Infrastructure investments on D&H line results in improved service for Norfolk Southern

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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Norfolk Southern train I2K was the first to operate along the former Delaware & Hudson mainline after the purchase from Canadian Pacific was completed on September 19, 2015.
Norfolk Southern

It's been one year since Norfolk Southern purchased the Delaware & Hudson Railway Co.'s (D&H) line between Sunbury, Pa., and Schenectady, N.Y.

The Class 1 marked the first anniversary of the purchase on Sept. 19 by highlighting the line’s infrastructure investments and improved customer service.

“We set out to improve our competitive transportation offerings between Pennsylvania, New York and New England, and I’m proud to say Norfolk Southern is well on its way to achieving that goal,” said Norfolk Southern Chairman, President and CEO James A. Squires. “Norfolk Southern takes great pride in incorporating this corridor into our safe, reliable and efficient 22-state freight rail network.”

On Sept. 18, 2015, NS completed its purchase of 282 miles of D&H track for $214.5 million from Canadian Pacific Railway. Delaware & Hudson is a subsidiary of CP.

This past year saw NS hire 166 new employees, including 140 former D&H employees with experience working the corridor. NS also installed 90,000 new crossties, resurfaced 84 miles of track and made improvements to New York’s Belden Tunnel to improve safety and service on the line.

NS notes that improved service on the route, including an average of eight daily trains, has helped attract additional rail traffic, shifting long-haul trucks off public roadways. NS Intermodal terminals at Ayer, Mass., and Scranton, Pa., have seen double-digit volume growth during the past year.

The line connects to Norfolk Southern’s network at Sunbury and Binghamton, N.Y., as well as to its joint venture subsidiary Pan Am Southern at Mechanicville, N.Y. Together, the Pan Am Southern network, which services New England markets and the former D&H line provide NS with a single-line route linking Chicago and southeastern U. S. markets to the Capital Region of New York.

Norfolk Southern said its partnership with New York to replace the Portageville Bridge in Letchworth State Park will further improve service to Binghamton, Scranton, Albany and New England. The new bridge, expected to open in 2017, will replace the span, which operates under weight and speed restrictions.

“Our operation of this corridor not only underscores our confidence in the economy of the region, but also preserves good-paying railroad jobs and revitalizes this important rail line,” said John H. Friedmann, NS vice president strategic planning. “We’re making these investments to provide our customers with freight rail service that helps them thrive, and we continuously look to improve safety for our employees, our customers, and the communities in which we operate.”

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