Metro-North
JERVIS ROUTE TO REOPEN EARLY: In October, Metro-North Commuter Railroad an- nounced that repairs to the Port Jervis line, which was washed out by Hurricane Irene in August, progressed faster than originally an- ticipated and that on November 28, trains would return to the full pre-storm schedule. Filling washouts and restoring embank-
ments, MNCR maintenance of way forces and contractors worked their way south from Har- riman, N.Y. to Sloatsburg, where the most se- vere damage occurred. Four miles of double track between Sloatsburg and Suffern were undermined by the Ramapo River and pre- sented the biggest challenge. Crews have been able to recover much of the ballast and fill that was washed away, so that just 80,000 tons of new ballast will be needed, compared to the original estimate of 150,000 tons. The project’s estimated cost has also been dialed down from $50 million to $37 million. Although the full schedule was to have re-
sumed on November 28, much work still needs to be done, including stabilizing the river bank along the right of way, building retaining walls, and other flood mitigation work.
Saratoga & North Creek
EXPANSION IN THE NEAR FUTURE: The Saratoga & North Creek has asked the Surface Transportation Board for permission to provide common carrier service over the National Lead Industries Tahawus line, which runs for 30 miles north of S&NC’s North Creek terminus to Newcomb, N.Y. S&NC, which took over oper- ations of the former Delaware & Hudson branch between North Creek and a connection with Canadian Pacific at Saratoga Springs last summer, planned to complete the purchase of the line from National Lead by the end of No- vember. The railroad’s passenger excursions have been quite successful, with ski trains and the Polar Express on tap for the winter.
ART SELLERS NS Gathers Predecessor Units for 30th Anniversary Photo Op
NORFOLK SOUTHERN COLLECTED THREE GP30s from its component roads in Roanoke, Va., for an October 21, 2011, night photo session to benefit the O. Winston Link Museum. The units included Conrail No. 2233 from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Southern No. 2594 from the Southeastern Railway Museum, and Norfolk & Western No. 522 from the Roanoke Chapter NRHS, along with NS SD60E No. 6902, a product of the Juniata Shops. On October 23, NS ran the Geeps, led by SD40-2 No. 6103, on a hopper train for 30th anniversary calendar and publicity photos.
SunRail
ORLANDO COMMUTER RAIL PROGRESS: On November 3, 2011, the Florida Depart- ment of Transportation closed on the deal to buy 61 miles of CSX track and right of way in Central Florida for the SunRail commuter system. In the project’s first phase, the former Atlantic Coast Line route will be double- tracked for 31 miles between DeBary, north of Orlando, and Sand Lake Road near Belle Isle, south of Orlando. Other improvements will in- clude a dozen new stations, an improved sig-
nal system, and a train dispatching office, and maintenance and servicing facilities. Trains are expected to begin running in 2014. The project’s second phase will extend service north to DeLand and south to Poinciana. Concurrently, capacity improvements, in-
cluding new and extended passing tracks and improved signaling, are being made to the CSX ex-Seaboard Air Line freight route be- tween Baldwin and Auburndale to accommo- date freight traffic that will be diverted away from the Orlando line during the commuter system’s hours of operation.
KEVIN BURKHOLDER New England Passenger Extras
PROVIDENCE & WORCESTER was involved in two passenger movements in October 2011. On October 19, B40-8W No. 4005 led Green Mountain Railroad combine No. 280 and office car McIntyre (above left) past Okemo, Vt., on an inspection trip that ran between Whitehall, N.Y., and Worcester, Mass. to showcase the “new Green Mountain Gateway” route. The train used Vermont Rail System’s Clarendon & Pittsford between Whitehall and Rutland, Vt.; the Green
Mountain Railway to Bellows Falls; New England Central to Williman- tic, Conn., and P&W to Worcester. The trip was to have run in late Au- gust, but Hurricane Irene destroyed much of the route in Vermont and forced its postponement. Then on October 26, P&W used its newly-ac- quired SD60s on an employee appreciation train. GMTX 9014 led the consist along the Norwich Branch at Webster, Mass. (above right) as it passed under the abandoned Boston & Albany Webster Springs Branch.
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DANIEL WENC
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