What effect will loss of railroad have on Rt. 12?

By: Melissa deCordova, Sun Staff Writer
Published: March 17th, 2008

NORWICH – The potential demise of rail service through Chenango County has left at least one governmental body frustrated.

Members of the all-volunteer Chenango County Planning & Development Board, who met March 4 at the County Office Building, agreed commerce would be threatened without New York Susquehanna & Western Railroad transportation.

“We’ve got to have a railroad. This area is doomed without it,” said Ken Ryan, a member of the Oxford Planning Board.

NYS&W traffic halted following the June 2006 floods, prompting railroad executives to later begin abandonment procedures. The high cost to afford repairs and restart the service left Chenango County leaders with few alternatives. At least one business venture has been lost due to the lack of rail service in the county.

“We were the first group to point out that the railroad wasn’t running and that something should be done about it. The longer we let the railroad die, the harder it will be to get it back,” Ryan said.

“It doesn’t do anybody any good to have our leaders sitting back and saying nobody is asking for it.”

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Reader Response

5 comments on this story

middleoftheroad
March 17th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Itsjustme, you are right. There seems to be a widening gap between older residents and new or younger ones. Those who have lived here all their lives can't imagine a different CC. As our county ages, they will continue to hold onto the past and destroy what is left of CC. Those who might have new ideas are looked at with suspicion and bullied to be quiet. The RR would be great, but it's not needed. Also being proud of your history is fine, but it does not okay keeping old public buildings open if they are not needed.
Itsjustme
March 17th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Is this article for real or a spoof? The railroad has not been used in 15 years! I am really sick of the refusal to change attitudes and plans in this county. I say it is time for a change of regime all the way around! I am sorry to be so negative but this "old way of doing things" mentality has got to go!
Dave715
March 17th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
I have driven, walked and boated from Norwich to past Greene and seen all the damage to the tracks. There are at least 30 spots that I have seen where there are no supporting beds under the tracks. That would take a lot of work just to fix that 26 or so miles of track. Not to mention the before and after sections.
sevennumbers
March 17th, 2008 at 11:40 am
"If anyone would like to see just how much
damage was done to the railroad by the 2006
flood,walk the section of the tracks behind
Wal-Mart in Norwich. Two bridges were destoyed here."
r23nor
March 17th, 2008 at 11:09 am
I say get over it and let the railroad die in peace. Norwich is never again going to be a thriving industrial and commercial area. The demise of Norwich did not come about due to losing this railroad or the O&W, but rather by closed minds of the 1950-1980 era. If Norwich is ever to be a modern and thriving community again it needs to reinvent itself instead of constantly looking back at its past and what once was.
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