USA: Federal Railroad Administration leaders inspected completed NYS&W upgrades during a seven-mile hi-rail trip in Central New York and met railway employees, customers and local officials on July 30.

Yellow-and-black NYS&W locomotive No. 4066 leading another locomotive through a wooded area.
NYS&W locomotive No. 4066 leads another locomotive near Newfoundland, New Jersey. Illustrative image; it does not depict the July 30 FRA visit. Photo: Scout4111, CC BY-SA 4.0

FRA inspection traces completed projects

FRA Deputy Administrator Drew Feeley and Senior Policy Advisor Russell Roberts traveled from Cortland north to Little York in a hi-rail vehicle, which can operate on both roads and railway tracks. The inspection covered seven miles and highlighted projects already completed through a combination of federal, state and railway funding.

The work drew support from FRA’s CRISI program, New York’s PFRAP and NYS&W capital investment. FRA says CRISI funds projects intended to improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of passenger and freight rail, while PFRAP provides state funding for rail capital improvements.

The announcement did not identify the individual project scopes, total investment or completion dates for the work shown during the inspection.

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FRA meets railway staff and local leaders

Feeley and Roberts met Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham, Cortland Mayor Scott Steve, NYS&W executives and regional business representatives. They also spoke with employees from the railway’s mechanical, engineering and transportation departments.

In Binghamton, the delegation viewed NYS&W locomotive No. 3634, which carries a special patriotic livery. Railway President James Bonner said the visit let FRA hear directly from employees, customers and local leaders, while also showing how combined investment was improving safety, reliability and efficiency.

NYS&W links three states with Class I railroads

NYS&W’s network extends for more than 400 miles across New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The railway says all its lines can accommodate cars with a gross weight of 286,000 pounds and that it serves more than 85 customers.

Its Class I connections include CSX at North Bergen, Syracuse and Utica, plus Norfolk Southern at Binghamton and Marion Interchange. Those links place the inspected Central New York corridor within a wider regional freight system.

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