The Bristol Town Council signed off unanimously Dec. 13 on awarding Maryland-based Rhinehart Railroad Construction $267,644 for fixing and upgrading a railroad spur along a two-mile set of track that runs through the town and part of Plymouth.
The spur renovation project includes the realignment of a curve at the crossing and replacing wooden timbers that tie the rail together, according to Bristol Public Works Director Ray Rogozinski. He said 1,000 feet of rail would be replaced, as will 600 timbers.
The rail line, which is not used for passenger service, runs through and on city property in the Clark Avenue area, Rogozinski said.
Rogozinski said the rail line was installed in the 1960s as part of an economic boon to the town when the then-New Departure company used it for freight. Today the small railway line is used solely by two Bristol companies: Clark Dietrich, which makes medal framing, and Firestone, which makes roofing materials. Both companies are located near the track at the intersection of James B. Casey Road. and Clark Avenue.
The companies use the rail two to three times a week to bring raw materials in from other parts of the state and country, Rogozinski said.
Rogozinski said the work will start in the spring of 2023 and take about two months to complete. Service for the two companies will not be disrupted during the renovation period, he said.
The railroad spur is the last leg of track in Bristol.
“The freight materials go on other tracks owned by various companies and then go on the last leg here, which is town-owned,” Rogozinski said.
Rogozinski said Bristol typically does about $40,000 in maintenance and upkeep repairs annually on the track. “This is a much larger block of repair work,” he said.
Rhinehart has done work throughout the state on numerous projects, Rogozinski said. The company was the lowest of three bidders, he said.
The town, Rogozinski said, recently upgraded the railroad crossing at Route 6 and, several years ago, upgraded the railroad bridge along Clark Avenue.
