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Schumer announces nearly $4 million for railway work between Cortland and Syracuse

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) on Monday visited Cortland to announce nearly $4 million to help pay for the third phase of renovation work on the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway’s (NYSW) main line stretching between Cortland and Syracuse. (Photo credit: Office of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer)

CORTLAND, N.Y.— The New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway (NYSW) will use a federal award of nearly $4 million as it continues work on a rail-line modernization project between Cortland and Syracuse.

The more than $3.9 million in funding comes from the federal Infrastructure & Jobs Law to complete a “major modernization project” for the railway, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced on Monday.

The senator discussed the funding at the old Susquehanna train station in Cortland.

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It 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 New York,” the lawmaker’s office said.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The award brings the total federal investment in NYSW’s project to nearly $10.4 million, including almost $3.5 million in FY’22 CRISI funding and over $2.9 million in FY’21 CRISI funding.

“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,” Schumer said in the announcement. “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.”

The Senate majority leader said the money will help NYSW complete the third and final phase of its rail-line modernization project between Cortland and Syracuse. Phase three of the project will upgrade more than eight miles of worn, jointed rail to new continuous welded rail, lay over 3,000 tons of ballast and surfacing, and install more than 3,000 new ties on the NYSW Cortland to Syracuse main line.

More specifically, NYSW will upgrade nearly six 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.

“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,” James Bonner, president of NYS&W, said in the Schumer announcement. “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.”

 

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