The railroad will construct 18 miles of second track over the next two to three years along the Hudson River’s west shore. Preliminary work to prepare sites in New York State at Ravena-Coxsackie, Catskill and Haverstraw is complete, with construction to begin early this year.
The expansion will enable CSX to handle more trains and support growth in crude oil moving by rail, intermodal shipments, automobiles and other businesses while maintaining service performance.
“It’s critically important that we be prepared to meet our customer’s needs as they grow,” said Clarence Gooden, executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “The River Line is a lane for growth and will further contribute to economic development as well as environmental benefits through CSX’s terrific fuel efficiency.”
Capacity on the River Line was last expanded in 2005. Growth in rail traffic over recent years and future projections warrant additional investment to increase the corridor’s capacity.
The River Line is part of CSX’s I-90 corridor that connects Chicago with New York, northern New Jersey and the Philadelphia areas.
“Demand for crude oil, for example, in the New Jersey and Philadelphia area may be as much as five trains per day, or over 400,000 barrels, over the next couple of years,” said Oscar Munoz, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
CSX continues to invest in terminals, clearance projects and other initiatives in the Northeast Region, including Philadelphia’s Trenton Line.
