the modern freight rail infrastructure they need," said Senator Schumer. "We need to keep Central NY moving full steam ahead to its next chapter and this funding will help finally get our freight rail infrastructure back on the right track. This not only boosts our industry and makes sure it stays connected to the national freight rail network, but will benefit Cortland and the surrounding area all along I-81 by helping keep trucks off highways to reduce traffic. I'm thrilled that the rail improvement program I fought to boost funding for in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law is continuing to deliver for Central NY."

The federal funding today comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program. This award brings the total federal investment in NYSW's project to $10,360,220, including $3,467,348 in FY'22 CRISI funding and $2,931,122 in FY'21 CRISI funding, all a direct result of the historic increases in funding for the program Schumer fought to secure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law.

"With the steadfast support of Senator Schumer and the local governments in Onondaga and Cortland counties, we're making transformative investments in Central New York's rail infrastructure," said James Bonner, President of NYS&W. "This project upgrades local rail infrastructure to enhance reliability and reduce highway congestion while preserving the region's access to the national freight network. Together, we're building a resilient, efficient future for our communities."

"The Cortland Area Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of our business community, is very appreciative of Senator Schumer's efforts to secure funding to complete the final phase of the New York Susquehanna and Western Railroad's main line modernization between Cortland and Syracuse," said Cortland Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Haight. "This modernization will more closely tie us to Onondaga County and its rapidly growing tech industry, including companies like Micron. It will also benefit the local employers who currently make use of the railroad, help attract new business and investment to our community, and preserve jobs while setting the stage for growth here in Cortland."

According to Schumer, this award will help NYSW complete the third and final phase of its rail line modernization project between the City of Cortland and City of Syracuse. Phase three of the project will upgrade over 8 miles of worn, jointed rail to new continuous welded rail, lay over 3,000 tons of ballast and surfacing, and install over 3,000 new ties on the NYSW Cortland to Syracuse main line. More specifically, NYSW will upgrade nearly 6 miles of rail in the Cortland County Towns of Homer and Preble, as well as 2.5 miles of rail in the Onondaga County Towns of Lafayette and Dewitt. The upgrades will enhance the corridor's safety, capacity, operational efficiency, service life, reliability, and track speeds while strengthening regional transportation sustainability by shifting truck traffic to rail, reducing highway miles traveled, congestion, and emissions. In 2023, 10,749 loaded railcars traveled the entire 8.35 miles of the project, that is the equivalent nearly 37,000 tractor-trailers trips being kept off the highways according to NYSW.

Schumer highlighted that NYSW's modernization will stimulate economic development in Cortland County by increasing connectivity to Onondaga County and the Micron project, as well as interchanges with two Class I railways that provide access to other major CHIPS funded development projects across New York State's semiconductor superhighway, including Wolfspeed in the Mohawk Valley, GlobalFoundries in the Capital Region, Edwards Vaccum in Western New York, and more. The Senator added that this modernization project will help NYSW preserve its current local workforce, add new construction jobs during the build, and attract customers to drive new business.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, which Schumer crafted and led to passage in the Senate, included $5 billion over five years for the CRISI program. The program invests in various projects within the United States to improve railroad safety, efficiency, and reliability; mitigate congestion at both intercity passenger and freight rail chokepoints to support more efficient travel and goods movement; enhance multi-modal connections; and lead to new or substantially improved Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation corridors.

The NYSW operates over 400 miles of track in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and is 286,000 pound gross weight capable on all lines. NYSW serves over 85 customers and transports a wide range of commodities such as feed ingredients, lumber, and other building materials, chemicals, and aggregates for customers in New York State. The Susquehanna Station was built in 1873 by architect Isaac G. Perry and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The station once served as a major stop for railroad travel between Binghamton and Syracuse, serving as a vital part of Cortland's economy, and helping to make the city a major regional hub. Today, the Susquehanna Station is owned by NYSW, which allows the City of Cortland to use the station as a community center at no cost. The community center is a popular spot for residents and visitors alike, hosting a variety of events throughout the year, including concerts, plays and community meetings.

###

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet