How???

[john_edwards]

Pennsylvania rail authority to buy NS Water Gap trackage

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Published: Friday, December 19, 2008

SCRANTON, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority is buying a 10.6-mile stretch of trackage in Monroe County from Norfolk Southern, it was announced Wednesday, according to a story in the Scranton Times-Tribune. The $4.5 million purchase of NS’s Stroudsburg Secondary track between East Stroudsburg and Slateford, Pa., in the Delaware Water Gap, will give the authority ownership of all 100 miles of track in its regional freight system, authority president Larry Malski said. Malski said the acquisition will allow contract operator Delaware-Lackawanna Railroa

[henry6]

Well, yes, it is mostly because the Authority is partnered with NJT in the long delayed Scranton project. But up to now NS owned the track from Anolomink to Slateford and only leased it for DL’s use. Ownership’s priviliges will allow for better use of the line without lease restrictions. (No, I haven’t seen the lease NS let on this line but I have seen the one NS gave to Central New York RR (New York, Susquehanna and Western) on the old Erie Delaware Division from Port Jervis to Bingahmton, NY but I don’t believe the same restirctions would apply).