Port Reading Railroad - CSX Ownership

CSX Ownership

CSX took over 42% of the Conrail system in 1998 via a complicated stock buyout in which they split the assets of the Conrail system with Norfolk Southern. CSX wound up with the Port Reading Secondary as a result of the buyout.

In contrast to earlier decades, the 1990's was a decade in which railroads started to see some incremental increases in freight traffic as increases in freight demand and congested highways caused more shippers to move their freight via rail. To respond to the challenge of serving the increased demands of the New York/New Jersey region, CSX invested millions of dollars to upgrade the Port Reading Secondary to handle high-clearance long distance trains, including double-stack trains from western ports.

The Port Reading Secondary now offers an additional route to CSX's rail facilities in the New York/New Jersey region, via the Chemical Coast line that runs along heavily industrialized eastern New Jersey, near the Arthur Kill waterway that separates New Jersey from Staten Island, New York. Rail traffic has increased substantially on the Port Reading Secondary in recent years as a result of the upgrades, and the line appears to have a bright future. Railroad signals currently exist at the crossing on Homestead Avenue in Avenel, but not at Omar Avenue in Avenel, where such signals would interfere with exiting trucks. Also, Carteret has signals at the crossing by the NJ Turnpike entrance. Also, Port Reading Conrail has gates on Blair Rd., Rahway ave. and St. Georges Ave in Woodbridge Township.