Safety improvement set on Ogdensburg, N.Y., rail line
Written by jrood
As construction season begins, crews from the Vermont Rail System are looking to begin projects to improve the safety of the New York & Ogdensburg Railroad, the Watertown Daily Times reports. According to Vermont Rail Vice President Jerome M. Hebda, crews should pick up where they left off last fall in replacing about a mile of 80-pound rail on New York and Ogdensburg Railway line with 100-pound rail between Lisbon and Ogdensburg, N.Y. The project is expected to cost about $125,000.
"We’re going to be
out there. We’re doing a crossing project over there today, but our track
projects are going to be starting soon," he said. "You’ll probably
see our crews moving in there within 30 days."
The work was held up last
year because of administrative red tape, Hebda said. He said this year crews
should complete the project and continue a $1.5 million state Department of Transportation
allocation to the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority for seven miles of rail
line improvements through the Passenger and Rail Preservation program. The OBPA
owns the rail and is responsible for raising funds for major projects.
Replacing the rail with a
heavier line will reduce the likelihood of the track bending because of heat, Hebda
said. Last year, about 10 cars jumped the track because of kinks caused by
heat.
Crews also will secure a
roughly 12-foot-wide, 20-foot-deep hole left by the recent removal of the
100-year-old Church Street Bridge in Lisbon. The town recently asked the rail
company to secure the area with a fence, Hebda said. He said the company likely
would cover the cost of the guardrail, which should be a few thousand dollars,
but has asked the town to take responsibility for the maintenance.
"I guess the issue
with the town is the guardrail would prevent anybody from driving into the
hole, but there’s been no traffic up there for 20 years," Hebda said.
"It’s going to be on town property and so we need the town to
cooperate."
The Lisbon Town Board will
discuss the issue at its regular meeting.
