Freight spur construction on Long Island moves forward
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefConstruction of a rail freight spur in Riverhead, N.Y., could begin this March, indicative of a slow but steady revival in rail freight activity on Long Island, often associated only with heavy passenger rail activity courtesy of the Long Island Rail Road.
Riverhead’s town board has awarded a $3.49 million contract to Railroad Construction Co., of Paterson, N.J., to activate a rail spur off LIRR’s Ronkonkoma Branch, once used by Northrop Grumman Corp. The project is being paid largely through federal stimulus funding.
Freight service will be provided by New York & Atlantic Railway, which provides freight service on LIRR’s rail network. New York & Atlantic is owned by Anacostia & Pacific Co., Inc., based in Chicago.
