Re: (erielack) M&E/Rahway Valley News

["Tom Beckett" <tabeckett_@_stny.rr.com>]

There would be enough space to set up an intermodal yard such as you suggest
on the site of the old YO yard. Much of that land is vacant, although the
DL&W line still exists as a tail track to allow switching of the Agway feed
mill there. D&H Bevier Street has about 6 tracks, which are in between the
two main tracks, so some realignment might be desirable if that area is
used. Access for trucks will have to be improved in either case, as the
local highway configuration makes access from several directions difficult,
and local streets would need to be improved to handle the increased truck
traffic.

BTW: the pig yard at Dewitt was fenced last time I was there picking up a
trailer several years ago.

Tom B
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill K." <pontiac_@_dreamscape.com>
To: <erielack_@_railfan.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) M&E/Rahway Valley News


> Actually the original Dewitt intermodal terminal was outside the yard, on
> the end of an industrial lead that fed into a remnant of the original
> passenger mainline through the streets of Syracuse.   For a long time jobs
> would have a main track tied up with a fleet signal so they could work the
> terminal.  The loader was small, like a large rubber-tire payloader but
with
> a lift that could grab the container tops instead.  The space was once an
> engine terminal, part of the coal dock remains and some other structures
> were built so loading room was fairly tight.
>
> They did eventually move it to a larger space in the yard's hump lead and
> inbound receiving tracks, with a large overhead crane... but they also
were
> doing a lot of local work and had trains that originated and terminated
> here.
>
> To duplicate that operation I would think would be cheap if you had the
> land, an empty yard like Bevier Street on the D&H would work - just
dedicate
> a track, pave around it, and get a loader in there.   The old Dewitt
> facility wasn't and isn't even fenced in.  You could probably even work it
> into a space along the DL&W main somewhere, if it was wide enough for say
6
> tracks somewhere for a hundred yards or so.   Handle some local traffic
with
> it and probably could get funds to help pay for it to boot.  A train
headed
> through the filet could pick up enough empty cars somewhere to split it
out,
> and pull through getting the tops picked off, then loaded in the empties.
> Put a fresh crew on and send it on it's way -
>
>
> Bill K.
>

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