INTRODUCTION TO RAIL FREIGHT SERVICE

This information is presented to enable all parties to better deal with rail freight issues in the Region. It is intended to assist rail freight providers in marketing their services, assists municipalities in marketing buildings and land with proximity to rail, and government agencies to improve this economic development resource.

Appreciation is expressed to Richard Schreiner at the Housatonic Area Regional Transit District (HART), and voluntary assistance to him from Peter McLachlan of the Danbury Railway Museum, for conducting much of the research for this HVCEO planning report.

OVERVIEW OF REGION'S THREE FREIGHT LINES

The first rail line in the area was built during the 1840's, connecting Bridgeport with New Milford via Newtown and Brookfield. It was intended to tap the agricultural and mineral wealth of Litchfield County.

The second rail link was the north-south Danbury to Norwalk connection of 1852. Had Danbury remained without this rail link with the coast, where goods could be transferred to trains or boats to nearby New York City, its early industrial development would have been much less intense.

A third rail line began operating east-west in 1881. Entering from New York State into Danbury, the Maybrook Line was constructed easterly into Brookfield, then overlapped with a segment of the older Bridgeport-New Milford Line until southern Newtown, where it left that line and proceeded easterly into Monroe and on across the Housatonic River to Derby, CT.

These rail routes were the interstate expressways for freight in their day, the major carriers of passengers as well. While in modern times their early influence over growth has been largely superseded by motorized trucking, rail access is still vital for some manufacturing and warehousing. 

HVCEO seeks to promote healthy growth of rail freight usage in the Region. The first step is for the public to be familiar with the three active rail lines in the Region today, as follows:

The DANBURY BRANCH RAIL LINE is single track and operates south to north from the City of Norwalk, into Wilton, then crosses into this Region where it passes thru Ridgefield, Redding, Bethel and Danbury. This Line provides the Region's only passenger service via stations in Danbury, Bethel, Redding and Ridgefield, the schedules for which preclude much freight activity.

The entire Danbury Branch Line between Norwalk and Danbury is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Clearance on the line is 16 feet, precluding the use of modern doublestack freight cars.

The MAYBROOK RAIL LINE originates to the west in Beacon, NY and is single tracked easterly to the Danbury Line, then double tracked easterly to Berkshire Junction at the Danbury-Brookfield Line. Although unlabeled as such, the east-west rail route on this map is the Maybrook Line. There is significant rail freight activity on this line, as will be outlined in detail below. 

The Maybrook Line is owned by the Housatonic Railroad Company from the New York-Connecticut border on the west easterly thru Greater Danbury to Derby Junction. But the Housatonic also has freight rights from owner MTA westerly on the Maybrook Line to Beacon, N.Y.

Proceeding easterly from Brookfield, the Maybrook Line continues single tracked through the Botsford section of southern Newtown, then southeast through the descent down the Housatonic River Valley to Derby Junction. From Derby connections are made to New Haven. 

From the state line west to Beacon, N.Y., MTA Metro-North Railroad purchased the Maybrook Line in 1995 to avoid its being abandoned. This New York State portion of the Maybrook is also referred to as the Beacon Line. Clearance on the line is 19 feet. 

The BERKSHIRE RAIL LINE runs north-south thru New Milford, Brookfield and Danbury. It originates at the forking of lines at Berkshire Junction, on the Danbury-Brookfield Line near the intersection of Route 7 and I-84 and the entrance to Berkshire Corporate Park.

The Berkshire Line is also owned by the Housatonic Railroad Company between Danbury and central New Milford, and by Conn DOT from central New Milford north to the Massachusetts State Line. The Housatonic Railroad then owns the line from the Massachusetts border north to Pittsfield, Mass. Clearance on the line is 17 feet, 10 inches.

OVERVIEW OF REGION'S  THREE
FREIGHT SERVICE PROVIDERS

There are two short line providers of rail freight services in the Housatonic Region. These are the Housatonic Railroad Company (HRRC), the smaller of the two but the main provider in our area, and Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W), larger overall but with less freight service in our immediate area. in contrast, CSX transportation is an important national railroad without tracks here but linking the Housatonic and Providence & Worcester short lines to continental markets.

FREIGHT SERVICE BY CSX TRANSPORTATION
CSX was created in 1978 through the merger of the Chessie System, Inc. and Seaboard Coast Line Industries.

Of the three sizes of railroads defined by the Surface Transportation Board, Class 1 Railroads, lesser Regional Railroads, and then the smallest class of Local Railroads, CSX Transportation (CSX) is classified as Class 1. This is one of only six such railroads in this top class size currently operating in the United States. 

CSX serves 22,700 miles of track in 23 states and two Canadian Provinces. For consumers in the Housatonic Region, interchanges between our local railroads and CSX in Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester Massachusetts allow for movement of our freight. A major barrier to southern New England's freight operations, the nearby Hudson River, is crossed by CSX at the Selkirk Yards near Albany, N.Y. This is a round about routing for our freight, but more direct freight service via the Poughkeepsie Bridge crossing ended in 1974. 

For perspective freight service southwesterly thru New York City is technically feasible but highly restricted. CSX does have another connection to west of the Hudson through the Pennsylvania Station Tunnels in New York City, but clearance restrictions, 15Í4" on the New Haven Line, and heavy passenger rail traffic make this route unusable for freight.

CSX is developing the freight yard at Cedar Hill in New Haven as a bulk loading facility, where raw materials such as lumber, flour and cement are loaded and unloaded between trucks and railcars.

Trailer on Flatcar Terminals (TOFC or piggyback) terminals are facilities where tractor trailer bodies or shipping containers are loaded and unloaded from flatcars. CSX trucks TOFC material to the TOFC facility in West Springfield, Mass., thereby eliminating some rail movement on the Springfield-New Haven Line operated by the Connecticut Southern Railroad. This saves a day in transit time, since Amtrak restrictions on the New Haven-Springfield Line had allowed Connecticut Southern only certain times in which to use the line.

The major CSX shipping route is from the Cedar Hill terminal over the Hartford-Springfield Line (Amtrak) where CSO has trackage rights. Connection is then made with the route from Boston and thence westerly through Massachusetts to the Selkirk Yards south of Albany, N.Y.

FREIGHT SERVICE BY THE 
PROVIDENCE AND WORCESTER RAILROAD
Of the three sizes of railroads defined by the Surface Transportation Board, Class 1 Railroads, lesser Regional Railroads, and then the smallest class of Local Railroads, the Providence and Worcester Railroad is classified as Regional.

The Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W), founded in 1844, operates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. The P&W is a major freight provider in the state of Connecticut and interchanges with CSX in Worcester, Mass.; the Springfield Terminal Railroad and Norfolk Southern in Gardner, Mass.; New England Central Railroad, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National and New England Central Railroads in New London; the New York and Atlantic Railway in Queens, N.Y.; the Housatonic Railroad in Danbury, and the Connecticut Southern Railroad in New Haven.

P&W serves customers within Connecticut along the entire coast, The Danbury Branch Line, The Maybrook Line, The Waterbury Branch Line to Derby Junction, from New Haven to Middletown and in the eastern portion of the state between the cities of Groton, Norwich, Plainfield, Willimantic and north to Worcester, Massachusetts.

The Cedar Hill Yard in New Haven is a principal point of arrival or departure for through trains connecting with national markets. Shipments with destinations west of the Hudson River interchange here with the Connecticut Southern Railroad and travel north to Springfield, mass., then west across the Hudson to the Selkirk yards.

P&W operates 545 miles of track and runs the largest double stack intermodal facility in New England in Worcester. In 2000 P&W transported over 29,776 carloads of freight.

But in our region, P&W serves only Rings End in Bethel on the north-south Danbury Branch Line and Tilcon Connecticut in Danbury on the east -west Maybrook Line. P&W has trackage rights on HRRC' s Maybrook Line from Danbury to Derby. P&W's use on the Maybrook line to serve Tilcon in Danbury is not in competition with the Housatonic Railroad, as Housatonic does not have trackage rights east of Derby Junction where this shipper sends its material. In exchange, P&W pays a mileage fee per car to Housatonic.

FREIGHT SERVICE BY THE
HOUSATONIC RAILROAD COMPANY
Of the three sizes of railroads defined by the Surface Transportation Board, Class 1 Railroads, lesser Regional Railroads, and then the smallest class of Local Railroads, the Housatonic Railroad Company is classified as Local.

The Housatonic Railroad Company (HRRC) is based in Canaan, Connecticut which is near the Massachusetts border. It began operations in 1983 and operates over approximately 160 miles of track.

HRRC operates north-south between Danbury and Pittsfield, Massachusetts on the Berkshire Line. East and west, the railroad operates between the New York state border and Derby, CT on the Maybrook Line. The railroad has freight rights westerly on the Maybrook Line to Beacon, N.Y., as shown on this HRRC system map.

The Railroad provides local freight service in the Housatonic Valley and through interchange with CSX in Pittsfield, freight transportation links to the national rail system. In 2000 this company carried approximately 6,000 carloads of freight. As will be demonstrated by the inventories below, HRRC is the largest rail freight provider in the Housatonic Valley Region. it has also become something of a cherished institution, its engines and equipment adding to the colorful personality of the area.

The HRRC is presently constructing the Hawleyville Transload Terminal in Newtown as part of its Shepaug Reload Center. This facility currently allows local and regional lumberyards to take delivery of building materials originally sent by rail.

The expanded transload station will allow for intermodal transfer of non-hazardous raw materials such as flour or starch. It will have a capacity for loading and unloading of 40 rail cars with nearby storage for another 100 cars. The transfer station, an economic asset for our area, will allow companies shipping or receiving bulk materials that do not have their own sidings to access rail freight service. Potentially, TOFC service could operate at this location as well.

DANBURY BRANCH LINE
RAIL FREIGHT INVENTORY

The Danbury Branch Line is owned by the State of Connecticut. All other lines in the Region are privately owned by the Housatonic Railroad, except for a section of the Berkshire Line from central New Milford north to the Kent Town Line that is also owner by Conn DOT.

P&W is the local freight provider on the Danbury Branch Line, serving just one client, in Bethel. There are no active freight customers on the line to the south of Bethel in Redding or Ridgefield.

DANBURY BRANCH LINE FREIGHT IN REDDING, CT (FIRST SEGMENT)
As noted above there are no rail freight customers along the Danbury Branch Line in Redding.

The Branch Line enters Redding from Wilton, CT, passes under Route 107, then skirts on its western edge the old Gilbert and Bennett Factory Building complex, a former significant rail freight user.

The Line then reenters Wilton, paralleling Route 7 in its eastern side, for a total distance in Redding of 0.52 miles and then back into Wilton for 0.37 miles.

DANBURY BRANCH LINE FREIGHT IN RIDGEFIELD, CT
There are no rail freight customers along the Danbury Branch Line in Ridgefield.

Entering from Wilton, The Danbury Branch Line continues into Ridgefield, for a total distance of 0.75 miles. There is an at grade crossing at Portland Avenue, followed by the Branchville Railroad Station, then an at grade crossing at Depot Road. The Danbury Branch Line parallels Route 7 on its eastern side through Ridgefield, continues north and enters Redding, CT.

DANBURY BRANCH LINE FREIGHT IN REDDING, CT (SECOND SEGMENT)
The Branch Line when passing thru Redding for a second time crosses over Old Mountain Road, then over Sympaug Turnpike, then proceeds to an at grade crossing with Topstone Road. Then just after Umpawaug Pond to its east, the Branch Line turns from north to north east.

Paralleling the route of Sympaug Turnpike to its west, the Line then passes under that road and then follows it on its west side until the West Redding Railroad Station, located just before the at grade crossing with Long Ridge Road. The Branch Line then parallels Route 53 on its east as it passes from Redding into Bethel, CT.

DANBURY BRANCH LINE FREIGHT IN BETHEL, CT
Entering from Redding, the Danbury Branch Line proceeds in a northerly direction, west of and parallel to Route 53. It then crosses over Route 53 and proceeds towards Bethel Center. Total length of the line in Bethel is 4.5 miles.

There is an at grade crossing at Taylor Avenue. Ring's End, located at 9 Taylor Avenue, is a retail outlet providing lumber, hardware and building materials. The freight needs of this company are served by the P&W Railroad, reaching Ring's End by traveling westerly on the Maybrook Line to Danbury, then south on the Danbury Branch to the siding for this company.

The Branch Line then proceeds to an at grade crossing at Bethel's South Street, followed by an at grade crossing of Bethel's major traffic artery Greenwood Avenue (Route 302), then on northerly to the Bethel Railroad Station. The line then turns northwesterly and enters Danbury, CT.

DANBURY BRANCH LINE FREIGHT IN DANBURY, CT
There are no rail freight customers along the 2.1 mile length of the Danbury Branch Line in the City of Danbury.

Entering from Bethel, the Danbury Branch Line proceeds northeasterly across at grade crossings with Great Pasture Road, Shelter Rock Road, and then bridges the Still River. There are then additional at grade crossings with Triangle Street, Taylor Street and Chestnut Street.

Soon reaching the modern Danbury Railroad Station, the Branch Line terminates at the Maybrook Line in front of Danbury's historic Union Station, now housing the Danbury Railway Museum.

Danbury's historic railroad yard, encompassing several acres on both sides of the Still River between White Street, Patriot Drive, Pahquioque Avenue and Wildman Street, is now owned by The State of Connecticut, and leased to the Danbury Railway Museum and MTA Metro-North Railroad. The freight house was torn down in 1989 and there are no active freight operations here.

BERKSHIRE LINE
RAIL FREIGHT INVENTORY

The origin point for the Berkshire Line in Danbury is close to the Brookfield Town Line, near the entrance to the Berkshire Corporate Park off of White Turkey Road Extension. This is Berkshire Junction, where the Maybrook Line turns east and the Berkshire Line has its origin point and proceeds north into Brookfield and then New Milford.

The Berkshire Line is owned by the Housatonic Railroad Company to central New Milford and by Conn DOT from there northerly along the Housatonic River to the Massachusetts State Line.

BERKSHIRE LINE FREIGHT IN DANBURY, CT
There are no freight customers, in part due to the fact that the origin point for the Berkshire Line in Danbury is very close to the Brookfield Town Line. This location is the site of the Proposed Danbury North Railroad Station.

BERKSHIRE LINE FREIGHT IN BROOKFIELD, CT
Entering from Danbury, the Berkshire Line parallels the Route 7 Expressway to its west. Throughout Brookfield the track remains within the gentle downgrade of the Still River Valley.

HRRC via the Berkshire Line in Brookfield serves the freight needs of Pharmco Products, located at 58 Vale Road. This company is a leading manufacturer of alcohol based solvents and chemicals. There are no other rail freight customers along the Berkshire Line in Brookfield.

The Berkshire Line then proceeds north, crossing over Side Cut Road and then under Grays Bridge Road. Continuing north on the east side of the Route 7 Expressway, the Line crosses over Route 133, then to the north under Silvermine Road, then under Route 25 near Brookfield Center, location for the Proposed Brookfield Railroad Station. The line then continues to follow the Still River northerly into the Town of New Milford, CT.

BERKSHIRE LINE FREIGHT IN NEW MILFORD, CT 
Entering from Brookfield, the Berkshire Line once in New Milford parallels the Still River while running along its east bank, passing over Old Middle Road, then under Old Pumpkin Hill Road, under Erickson Road, and having an at grade crossing with Still River Road.

The Berkshire Line then continues to proceed northerly, sandwiched in between the Housatonic River to its east and Pickett District Road to its west. Here along Pickett District Road service is provided to ACH Food Companies, Inc., located at 87 Pickett District Road, a manufacturer and packager of oil based food products. ACH Food has a 70,000 square foot plant with about 50 employees. Rail freight for this company is provided by HRRC.

The Berkshire Line next serves the massive Kimberly Clark Corporation, a very large facility with about 1,200 employees located at 58 Pickett District Road, which manufactures sanitary personal paper products and employs 1200 persons. This company is also served by the HRRC.

Adjacent to Kimberly Clark and parallel to the Housatonic River, HRRC maintains a small freight switching area for sorting loads and making up new ones for local delivery or northbound trains. Cargo transfers are all internal: no materials are loaded to or unloaded from freight cars to trucks in this yard.

The Berkshire Railroad Line next crosses the Housatonic River and proceeds up that River's east bank. In so doing it has at grade crossings with South Avenue, then Mill Street, then Bridge Street (Route 67) the major artery in Downtown New Milford .

At Milepost 11.3 there is a freight siding just north of the New Milford Railroad Station, now surrounded by the Clifford C. Chapin Railroad Plaza. This siding  is not currently in use. 

The Berkshire Line then crosses over Pleasant Street and the Aspetuck River. After the at grade crossing of Aspetuck Ridge Road, rail spurs extend out to the large vacant industrial building known as the Century Brass Mill/DAVKO property. The Town of New Milford is the current owner and is seeking a developer to purchase this 72 acre site.

Proceeding on over Boardman Road, the Berkshire Line next serves FIDCO Inc. (formerly Nestle), located at 201 Housatonic Avenue, a food flavoring and products manufacturer with 154 employees. The freight needs of this facility are served by the HRRC.

The Berkshire Line then continues northerly, past the at grade crossing on Boardman Road, along the Housatonic River to then cross into the Town of Kent, CT. Conn DOT ownership of the line begins in New Milford at Milepost 13.

The Line then continues along the east bank of the Housatonic River, crosses into Massachusetts, and reaches Pittsfield, Mass. where a transfer of freight to CSX is made by the HRRC.

MAYBROOK LINE
RAIL FREIGHT INVENTORY

MAYBROOK LINE FREIGHT IN DANBURY, CT
All of the east - west Maybrook Line in Connecticut is owned by the Housatonic Railroad Company. The line currently begins in Beacon, New York but once began in Maybrook, New York and thus received its name. This route was a major east-west freight corridor until the early 1970Ís. The name of this Line seems to be in flux, as some New York sources now give it the title "Beacon Line" west of the border with Connecticut.

Service west of Beacon ended when a bridge over the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie, N.Y. burned in 1974. Since that time the Selkirk Yard to the north near Albany, N.Y. has been the main funnel for freight from the west entering New England and then southerly to our sub state area. New York State DOT is currently conducting a feasibility study as to restoring the connection at or near Poughkeepsie.

In New York State, west of the Connecticut border, the Maybrook (Beacon) Line is owned by MTA Metro-North Railroad. There is no active freight usage on this line west of Danbury. The Maybrook Line interchanges with the north-south oriented Harlem and Hudson lines of Metro-North, however, intense passenger service on these lines limits the potential for freight services on them.

Beginning a detained description of its passage through our planning region, the Maybrook Line leaves New York State's Putnam County proceeding easterly, then enters Danbury on the north side of and paralleling I-84. The state line is milepost 71.2.

Just east of I-84 Exit 2, and before the Line passes under Route 6 (Mill Plain Road), there is a spur line to Banta Direct Marketing Group, a printing and publishing company with 240 employees, located at 1 Prindle Lane, (which is a short access road to Route 6). Rail freight service to Banta is provided by the HRRC.

The Maybrook Line then proceeds easterly, sandwiched tightly between and paralleled by Route 6 to its north and on the south by I-84. The rail route passes under Kenosia Avenue, and then by the north side of the Danbury Fair Mall as it follows the Still River Valley into central Danbury.

The next rail freight user is the Fairfield Processing Corporation, located at 88 Rose Hill Avenue with 187 employees. This firm produces polyester fiber batting for industrial and consumer applications and is served by the HRRC. 

The Maybrook Line then crosses Route 53, Main Street in Danbury, at grade. Should the Maybrook Line ever reemerge as a major east-west freight artery, the length or frequency of freight trains could be greater increased here. Traffic flow on Main Street could be significantly impacted by any such change.

Just after the at grade crossing at White Street is Danbury's historic Union Station, now the home of the Danbury Railway Museum. The railroad station function was relocated in 1996, such that today's Danbury Railroad Station is on the south side of the rail yard. At the Union Station the Danbury Branch Line officially terminates as that line joins the Maybrook Line.

The Maybrook Line proceeds easterly to an at grade crossing at Wildman Street, then turns northeasterly just before it passes under busy White Street. Midway between Wildman and White Street at the location of the former McLachlan Hat Factory is the Fairfield Processing White Street siding. This location is served by HRRC.

There is then a spur to serve the rear of Automated Waste Disposal, located at 307 White Street, a firm dealing with commercial and residential waste disposal. AWD is one of the largest waste haulers in Connecticut with over 225 employees and several subsidiaries. The rail freight service to AWD is provided by HRRC.

The Maybrook Line now closely parallels Federal Road (State Route 805) as it proceeds northeasterly along the Still River Valley. The next freight user is Tilcon Connecticut, located in the Commerce Park section of Danbury at 49 Eagle Road.

Tilcon is a sand, gravel and concrete supplier. Although this track is owner by the HRRC, this company is served by the P&W Railroad. P&W has much gravel and sand hauling work in Connecticut. As it ships this material to location where HRRC does not have trackage rights, it is not in direct competition with HRRC for this account.

The Maybrook Line is now closely sandwiched between Federal Road on its northwest and Eagle Road on its southeast, as it passes the edge of the busy Commerce Park business area. It then passes under I-84 to meet Eagle Road Extension at an at grade crossing.

Crossing the Still River, then closely paralleling White Turkey Road Extension on its northeast side, the Line passes the site of the proposed Danbury North Railroad Station (at the existing park and ride location), then proceeds into Brookfield.

MAYBROOK LINE FREIGHT IN BROOKFIELD, CT
Just north of the Danbury-Brookfield Line near the entrance to Berkshire Corporate Park the Berkshire Rail Line begins. This takes the form of a fork in the tracks, with the Maybrook Line turning from northeasterly to easterly and the Berkshire Line continuing northerly along the Still River Valley. The site of the Proposed Danbury North Railroad Station is nearby.

The Maybrook Line now runs easterly thru Brookfield, passing into Newtown, CT. There are no rail freight customers on the Maybrook Line in Brookfield.

MAYBROOK LINE FREIGHT IN NEWTOWN, CT 
Just after its at grade crossing with Route 25, the Maybrook Line has a spur to the Shepaug Reload and Distribution Center, with an address of 30 Hawleyville Road/Route 25. This facility is operated by HRRC. It allows regional lumberyards to take local delivery of building materials sent by rail, and will soon be expanded to include transfer of other bulk materials.

Continuing on and after a turn southwesterly, the Maybrook Line passes under I-84. It then serves Rand-Whitney Containers Newtown L.L.C., located at One Edmond Road, a firm dedicated to high tech, high quality corrugated printing and converting. This company is served by the HRRC.

Just before the crossing over Route 6, the Maybrook Line has a siding to serve the building housing the Sonics Company. While no freight service is currently provided, a future tenant of this building will have a rail option available.

Crossing over busy Route 6 (Newtown's Church Hill Road), the Maybrook Line proceeds thru much of Newtown, skirting the west side of the old Fairfield Hills State Hospital and then paralleling Route 25 on that major artery's east side.

Off of 101 South Main Street is a Fairfield Processing Company facility that has a rail spur to the Maybrook Line, not now currently in use for freight shipments.

At 201 South Main Street is the Georgia-Pacific warehouse. Georgia-Pacific is a distributor of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals. This location is served by HRRC.

Wickes Lumber Company, at 46 Swamp Road, not far off Botsford Hill Road now occupies the former Newtown Lumber Company location, once served by the HRRC. This firm is a rail freight customer.

The Line then swings easterly to its milepost 93.5, the now vacant Charles Batchelder Company Property. This is a former aluminum smelting plant vacant since 1987 with an existing siding. The Town of Newtown is seeking to clean up the location and market it for light industrial use. HRRC (and through them, CSX) has expressed interest in serving this location.

The Maybrook Line then leaves Newtown and enters Monroe. Proceeding easterly, it reaches the Housatonic River where it travels along the west bank of that watercourse for some miles. The remaining active customer between Georgia-Pacific in Newtown and Derby Junction is Stevenson Lumber in Monroe.

Crossing the Housatonic from Shelton, CT to Derby, CT, the Berkshire Line terminates at its junction with the Waterbury Branch Line. Freight service proceeds on the Waterbury Branch Line south (where P&W has freight rights) along the east bank of the Housatonic River, to meet the main line in Milford, CT, where a connection northeasterly to New Haven is made.

OTHER PERSPECTIVES ON RAIL FREIGHT

CONN DOT PERSPECTIVE
The text below provides an interesting statewide overview and is reproduced in part from Conn DOT planning documents.

It is generally known that the freight transportation industry in the United States has undergone dramatic changes in the last twenty years. Developments in "containerization", shifts in the manufacturing industry to "just-in-time" delivery; the deregulation of rail, trucking and aviation industries, and the development of new trading patterns in a global economy have led to consolidation and restructuring of freight transportation modes.

The development of expressways such as I-84 and I-95, the trend toward larger and heavier trucks, more time-sensitive shipping requirements, increasing competition, and railroad branch line reductions have contributed to the trucking industry attracting a large market share of goods movements. But, while the number of truck trips is increasing, the length of such trips is decreasing.

On the national scene many shippers are using more cost-effective rail, air or water transport for the long-haul portion of freight delivery, with trucking firms supplying the pick up and delivery portion of trips rather than supplying end-to-end service. Thus truck/intermodal traffic has increased dramatically in recent years and should continue to increase.

But according to Conn DOT, in Connecticut, because of its small geographic area and its close proximity to some of the nation's largest ports, intermodal rail facilities and airports, can expect to continue to see primarily the truck portions of intermodal freight trips.

The Conn DOT perspective is that trucking is and in the foreseeable future will continue to be, the backbone of goods movement in Connecticut. For 1995 it was estimated that truck shipments accounted for at least 12 million tons of interstate freight movement (that is at least one origin or destination outside of the State) and an even greater volume of intrastate and local distribution activity. This represents, at a minimum, 60 to 70 percent of all goods movement (by volume) in the state, in comparison with rail and waterborne movement which represent less than thirty percent.

Rail Freight service in Connecticut is provided by CSX, Providence & Worcester Railroad Company, Housatonic Railroad Company, Springfield Terminal, Connecticut Southern Railroad, Branford Steam Railroad, New England Central Railroad, the Central New England Railroad and the Naugatuck Railroad.

According to Conn DOT, most rail shipments entering Connecticut fall within a limited range of bulk commodities such as crushed stone, lumber, rolled paper, steel, chemicals, and waste products. The manufacturing and distribution companies who currently receive these goods by rail accept significantly longer shipment times than would be required for truck shipment of their low-value, non-time-sensitive raw materials and products. 

Shipments from the west are generally routed via Selkirk, NY, then pass through the Oak Point Yard in New York City, or the West Springfield, Massachusetts Yard, before reaching much of the state's rail network.

In recent years, annual rail shipments originating or terminating within the state have amounted to 50,000 carloads carrying about three to four million tons (see Conn DOT's 1996 Rail Plan Update for details).

The following factors affect or have affected the volume of freight transported in Connecticut by rail:

• The dearth of Hudson River rail crossings makes through shipping of freight impractical for many commodities and products;
• The strong competitive position of the trucking industry due to the short distances involved in movement into and through our small state;
• The state increasingly is oriented to business and service activities which do not generate large volumes of freight;
• Cutbacks in defense spending have reduced output in this key industrial sector, and
• There is intense passenger rail activity along the mainline and branch lines which limits the availability of freight service.

Also, it remains Conn DOT's position that the introduction of competitive rail freight access to southern New England is necessary to correct a historic competitive imbalance created by the longstanding regional dominance of a single Class 1 carrier. Not only would competitive access by one or more Class 1 carriers improve and increase local rail freight service, it would follow that such improvements would result in reduced truck traffic and improved air quality in the I-95 Corridor.

The weakening and dilution of the State's industrial base, and the shortening and tightening of the product stream, have lead to fundamental changes in the way goods are manufactured, shipped and received. Rarely do plants receive rail cars full of materials to be converted into finished products, with all phases of manufacturing and assembly taking place under one roof. 

Rather, manufacturing is dispersed over several locations with any one plant having a limited role. And the changes in materials management, specifically, just-in-time delivery, mean that sites are getting smaller, more frequent deliveries of materials, and are doing the same with their outbound shipments.

And, importantly, one of the major container ports in the world, and one of the largest intermodal rail yards in the country are located in northeastern New Jersey, within one hundred miles of central Connecticut. A major intermodal yard with connections to the west is located just over the State line in West Springfield, Massachusetts. 

The close proximity of these facilities to business and industries in Connecticut and the fact that Connecticut does not have a direct freight connection to the western and southern United States (the main rail line for New England is the Boston to Albany Line that runs through southern Massachusetts, within ten miles of our border) results in a significant percentage of the goods originating in or destined for Connecticut being handled at these intermodal facilities and transported to or from Connecticut locations by truck.