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{{Short description|Railroad in Niagara County, New York}}
{{Infobox SG rail|
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2011}}
railroad_name=Somerset Railroad|
{{Infobox rail
logo_filename=Somerset.png|
| railroad_name=Somerset Railroad
logo_size=90|
| logo_filename=Somerset.png
marks=SOM|
| logo_size=90
locale=[[New York]]|
| marks=SOM
start_year=1983|
| locale=New York
hq_city=
| start_year = 1983
| end_year=2021
| gauge = {{track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| hq_city=
| map = {{Somerset Railroad (NY)|inline=1}}
}}
}}
{| {{Railway line header}}
{{BS-header|Somerset Railroad}}
{{BS-table}}
{{BS4||ENDEa|||0.0|[[Kintigh Generating Station]]}}
{{BS4||AKRZo||||[[New York State Route 18]]}}
{{BS4||WBRÜCKE||||Fish Creek}}
{{BS4||WBRÜCKE||||Fish Creek}}
{{BS4||STR||||[[Appleton, New York|Appleton]]}}
{{BS4||vSTRa|||7.3|[[Corwin, New York|Corwin]]}}
{{BS4||vSTRe|||||}}
{{BS4||STR|ENDEa|}}
{{BS4||STR|ABZlf|STRlg}}
{{BS4||ABZrg|STRrf|vSTRa|13.4|Mill Street Junction}}
{{BS4||STR||vENDEel}}
{{BS4||STR||ENDEe||Mill Street Industrial Track}}
{{BS4||WBRÜCKE||||[[Eighteen Mile Creek (Niagara County)|Eighteen Mile Creek]]}}
{{BS4||ABZlf|STRlg||15.3|Gulf Line Junction}}
{{BS4||STR|xENDEe|||Gulf Line Industrial Track}}
{{BS4|STRq|ABZ3rf|xKRZh|STRq|0.0|[[Lockport Subdivision]]}}
|}
|}
The '''Somerset Railroad''' {{reporting mark|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 was built in 1983 using new, old, borrowed, and blue rights of way. From [[Lockport (city), New York|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 off the IRC (abandoned in 1937) to the [[Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad|Hojack Line]] in [[Appleton, New York]] (Township of Newfane, Niagara County, NY) to West Somerset in the Town of Somerset. It then swings off on new trackage to a series of spurs and a loop at the Kintigh Generating Station.


The '''Somerset Railroad''' {{reporting mark|SOM}} was a railroad that operated in [[Niagara County, New York]]. It was operated by [[CSX Transportation]]. The railroad was built with the primary objective of providing coal to the [[Kintigh Generating Station]], also known as the Somerset Power Plant, a 675 megawatt coal-fired [[power plant]] located in [[Somerset, New York]]. The railroad was built in 1983 by the [[Iberdrola USA|New York State Electric and Gas Co.]] using new and old [[Right-of-way (transportation)|rights of way]]. From [[Lockport (city), New York|Lockport, New York]], it runs on the defunct [[International Railway (New York–Ontario)|International Railway Co.]] (IRC) [[interurban]] 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 off the IRC (abandoned in 1937) to the [[Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad|Hojack Line]] in [[Appleton, New York]] (Township of Newfane, Niagara County, NY), to West Somerset in the Town of Somerset. It then swings off on new trackage to a series of spurs and a loop at the Kintigh Generating Station.
Although the Somerset Railroad owns 428 rotary-dump [[gondola (rail)|gondola]] cars, [[CSX Transportation|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 [[mile]]s (25 [[kilometre|km]]) of trackage, known as the [[Somerset Secondary]]. [[unit train|Unit]] [[coal]] trains leaving from [[Youngstown, Ohio]], run to [[Erie, Pennsylvania]], followed by [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], then north to the Niagara Branch, where they swing off onto the Lockport Branch, and finally in Lockport onto the Somerset Secondary.


Although the Somerset Railroad owned 428 rotary-dump [[gondola (rail)|gondola]] cars, [[CSX Transportation|CSX]] provided their motive power and operated 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 train|Unit]] coal trains leaving from [[Youngstown, Ohio]], run to [[Erie, Pennsylvania]], followed by [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], then north to the Niagara Branch, where they swing off onto the [[Lockport Subdivision]], and finally in Lockport onto the Somerset Secondary. Even though the Somerset Power Plant owned its own gondolas, CSXT Hoppers were a regular sight at the plant.
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 coal cars were unloaded using a [[rotary car dumper]] at the power plant. Also on the line in Lockport is a chemical plant, [[Vanchlor]], which receives Chlorine via the railroad. The first train on the line ran in November 1983. Power was provided by four Conrail [[GE B23-7]]s, with 1926 as the lead unit.

In March 2020, ''The New York Times'' reported that the Kintigh Generating Station would shut down.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Barnard|first=Anne|last2=March|first2=Libby|date=2020-03-20|title=New York's Last Coal-Fired Power Plant Is Closing|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/nyregion/coal-energy-ny.html|access-date=2022-06-12|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Somerset plant closure was a direct result of Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to reduce carbon emissions in New York state. Electricity for the area is now purchased and delivered from power plants in Pennsylvania. Shortly after the plant closure, that October CSX filed for abandonment of the line as the plant was the only customer. In late spring 2022, the line was torn up by CSX from just past the chemical plant spur all the way to the power plant. This was the second time the Hojack right of way was abandoned. Prior to line abandonment, all Somerset rail cars were collected by CSX and sent to scrap, with a few remaining in other mixed services.

==See also==
* [[List of CSX Transportation lines]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}

* The Greater Rochester Railfan Page, [http://www.rochester-railfan.net/som.htm Somerset Railroad]. Retrieved August 7, 2004.
* The Greater Rochester Railfan Page, [http://www.rochester-railfan.net/som.htm Somerset Railroad]. Retrieved August 7, 2004.
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20030129002437/www.trainweb.org/csxtimetables/Albany/SomersetRR.html CSX Transportation Timetables - Somerset Railroad Subdivision]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030129002437/http://www.trainweb.org/csxtimetables/Albany/SomersetRR.html CSX Transportation Timetables Somerset Railroad Subdivision]
* [http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/SM-Somerset_Railroad_Sub CSX Somerset Railroad Sub]
* [http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/CSX/CSX%20ETTs/CSX%20Albany%20Div%20ETT%20%234%2011-1-2004.pdf CSX Albany Division Timetable]

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Somerset Railroad New York}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Somerset Railroad New York}}
[[Category:New York railroads]]
[[Category:New York (state) railroads]]
[[Category:Transportation in Buffalo, New York]]
[[Category:Transportation in Buffalo, New York]]
[[Category:Non-operating common carrier freight railroads in the United States]]
[[Category:Non-operating common carrier freight railroads in the United States]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1983]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1983]]

Latest revision as of 01:49, 4 July 2024

Somerset Railroad
Overview
Reporting markSOM
LocaleNew York
Dates of operation1983–2021
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map

MP
0.0
Kintigh Generating Station
NY-18.svg
NY 18
Lake Road
Fish Creek
Fish Creek
Appleton
7.3
Corwin
13.4
Mill Street Junction
Mill Street Industrial Track
NY-78.svg
NY 78
Lockport–Olcott Road
NY-104.svg
NY 104
Ridge Road
15.3
Gulf Line Junction
Gulf Line Industrial Track
0.5

The Somerset Railroad (reporting mark SOM) was a railroad that operated in Niagara County, New York. It was operated by CSX Transportation. The railroad was built with the primary objective of providing coal to the Kintigh Generating Station, also known as the Somerset Power Plant, a 675 megawatt coal-fired power plant located in Somerset, New York. The railroad was built in 1983 by the New York State Electric and Gas Co. using new and old rights of way. From Lockport, New York, it runs on the defunct International Railway Co. (IRC) interurban 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 off 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 on new trackage to a series of spurs and a loop at the Kintigh Generating Station.

Although the Somerset Railroad owned 428 rotary-dump gondola cars, CSX provided their motive power and operated 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 Subdivision, and finally in Lockport onto the Somerset Secondary. Even though the Somerset Power Plant owned its own gondolas, CSXT Hoppers were a regular sight at the plant.

The coal cars were unloaded using a rotary car dumper at the power plant. Also on the line in Lockport is a chemical plant, Vanchlor, which receives Chlorine via the railroad. The first train on the line ran in November 1983. Power was provided by four Conrail GE B23-7s, with 1926 as the lead unit.

In March 2020, The New York Times reported that the Kintigh Generating Station would shut down.[1] The Somerset plant closure was a direct result of Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to reduce carbon emissions in New York state. Electricity for the area is now purchased and delivered from power plants in Pennsylvania. Shortly after the plant closure, that October CSX filed for abandonment of the line as the plant was the only customer. In late spring 2022, the line was torn up by CSX from just past the chemical plant spur all the way to the power plant. This was the second time the Hojack right of way was abandoned. Prior to line abandonment, all Somerset rail cars were collected by CSX and sent to scrap, with a few remaining in other mixed services.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Barnard, Anne; March, Libby (March 20, 2020). "New York's Last Coal-Fired Power Plant Is Closing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 12, 2022.