Somerset Railroad

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Somerset Railroad
Logo
Reporting marks SOM
Locale New York
Dates of operation 1983

end_year=present–
Track gauge 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)

The Somerset Railroad (AAR reporting marks SOM) is a shortline railroad that operates in Niagara County, New York. The railroad was built with the primary objective of providing coal to the Kintigh Generating Station, a 675 megawatt coal-fired power plant located in Somerset, New York. The Railroad in reality was built in 1983. From Lockport, New York it runs on the defunct International Railway Co. (IRC) interurban (intercity trolley) line opened in 1900 under the name Buffalo, Lockport & Olcott Beach (BL&OB) which became part of the IRC in 1902. From Newfane, New York the SOM sweeps of the IRC (abandoned in 1937) to the Hojack Line in Appleton, New York (Township of Newfane, Niagara County, NY) to West Somerset in the Town of Somerset. It then swings off to a series of spurs and a loop at the Kintigh Generating Station.

Although the Somerset Railroad owns 428 rotary-dump gondola cars, CSX provides their motive power and operates the railroad. Prior to the acquisition of Conrail by Norfolk Southern and CSX in 1998, Conrail provided motive power. The Somerset Railroad right of way includes 15.59 miles (25 km) of trackage, known as the Somerset Secondary. Unit coal trains leaving from Youngstown, Ohio, run to Erie, Pennsylvania, followed by Buffalo, then north to the Niagara Branch, where they swing off onto the Lockport Branch, and finally in Lockport onto the Somerset Secondary.

The coal cars are unloaded using a rotary dumper at the power plant. Also on the line in Lockport is a chemical plant which receives anhydrous ammonia via the railroad. The first train on the line ran in November 1983, power was provided by four Conrail GE B23-7's. The lead unit's number was #1926.

The Somerset Railroad Subdivision (called the Somerset Secondary under Conrail) is a 15.59 mile section of railroad between Lockport, New York and Somerset, New York built by the Somerset Railroad Corporation. The line was constructed to allow coal trains to service the Kintigh Generating Station in Somerset. East of Newfane, NY, the Somerset Secondary utilizes the abandoned Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad right of way. The railroad track includes a large loop at the power plant where the coal cars are unloaded by a rotary dumper. A chemical plant in Lockport is also serviced from the line.

[edit] References