WASHINGTON — The operators of a pair of Pennsylvania feed mills have asked the Surface Transportation Board to require Amtrak to allow freight service to continue while a six-week maintenance project is under way on its Philadelphia-Harrisburg main line.
Amtrak plans to shut Track 1 to all traffic starting next month, which would prevent Norfolk Southern from serving some local shippers on the line via its trackage rights. Wenger and Esbenshade, which produce animal feed for distribution throughout the Northeast, would lose service to their feed mills in Mount Joy, Pa., for the duration of the project.
Both mills require NS service five days per week because of the high volume of animal feed production. The loss of rail service for six weeks would have “devastating consequences,” they told regulators last week. Wenger receives yellow corn and soybean meal by rail in order to produce feed for chickens, turkeys, pigs, and other livestock. Esbenshade also produces feed for livestock.
The shippers contend that Amtrak is in violation of common carrier obligations to provide service upon reasonable request. They have asked the board to prevent the line shutdown and to require Amtrak to file a plan for board approval that would maintain uninterrupted freight service. They’ve also asked the board for a directed service order that would maintain service for 30 days, as well as for damages in the event the track project goes forward as planned and freight service is halted.
In a decision this week, the STB ordered Amtrak and NS to respond to the shippers’ complaint by May 1.
Amtrak is preparing to complete essential track and roadbed renewal work between Lancaster and Harrisburg – Cork (MP 68.6) to Rheems (MP 83.4) interlockings and Roy (MP 94.2) to State (MP 103.6) interlockings – on the Philadelphia-Harrisburg Line. The work is scheduled to begin in late April with expected completion in fall. Amtrak will adjust its schedules and use Track 2 while Track 1 is out of service.
“This maintenance is necessary for continued safety of the railroad for both passenger and freight trains that operate along this track,” Amtrak spokeswoman Beth K. Toll says.
“Amtrak gave ample notice to Norfolk Southern regarding the resulting outages due to this track work in order to allow sufficient time for NS to work with local rail shippers to make the necessary logistical adjustments for the several weeks when rail freight operations will be limited,” she says. “While the project is targeted for fall completion, impacts to freight railroad shippers will not extend for the entire duration. In an effort to be a good partner, Amtrak remains willing to work with NS and shippers to identify alternative solutions during Amtrak’s important maintenance and construction work on the current route.”
— Updated at 9:20 p.m. CDT to repair link to STB decision. Updated 12:08 p.m. CDT to clarify only Track 1 will be out of service and that Amtrak will adjust its schedules accordingly.
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