More than 650 trips a week by diesel-spewing trucks will be eliminated on Staten Island when a new freight railroad goes into service next week.
The first freight train in nearly two decades is scheduled to haul its shipment of goods from the New York Container Terminal next week along the refurbished Staten Island Rail Road.
“Every container on the train is that many trucks off the road,” said Jim Devine, president of the New York Container Terminal in Howland Hook.
“We’ll have 650 less truck moves a week, and that’s going to grow. Whether its wine coming out of Europe or footwear out of Asia, it will move by rail.”
CSX Transportation will haul its first load on June 25. Another freight carrier, Norfolk Southern, is in talks with international shippers and is expected to launch service sometime this summer. Both companies declined to comment before the official announcement, which is expected next week.
“There will be more room on the expressway and tons and tons less of pollution,” said Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro. “This is a win-win for everybody.”
cbennett@nypost.com