THE GREATER ROCHESTER RAILFAN PAGE

GREATER ROCHESTER SHORTLINE RAILROADS

SOMERSET RAILROAD CORP.

ADDRESS & PHONE: 7725 Lake Road, Barker, NY 14012 - 716-795-9501

OWNERSHIP: AES, operated by CSX

REPORTING MARK: SOM

RADIO FREQUENCIES: 160.380, 161.040, 160.800, 161.070, 160.860

PRIMARY BUSINESS

• Coal
• Limestone
• Chemicals

ANNUAL TRAFFIC: 19,000 cars

INFRASTRUCTURE: 15.59 miles of track, 119-136 lb rail

ONLINE CUSTOMERS:

• AES Kintigh Station, Somerset
• Van Chemical, Lockport

SCHEDULE OF OPERATIONS:

• As needed

TRAINSPOTTING LOCATIONS:

• Rt. 18, Somerset

INTERCHANGE POINT & RAILROAD: Lockport with Conrail

LOCOMOTIVE ROSTER:

#	TYPE	YEAR	BUILDER'S #	HERITAGE / NOTES
No #	GE SL-144 center cab	11/1983	44342	Purchased new

The Somerset Railroad's primary customer is the Kintigh Generating Station, a 675 megawatt coal-fired power plant. The plant itself is right on the shore of Lake Ontario, right along Route 18...and their spur runs south from there. The Somerset RR, as well as the plant, is owned by AES Corp and operated by CSX as the Somerset Secondary. Coal trains from mines on the old Monongahela RR run via Youngstown, OH and Erie PA to Buffalo, then up the Niagara Branch to a point called the Tuscarora Wye where they swing off onto the Lockport Branch, travelling east to Lockport, then onto the Somerset Secondary. CSX six axle power is common on these trains which are symbolled V829 to V834. Somerset has a GE center- cab at the plant for moving cars, etc. 

The Somerset RR also owns 428 rotary-dump gondolas.

MAPS:  From the 1987 Conrail ZTS Albany Division map set:

• Zone 6 Cover Page
• Page 1 - Lockport - Served by CSX
• Page 2 - Somerset - Served by CSX via the Somerset RR

HISTORY: The line running north-south from Lockport to Barker is new construction. In Barker, the east-west portion is the former NYC "Hojack" Line, and the portions of the north-south line is also new construction.  Starting in Lockport, it uses new construction and a previously idle branch line to the Eighteen Mile Creek valley, then new construction including a new bridge. This ties into a trolley right-of-way that was abandoned in the '30s (I grew up near there). The RR diverts east of Newfane on new construction, runs on the Hojack (as mentioned) to the east, then new construction north to the power station. (Dale Oswald)

CREDITS: The American Shortline Railway Guide, 5th ed. by Edward A. Lewis

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Hits since 2/27/00

UPDATED: February 20, 2005

Copyright 2002 by Les Wilson - all rights reserved