Protecting Our Quality of Life
For Generations
To Come
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Townline Association is so pleased to be able to report the freight yard plan has been dropped by the owner. It is worth mentioning that he did note he may revisit the project sometime in the future.
The Townline Association Board would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every community member who wrote letters, attended meetings, spoke to our local representatives, volunteered, fundraised, and donated to “Fight the Freight Yard.”
We would also like to thank our community partners, the Fort Salonga Association, the Commack Community Association, Fairfield at St. James Community Association, and the Greater East Northport Civic Association, for their support.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge and thank the Smithtown News, whose incredible journalism sounded the alarm letting our community know what was happening and week after week covered this matter with truthfulness, diligence, and integrity.
Townline Association will continue to follow up with the Town of Smithtown regarding the pending code amendment creating a zone for rail freight terminals and rail transfer stations. We believe these proposed amendments should be withdrawn.
We will continue to remain diligent with respect to 140 Old Northport Road, and all of the properties located in the Old Northport Road corridor.
Again, thank you, and always remember, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead)
All the best,
Townline Association Board
Below please find Smithtown News article regarding this matter. Click to enlarge.
Freight cars will travel along the Port Jefferson line of the LIRR, passing HOMES, SCHOOLS, & PLAYGROUNDS in Northport, Fort Salonga, East Northport, Greenlawn, Kings Park, Commack, Elwood, and Smithtown.
The freight yard will be REQUIRED TO RECEIVE & SHIP HAZARDOUS MATERIAL, such as chlorine and anhydrous ammonia, upon reasonable request. There is an average of 3 TRAIN DERAILMENTS PER DAY in the United States.
The freight yard would bring MORE TRACTOR TRAILERS onto our local roads, including Pulaski Road, Townline/Commack Roads, Indian Head Road, Larkfield Road and Jericho Turnpike – the freight cars will not come back to the yard empty on return trips. Cargo will then be trucked to customers across Long Island by CarlsonCorp’s fleet of diesel tractor trailers.
Townline Association has retained a prominent Washington DC attorney to represent the interests of the community in the fight against the freight yard. A motion has been submitted to the Surface Transportation Board requesting the Board dismiss CarlsonCorp’s Petition for Exemption because the construction project does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Board. Even if the Board finds jurisdiction, the Petition should be dismissed due to strong local opposition to the Proposed Line and questions regarding the financial feasibility of the project. If not dismissed, a full application should be required. Check back for further updates.
The Issue
A regional diesel freight rail yard/terminal has been proposed at 140 Old Northport Road, Kings Park. This project has been in development for almost two years and was known to our elected politicians, but not to residents, until our local newspaper recently reported on it.
This proposed regional freight yard, called Townline Rail Terminal, is an affiliate of CarlsonCorp. It will have at least five tracks (totaling 9,400 feet), two buildings (totaling 100,000 square feet), and a 161-freight car capacity (totaling 10,456 feet of train). These trains will not only haul ash, but unassociated construction & demolition debris and aggregates. CarlsonCorp is also seeking a common carrier obligation, thereby providing rail service to the public at large to haul any type of freight into our community.
Who Is Affected
This regional freight yard directly borders, and is in within yards of, residential homes in Kings Park and is in direct proximity to the densely populated neighborhoods of Fort Salonga, Northport, East Northport, Commack, Greenlawn, Elwood, and Smithtown. Our communities already grapple with pollution from numerous sources, including the Northport Power Plant, the Huntington (Covanta) Incinerator, medical waste incinerators at the Northport VA and St. Catherine’s Hospitals, several capped landfills and their methane venting systems, and a variety of businesses contributing pollutants from sand mining, concrete crushing, asphalt production, and more.
The freight cars will move along the Long Island Rail Road’s Port Jefferson line, passing our towns and villages.
What Can You Do
Educate yourself and your friends, family, and neighbors about this ill-conceived proposal by clicking on the below letters.
Donate to Townline Association to help us pay for this fight. This is so important. Experts are needed, experts need to be paid.
There are several ways to donate
Buy a “Fight the Freight Yard” lawn sign (email Townline at townlinecivicassociation@gmail.com to purchase – $20)
Direct donation (mail a check to Townline Association at PO Box 119, Commack, NY 11725 or Venmo a donation below)
– To read letter, click on thumbnail to enlarge –
Who We Are
Townline Association, Inc. is a nonprofit, 501(c)3), grassroots organization that is dedicated to protecting the quality of life of residents in the Huntington and Smithtown Townships, for generations to come.
Townline Association was founded in 2000 to block Pennsylvania Power & Light’s proposed 300-megawatt power plant on Townline Road, bordering Kings Park and Commack. It took 5 ½ years, but in the end, Townline Association was successful.
Townline Association has continued to keep a watchful eye on projects in the Old Northport Road/Townline Road area, embracing appropriate development, such as a masonry supply business, a plant nursery, a sports complex and a solar farm, while opposing inappropriate uses, such as a 125-megawatt power plant and a Long Island Railroad train maintenance yard.
Townline Association’s goal is to ensure a harmonious balance between land use in the Old Northport Road/Townline Road area and the residential neighborhoods of the Town of Smithtown and the Town of Huntington.
Board Members
Presidents: Linda Henninger & George Husted
Vice President: Gilda Axelrod
Treasurer: Wendy Haberman
Secretary: Keegan Harris
Advisory Board
Maria Mesimeris
Keith Macartney – President, Fort Salonga Civic Association
Robert Semprini – President, Commack Community Association