Somerset Railroad (New York)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad transportation |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | New York State Electric and Gas Co. |
| Fate | Abandoned (track dismantled by 2022) |
| Headquarters | Somerset, New York , United States |
Area served | Niagara County, New York |
Key people | CSX Transportation (operator) |
| Products | Coal transportation |
| Parent | CSX Transportation (operational control) |
The Somerset Railroad operated within Niagara County, New York under the management of CSX Transportation. Founded in 1983 by the New York State Electric and Gas Co., its main function was to deliver coal to the 675-megawatt Kintigh Generating Station (also known as Somerset Power Plant) located in Somerset, New York. The railroad’s route combined newly constructed tracks with pre-existing rights of way, incorporating portions of the former International Railway Co. line from Lockport and the disused IRC branch stretching from Newfane to Appleton, continuing to West Somerset and extending onto newly laid track serving the plant’s spurs and loop.
While the Somerset Railroad possessed 428 rotary-dump gondola cars, locomotive power and operational control were provided by CSX. Prior to CSX’s 1998 takeover of Conrail, motive power was supplied by Conrail. The railroad encompassed 15.59 miles (25 km) of track, designated as the Somerset Secondary, which linked coal unit trains traveling from Youngstown, Ohio through Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo before arriving at Lockport and the power station. Although the plant owned its gondolas, hopper cars owned by CSX were frequently employed.
Coal was unloaded at the facility using a rotary car dumper. Additionally, the line served a chemical plant in Lockport named Vanchlor, which received chlorine shipments via rail. The first train operated in November 1983, powered by four Conrail GE B23-7 locomotives.
In March 2020, following New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s carbon reduction policies, the Kintigh Generating Station announced its shutdown. Electricity for the area is now sourced from plants in Pennsylvania. Consequently, CSX submitted abandonment paperwork for the line in October 2020 due to losing its only customer. By spring 2022, CSX dismantled track extending from beyond the chemical plant spur to the former power station site—marking a second abandonment phase for this segment of the Hojack right of way. Before track removal, all Somerset gondola cars were gathered for scrapping or reassignment within CSX’s fleet.
See also
References
- The Greater Rochester Railfan Page, Somerset Railroad. Retrieved August 7, 2004.
- CSX Transportation Timetables – Somerset Railroad Subdivision
- CSX Somerset Railroad Sub
- CSX Albany Division Timetable