New Jersey Transit and Amtrak have begun construction at County Yard in New Brunswick, the future home of NJ Transit’s safe haven rail storage and a new service and inspection facility.

Early action work is expected to be completed by March 2020 and will not impact rail service.

Transit began demolition in early November 2019. It includes the removal of turnout switch and track, installation of straight panels, associated surfacing work, welding, and related signal modifications to adjacent track and signal equipment.

“NJ Transit’s relationship with Amtrak is stronger than ever, and our progress at County Yard and the Delco Lead Storage and Inspection Facility demonstrates it,” NJ Transit President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Corbett said. “We’re excited to be progressing so rapidly and successfully on both of these projects, which will ultimately better protect NJ Transit rail cars, and allow for faster service restorations after extreme weather.”

The removal of the old switches and unused track area will help facilitate Transit’s future track construction into the new County Yard and related site drainage improvements.

The expansion of County Yard, which is part of the NJ Transit Resilience Program, will provide additional resilient storage of rail cars in a centrally located area of the state. The County Yard Improvement Project, along with the Delco Lead Train Safe Haven Storage and Service Restoration Project, will reduce the risk of damage to rail equipment resulting from extreme weather and provide an inspection facility to bring rail equipment back into service in a short period of time after a storm.

The eventual improvements include construction of a four-mile-long electrified Delco Lead track, an expansion of County Yard for storage, an inspection facility, crew quarters and associated improvements.