ALBANY – New York State Department of Transportation has moved to halt the railroad from discontinuing service along the roughly 41 miles for track that stretches from Chenango Forks to Sherburne.

In a petition filed last week, the NYSDOT requested that the Surface Transportation Board “stay the date of the [New York Susquehanna and Western’s] petition for discontinuance of service on the Utica Branch pending the resolution of the NYS&W’s outstanding contractual obligations.”

The action was taken in response to the Aug. 12 filing with the STB by the Cooperstown-based rail company seeking to discontinue service as of Oct. 1. The line, which NYS&W acquired from Conrail in 1982, has not been actively used since the track was heavily damaged in flooding more than two years ago.

According to the state DOT, “since June 2006, NYS&W has made no attempt to restore the line to service and such failure violates several provisions of the various contracts.”

The petition cites the railroad for failing to maintain the track, not seeking the Commissioner’s approval before filing the notice to discontinue service and for not making arrangements to reimbursement the NYSDOT for approximately $1.29 million in project costs.