ERIE, Pa. — The Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad is scheduled to run a train between the New York communities of Wellsville and Hornell today, according to the Erie Times-News. Though the event is occurring more than 100 miles away, it signals the beginning of a new day for rail service in Corry and Meadville.
Opening the line to Hornell completes a link that will provide through service from Meadville to New York’s Southern Tier with connections to the Norfolk Southern Railroad at both ends.
“This is a real milestone in the rebirth of rail service to the Southern Tier,” WYNYP President and Chief Operating Officer William D. Burt said in a prepared statement.
It also greatly increases the opportunities for businesses and communities along the 41-mile rail line that runs from Meadville to Corry, said Steve Hall, executive director of the Crawford County Development Corp.
“Eventually this will mean substantial rail traffic in the region. It breathes life back into our rail service. It gives our communities connections to Norfolk Southern at both ends,” Hall said.
The WNYP purchased the Meadville to Corry line from the Northwest Pennsylvania Rail Authority early this year.
From Meadville the line goes north through Saegertown and Cambridge Springs in Crawford County and then turns east traveling through Mill Village, Union City and on to Corry. The WYNP bought the line specifically to re-create the through route from Meadville to Hornell, which was last operated by Conrail in 1991.
Burt said through traffic on the 187-mile run from Meadville to Hornell is expected to begin rolling in late spring.
About two trains a week now make the trip from Meadville to Corry.
Burt said he could not discuss potential customers, but that the railroad’s “planning assumptions have not changed in the last year.” When it negotiated with the regional rail authority to buy the line, the railroad indicated it expected to pick up some through traffic for Norfolk Southern.
The rail authority was created to save the Meadville to Corry line, which was slated for abandonment and scrapping by Conrail in the early 1990s.
“It was a real fight to save that infrastructure for the sole purpose of keeping it in place so some day in the future it could be put in use and provide a route for through traffic. I guess that day in the future is (today),” said Rick Novotny, an economic development specialist with the Corry Economic Development Corp.
“It’s like any infrastructure, if you don’t have it your fate is sealed,” he said. “With the rail line we have opportunities we can take advantage of,” he said.
Leveraging state grants from both New York and Pennsylvania, the WYNP has poured millions into upgrading the track and improving crossings the entire length of the line. Additional upgrades are needed, especially for grade crossing signals, Burt said.
“A lot of signal work is needed. We are now restoring the operations of four crossings between the (New York) state line and Corry,” he said.
“Essentially, the warning devices are missing. They’ve been digging foundations for new ones over the past several days.” Cambridge Springs is also in line for signal work. Five crossings close together create particular signal difficulties, Burt said.
Today’s train is scheduled to leave Wellsville at about 8 a.m. and arrive at Hornell at about 11 a.m., a trip of three hours on rail and several years in the making, Burt said.