NJ Transit recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the County Yard and Delco Lead Storage and Inspection Facility Project. The project is part of NJ TRANSIT’s Resilience Program and will create an additional resilient storage location for rail cars and locomotives that will provide greater protection against future flooding.
The centrally located Delco Lead, along the Northeast Corridor in New Brunswick, will allow rail cars and locomotives to be safely stored and protected during extreme weather events. The project also includes the construction of a new Service and Inspection facility on the adjacent grounds to quickly inspect and return the equipment to service once a weather event has passed.
“The new County Yard/Delco Lead Storage and Facility Project is a critical investment that will improve the efficiency and efficacy of NJ TRANSIT’s operations along the Northeast Corridor. I’m proud to have helped secure $180 million from the Federal Railroad Administration to boost the resiliency of our regional infrastructure and improve the experience of New Jersey’s hundreds of thousands of daily public transit commuters,” Senator Cory Booker, said.
“Today’s groundbreaking marks a critical step in enhancing the resilience and reliability of NJ TRANSIT,” said Michael Culotta, Regional Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. “The Federal Transit Administration is contributing $184.5 million to the County Yard and Delco Lead Storage and Inspection Facility Project to safeguard transit operations, strengthen resilience, and keep New Jersey moving forward for years to come.”
“This groundbreaking marks another significant milestone in NJ TRANSIT’s mission to create a more resilient and reliable transit system,” NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin Corbett said. “By investing in resilient infrastructure, NJ TRANSIT is not only protecting critical assets, but also ensuring we can continue delivering reliable service to our customers when they need it most.”
In September 2024, the George Harms Construction Company, Inc., of Howell was awarded the contract – in the amount of $497,977,585.35, plus 10 percent for contingencies – for the reconstruction of four miles of the existing Delco Lead track, and the construction of an adjacent track – approximately one mile long – from County Yard to North Brunswick. County Yard and Delco Lead, due to their location above the floodplain, provide an ideal storage location for rail cars during extreme weather events.
Additionally, the project calls for the construction of a 1,250-foot-long Service and Inspection Facility. The new facility will be used for inspection and light maintenance of trains, spare parts storage, two 12-car inspection tracks, and five 12-car storage tracks. The new facility will allow for the rapid inspection of rail equipment and its timely return to service following an extreme weather event.
In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the County Yard and associated four-mile-long Delco Lead were identified as safe-haven storage locations for rail cars and locomotives as the land and yard are above the floodplain with a minimal number of adjacent trees. Strategically located along the Northeast Corridor, the Delco Lead Project will provide resilient storage for NJ TRANSIT’s rail equipment in the event the Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny, NJ and Morrisville, PA yard are evacuated.
A crew quarters and employee parking lot at County Yard will also be constructed as part of the project.
