RECORD OF MEETING

FREIGHT TASK FORCE

Friday, February 15, 2002, Port of Albany, Albany, NY

Attendance:

Michael Franchini (Albany County)

Frank Keane (Port of Albany)

Gus Lapham (NYS Thruway Authority)

Catherine Lawson (UAlbany)

Ted Thompson (NYSDOT - Region 1)

Tony Vasil (Port of Albany)

Teresa La Salle (CDTC)

Jason Purvis (CDTC)

PLEASE NOTE: The date of the May meeting has been changed to: May 17, 2002, 1:30 PM

Record of Previous Meeting - The minutes of the November 2001meeting were approved.

Member Updates/Current Events

Port of Albany – F. Keane and T. Vasil led members on a tour of the Port. Our first stop was the cocoa warehouse. F. Keane explained that this is a labor-intensive operation with bags weighing 142 pounds each. The facility maintains inventory mainly for the Fulton, NY Nestle plant, but also for the Montreal, Wisconsin, and West Coast plants. The cocoa is shipped on conventional non-container vessels. There are four main cocoa ports: Albany, Norfolk, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn. The facility also debags the cocoa from the smaller bags and transfers the cocoa beans to 1 ton super sacks before being shipped to the Fulton Nestle plant. We also visited the wood pulp warehouse. This product is primarily from Spain and Chile. The port handles both white and brown wood pulp. Both types are used in many paper products as well as different types of filters. The port also has a grain facility and does handle some scrap steel. At the time of our tour one ship had just unloaded industrial salt and one was unloading agricultural molasses. It is not uncommon for a ship to unload one product, refill with another product and head back out to sea. The port is also involved with a worldwide Heavy Lift & Project Cargo. Each project averages 16 ships. Items such as GE generators are shipped to countries such as Japan, Korea, and China. The ports heavy lift capability is up to 500 tons. Task force members were given a tour of the heavy lift crane.

-Status of container barge service - T. Vasil noted that customers have shown interest in using container service, if the price is right. The port is nearing an agreement to establish a container yard. Once the agreement has been reached, the next step is to build up a supply of containers. The port's multi-purpose, heavy lift crane and heavy-duty forklift are able to move containers.

NYSDOT – T. Thompson reported that the NYSMTA let go of one important staff member in December. He also noted that dredging of the Hudson River will be moving forward. There will be hardly any trucking involved. Most of the removal will be done barge to rail. CP Rail may develop a site at Moreau and Battenkill Rail may also assist as they have existing wharves. There will be no more than 16 gondolas per day, even at full operation.

Region 1 has a one-year trial agreement with Adirondack Beverage to allow tandems at Exit 26 of the Thruway. Active modifications will probably occur in the spring.

CP Rail has no plans for highway service, but does plan to implement double-stacked tandems.

Congressman Sweeney has approved a 1.5 million appropriation for higher clearances to Rouses Point.

Single tractor-trailers at Thruway Exit 24 will no longer be crossing perpendicular to traffic to enter the tandem lot. They will use a small service road off Washington Avenue Extension used primarily as a safe passage for employees to the Thruway's employee parking lot. Use of the access road by tractor-trailers will be on a one-year trail basis. It should be noted that tandem tractor-trailers will still have to cross perpendicular to exiting traffic to enter the Thruway at Exit 24. J. Purvis strongly expressed his uncertainty regarding the safety of motorists on Washington Avenue Extension and to the Thruway employees that currently use the access road.

T. Thompson noted that the Philadelphia Rail Freight Seminar will be held May 8-10th. He continues to receive literature regarding freight in Philadelphia. T. Thompson also noted upcoming FHWA programs. Lynnette Berkley is the contact at FHWA for program information.

T. Thompson noted that the Quebec-NY Corridor Coalition will be working on Customs clearance facilities.

NYSTA – G. Lapham noted that the Thruway will be issuing sealed container permits in the near future.

Upcoming Events

 

CDTC Freight Task Force Meeting: May 17, 2002, 1:30 PM

Location - TBD