Senator Schumer Announces Nearly $4 Million in Federal Funding to Modernize Susquehanna & Western Railway’s Rail Line Between Cortland & Onondaga Counties

Yesterday afternoon, New York Senator Chuck Schumer visited the City of Cortland to announce federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law for a modernization project of the Susquehanna & Western Railway’s (NYSW) main rail line between Cortland and Onondaga Counties.

The funding, $3,961,750 in federal funding, will replace miles over almost 100 year old rail. The modernization will increase safety, reliability, capacity and sustainability. Senator Schumer added during his press conference at the old Susquehanna Station at 90 Central Ave. in the City of Cortland, the modernization will help suppliers ship products to the future Micron chip plant in Clay.

The rail line that runs through Cortland County to Onondaga County has over 10,000 railcars travel on it every year, the equivalent of 37,000 tractor trailers. The high use of the railway reduces congestion on Interstate 81 as well as pollution.

“The feds just greenlit the third and final phase of a major rail modernization project for the NYSW railway’s corridor between Cortland and Syracuse. Many of the rail tracks are old – dating back to the early 1900s – and in need of major repair, which is why I’m proud to deliver almost $4 million from my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law to increase the railway’s safety and capacity, to help ensure major manufacturing projects like Micron’s historic $100+ billion investment and many more can have access to the modern freight rail infrastructure they need,” said Senator Schumer.

Federal funding will come from the US Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program. Total federal funding for NYSW is now just over $10.3 million dollars.

“The Cortland Area Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of our business community, is very appreciative of Senator Schumer’s efforts to secure funding to complete the final phase of the New York Susquehanna and Western Railroad’s main line modernization between Cortland and Syracuse,” said Cortland Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Haight. “This modernization will more closely tie us to Onondaga County and its rapidly growing tech industry, including companies like Micron. It will also benefit the local employers who currently make use of the railroad, help attract new business and investment to our community, and preserve jobs while setting the stage for growth here in Cortland.”

NYSW says they are entering their third and final phase of their rail line modernization project between the City of Cortland and Syracuse. The third phase will upgrade 8 miles of rail line deemed warn and jointed to a new continuous welded rail with over 3,000 tons of ballast and surfacing and over 3,000 new ties. The upgrade will affect 6 miles of line in the Towns of Homer and Preble and 2.5 miles in LaFayette and Dewitt.