Committee approves $100,000 railroad feasibility study; $50,000 local match drawn from contingency

The Warren County Finance & Budget Committee voted to accept an Empire State Development (ESD) grant of up to $100,000 to fund a feasibility study for the county railroad corridor and approved establishing capital project H456 for the work.

Committee members debated funding sources for the required 50% local match. Chair proposed and the committee approved appropriating $50,000 from the county's contingency fund — which staff said had about $175,000 available seven months into the fiscal year — to serve as the local share.

Superintendent Kevin Hatos told the committee the feasibility study is important to winning grants and planning future uses of the corridor. He noted past contracts with RevRail, which pays the county about $100,000 per year and currently operates nearly the full 40‑mile corridor; he said having a formal study makes grant applications more competitive.

Members discussed alternatives such as abandoning portions of the track, but staff cautioned that abandonment is a long process and that a study would enable applications for state and other competitive funding to keep the rail operational or plan conversion options.

The committee approved both the appropriation of local match funds and the capital project creation by voice votes. Staff and members agreed to follow up on possible tourism grant applications that could relate to rail uses.

The feasibility study will determine future uses for the Warren County Railroad and identify potential local funding sources for the county's share.