Connecticut Southern Railroad

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Connecticut Southern Railroad
Connecticut Southern Railroad logo.png
CSOR freight train at Springfield Union Station, August 2018.JPG
A CSOR freight train in Springfield in 2018
Overview
Parent companyGenesee & Wyoming
HeadquartersHartford, Connecticut
Reporting markCSOR
LocaleConnecticut, United States
Dates of operation1996–present
PredecessorConrail
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length90 miles (140 km)
Other
WebsiteCSO Website

The Connecticut Southern Railroad (reporting mark CSOR)[1] is a 90-mile (140 km) long short-line railroad[2] operating in Connecticut and Massachusetts on lines originally operated by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, later operated by Penn Central and Conrail. It is a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming. The line is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut.[3] Pan Am Railways exercises trackage rights to access its line in Berlin, Connecticut connecting to Waterbury, Connecticut.

Much of the railroad's traffic comes from imports to the region, such as lumber, steel, and carbon dioxide. The railroad also exports trash and recycling from the region.[4] CSO carried 20,000 carloads in 2011.[4]

History[]

The Connecticut Southern Railroad began operations on September 23, 1996, following the purchase of several Conrail routes in Connecticut and Massachusetts by RailTex, the CSO's initial parent.[5] Operations started with locomotives leased from Conrail, until the Connecticut Southern was able to acquire locomotives of its own. Conrail served as a partner of Connecticut Southern, supporting the company in working with customers, and in turn benefiting from increased customer satisfaction and carloads produced by the new shortline railroad.[5] Connecticut Southern was subsequently acquired by RailAmerica in 2000.[6]

In 2009, the Connecticut Department of Transportation filed a $7,775,000 TIGER grant application which included bridge work and track improvements for the entirety of the Connecticut Southern's trackage.[7]

In 2012, the railroad opened a new $1.4 million headquarters in Hartford, moving from a previously rented space in East Hartford. The project included a 10,500 square foot indoor facility for repairing locomotives and railcars, as well as 3,500 square feet of office space.[4]

Genesee & Wyoming acquired the railroad as part of its acquisition of RailAmerica in 2012.[8][9]

Lines operated[]

New Haven - Springfield Line[]

Connecticut Southern's main line is Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line. As Amtrak is strictly a passenger railroad, Connecticut Southern provides freight service over the entirety of the line, which it has trackage rights on.[2] On this line, Connecticut Southern interchanges with CSX in New Haven and West Springfield, with Pan Am Southern in Berlin, and with both fellow G&W line Providence and Worcester Railroad and the Central New England Railroad in Hartford.[2]

Suffield Secondary[]

This line is a spur between Windsor Locks and Suffield, with a second spur that reaches Bradley International Airport.[10] The trackage leading to Suffield is now out of service and overgrown, leaving only the spur to the airport and the portion of the secondary leading to the second spur in operation.[11] Rail service to Suffield ended in July 2009, and Connecticut Southern filed for abandonment of the 2.4 miles leading to the town in 2012. The town of Suffield attempted to stop the abandonment of the tracks to preserve them for potential future use.[12]

Market Spur[]

This is a short line between the yard in Hartford and the regional market just south, which gives the line its name.[10] This line serves an All Waste recycling facility.

East Windsor Secondary[]

This line travels between East Hartford, where it diverges from the Highland Division, and East Windsor Hill, where the track beyond is operated by the Central New England Railroad.[10]

Highland Division[]

Connecticut Southern operates this line between Hartford and the end of track in Manchester, beyond which the right of way has been converted into the Hop River State Park Trail.[2] This line formerly extended to Willimantic.[10]

References[]

  1. ^ Railinc, Search MARKs, accessed September 2009
  2. ^ a b c d "Connecticut Southern Railroad – A Genesee & Wyoming Company". Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  3. ^ "RailAmerica-CSO". Archived from the original on 2008-12-24. Retrieved 2009-09-04.
  4. ^ a b c Robles, Pablo (April 30, 2012). "CSO opens Hartford site as rail business rebounds". Hartford Business Journal. Retrieved August 9, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b French, Howard (September 25, 1996). "State Now Has New Railroad". The Day. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  6. ^ "RailAmerica's Empire". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing. June 2010.
  7. ^ Redeker, James P. "CONNECTICUT SOUTHERN RAILROAD AND NEW ENGLAND CENTRAL RAILROAD TIGER Discretionary Grant Application" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 9, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ staff (February 13, 2013). "RailAmerica acquisition skewed Genesee & Wyoming's 4Q financial results". Progressive Railroading. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  9. ^ Bowen, Douglas John (2 May 2013). "GWI marks 1Q earnings, new headquarters". Railway Age. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d "Rail Line Map" (PDF). State of Connecticut. Retrieved August 9, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Plans Go Off The Rails - Hartford Courant". digitaledition.courant.com. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  12. ^ VELSEY, KIM. "Suffield Seeks To Stop Rail Abandonment". Courant Community. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
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