Class I Briefs: CSX/Watco, CN/CPKC/NS/ETR
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
The city of Savannah, Ga., on Jan. 10 reported that a federally designated quiet zone will be implemented on the CSX-owned Old Fort Rail line that runs through downtown, from Habersham Street to President Street.
The city of Savannah, Ga., advances a railroad quiet zone project in partnership with CSX, Watco, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). Also, the government of Canada invests in expanding the Archer Daniels Midland Company Grain Terminal at Ontario’s Port Windsor, which is served by Essex Terminal Railway (ETR) with connections to CN, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), and Norfolk Southern (NS).
CSX / Watco
The city of Savannah, Ga., on Jan. 10 reported that a federally designated quiet zone will be implemented on the CSX-owned Old Fort Rail line that runs through downtown, from Habersham Street to President Street. This is the first phase of a multi-phase project the city is working on with CSX, Watco (Savannah & Old Fort Railroad), FRA and GDOT. The next phases will focus on Habersham Street to 52nd Street.
According to the city, while train engineers will no longer need to blow horns through crossings downtown, per the parameters outlined by FRA, they are allowed to do so in case of an emergency.
The city said it has been seeking the quiet zone designation for years following resident complaints about the increased train traffic and noise due to growing industry. The process, which was executed with GDOT assistance, addressed several crossings. Gates and lights were added to five crossings and two crossings were discontinued, according to the city.
“We’re very happy to see phase one of the quiet zone go into effect,” City of Savannah Director of Policy and External Affairs Joseph Shearouse said. “For 10 years, we’ve been working with our local rail operator, Watco, and the Old Fort Line-owner CSX, as well as GDOT and FRA with the goal of improving quality of life for our residents and to eventually earn this quiet zone designation. We have more work to be done, but we have reached a huge milestone in this project. We are grateful to all of our partners who continue to work with us on this.”
ETR / CN / CPKC / NS
Transport Canada is awarding up to C$26.3 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund to the Archer Daniels Midland Company Grain Terminal Expansion Project at Port Windsor. ETR operates in the Port with rail connections to CN, CPKC and NS.
In its Jan. 11 announcement, the government agency said the project “will significantly increase” export capacity to global markets in Europe, the United States, and Latin America for agricultural production from southwestern Ontario farmers in Essex, Kent, Lambton, Middlesex, and Elgin counties. The project will include the construction of new grain drying equipment; an expansion of grain storage capacity; an expansion of shipping and receiving conveyor loading capacity; and the development of an automated truck kiosk system to expedite complex traffic flows.
Additionally, the project aims to alleviate the current supply-chain bottleneck at Windsor’s grain terminal; facilitate increased tonnage; and enhance marine transportation for efficiency gains, while reducing emissions in grain transportation, according to Transport Canada, which noted that this “will address issues such as idling trucks, waiting times for marine vessels to dock, and locomotives shuttling around railcars for temporary grain storage on-site.”
“Our government’s significant investment in the Archer Daniels Midland Company Grain Terminal Expansion Project is a concrete step to enhance our trade infrastructure,” Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez said. “By increasing our export capacity at Port Windsor, we’re helping our farmers get Canadian grain to international markets, which is good for economic growth and for global food security.”
“This investment by the government of Canada and Archer Daniels Midland Company Grain Terminal to the region’s largest agricultural multi-modal hub at Port Windsor provides new and continuing markets for local and prairie farmers to export Canadian grains,” Port Windsor President and CEO Steve Salmons said. “It proves that marine is not only the right solution for the movement of products to and from their plant, but the greenest solution leading to reduced GHG’s and reduced truck congestion on roads.”
