New London — The state Bond Commission recently approved $444,006 for freight rail upgrades to a section of the New England Central Railroad line that runs through the State Pier facility, which will enable that section of track to handle what is often referred to as a "286K" railcar, meaning a 110-ton, four-axle car.

The funding, which will be used to fund the entire construction aspect of the freight rail project, is part of a larger $170 million bond approved for the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

NECR operates 394 miles of railroad between the Vermont-Quebec border, and the New London port, according to its website.

State Pier currently has a section of rail that meets the 286K rating from the main deep draft pier to State Pier Road, according to Joseph Salvatore with DOT.

Heading north to the facility property line, Salvatore said, the track is deteriorated and doesn't meet the limit.

There is roughly 1,700 feet of track being proposed for replacement.

"Generally, across the country that is the track rating that everybody is using right now," Salvatore said of the 286K rating, adding "it puts us on a more even playing field." 

"It gives us the capability to handle a much wider range of product," he said.

The cargoes that could come in as a result of the upgrades are machinery-type products, heavy bulk cargo, and specialty cargo that any particular producer or client may have a special need for, Salvatore said.  

DOT entered into an agreement with NECR to assist in the design to increase capacity to 286K from Stafford Springs to New London, according to Salvatore. 

In March, NECR received an $8 million TIGER VI grant, a grant from the federal Department of Transportation used for infrastructure improvements, to upgrade the NECR mainline from New London to Stafford Springs.

Steel is currently the main commodity handled by Logistec, port operator at State Pier for about 17 years. Recently the port has seen the resurgence of lumber, and also a new commodity, salt.

"We too like the NECR are stakeholders at the port of New London and will support any initiative that helps us carry more tonnage on the rail that is imported or exported," Frank Vannelli, senior vice president for commercial and business development, LogistecStevedoring Inc., said by email.  

Currently, Logistec handles some lumber and paper products with NECR in New London, Vannelli said.

The additional carrying capacity cannot hurt, Vannelli said, adding that the company is "supportive of these initiatives and others that the state is putting into infrastructure improvements."

In July, the Connecticut Port Authority came into existence, and will serve as the primary marketer and driver of economic growth around the state's three deepwater ports — New London, Bridgeport and New Haven — all of which have significant untapped potential, according to state officials and stakeholders.

The search for board members and an executive director to lead the port authority is ongoing.

j.bergman@theday.com

Twitter: @JuliaSBergman