I tried to move this thread to The ready Track forums, as it's target audience is not Z Scalers, but after 2 attempts it fails to move. Going forward, please try to post topics under their related forums on Trainboard, where they can better attract the attention they deserve. Thanks, Robert
On October 4, 2006, a train crossed the bridge for the first time in 16 years. It was a single locomotive which took on switching duties at the New York Container Terminal, also known by its old name, Howland Hook. On April 2, 2007, normal operations involving garbage removal from the Staten Island Transfer Station started, which would result in an estimated 90,000 annual truck loads diverted from the nearby Goethals Bridge. On October 4, 2007, New York Container Terminal, which operates Howland Hook, announced the opening of on-dock rail service called ExpressRail via the bridge, with regular service by Conrail (CRCX), CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads. In 2013, Covanta Energy signed a contract with the New York City Sanitation Department to barge containers of solid waste from transfer stations in Queens and Manhattan to New York Container Terminal where they will be transferred to rail cars for shipment to Covanta waste to energy plants. Arthur Kill is an important ship channel. The bridge is normally kept in the raised position (open to shipping), lowering to allow the passage of trains. As of 2018, U.S. Coast Guard regulations limit lowering the bridge to two 15-minute periods per day, with advance warning and restrictions on lowering during high tide. Conrail, which services Staten Island with one train a day, has stated that they do not see this limitation affecting current rail traffic levels, but it could become a problem if traffic increases significantly
Z, thank you for an exceptional description of the SIRT. I spent many years riding the NYC Harlem Division and four years in college riding the Manhattan subways, but never heard of the SIRT. It's a cool system.
I'm sure that rusty rails picture was taken during the 16 years the Bridge was in disrepair and In December 2004, NYCEDC and the project to rehabilitate the bridge and reactivate freight rail service on Staten Island.
