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The Central New York Regional Economic Development Council recently announced that New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway Corp. (NYSW) has received contract approval for more than $900,000 in state funding for the design and construction of a multi-modal rail terminal in Cortland, N.Y.

The terminal will enable short-haul trucks to load and unload freight directly onto rail cars, enhancing NYSW's ability to move cargo in and out of the Cortland area, state officials said in a prepared statement. The project also involves the construction of three sidings south of NYSW's Cortland spur and other necessary infrastructure.

"The Cortland Transload Terminal will enable Central New York Region businesses to address the cost of shipping by taking advantage of the efficiencies of rail transportation without having to be located next to the railroad," said NSYW President Nathan Fenno. "The goal of the facility is to help local business save money, increase flexibility and improve reliability. Consequently, the more freight that moves by rail, the less we move by long-haul trucks."

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will provide the funding via the first round of the state's "Regional Council" initiative.

NYSW operates more than 400 miles of track in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and interchanges with CSX Transportation, Canadian Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railway.

Meanwhile, the North Country Regional Economic Development Council announced that the Massena Terminal Railway will receive $1.6 million from NYSDOT through the Regional Council initiative to complete the first stages of a track and bridge improvement project.

The work involves improving a mainline and yard tracks to more safely accommodate unit ore trains for an Alcoa Inc. plant in Massena, N.Y. The $2 million project also calls for repairing bridges, laying new rail, ties and ballast, and installing a new switch to improve the line's connection with CSX Transportation.

"This is a very important project for the future of the Massena Terminal Railway and our primary customer, Alcoa," said Massena Terminal Railway Assistant General Manager Chad Mowery in a prepared statement. "The project will solidify our ability to provide access to the North American rail freight network and allow our customers to remain competitive."

Owned by RailAmerica Inc., which recently was acquired by Genesee & Wyoming Inc., the four-mile Massena Terminal Railway provides terminal switching services and interchanges with CSXT in Massena.