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Christina River rail bridge reopening Span may boost business for Port of Wilmington

The News Journal/BOB CRAIG The opening of the Shellpot swing bridge should ease delays at the Wilmington train station.

A vital link in Delaware's railroad system will reopen Thursday, bringing more business to the Port of Wilmington and area shipping companies, officials said.

The $13.9 million renovation of the Shellpot Bridge over the Christina River will allow freight trains to travel through Delaware and around the port more freely, avoiding congested passenger rails and reducing train traffic through some residential areas.

Port officials and area freight operators said the return of the bridge, closed since 1994, will make rail access more efficient and the port more competitive. The Port of Wilmington handles about 4.5 million to 5 million tons of cargo a year. More than 90 percent of it is now transferred to trucks, said Eugene Bailey, executive director of the port.

Bailey said the difficulty in rail access is one reason so many companies use trucks. The opening of the bridge should change that and may encourage new companies to

consider the port, Bailey said. About 400 people work for the Diamond State Port Corp., which operates the port. Vered Nohi-Becker, port spokeswoman, said the facility brings in about $28 million in tax revenues annually and an economic impact study found the port is responsible for an estimated 5,800 jobs in the region.

The 116-year-old swing bridge was closed 10 years ago after its owner, Conrail, discovered serious problems in the foundation.

Roy Kirchner, president of AutoPort Inc., a company that ships automobiles from the port, said opening the Shellpot will enable him to move cars out 12 to 24 hours sooner. "It is very important to us," he said.

Henry Olsson, president of Holmen Paper, said he will be able to ship to parts of Pennsylvania in two days instead of seven. "It will be a big difference," he said. Holmen recently signed a contract to bring 50,000 tons of paper through the port.

Passenger rail service also is expected to benefit from opening the bridge.

The shift of freight trains away from rails on the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor means more room for passenger trains, particularly in the early morning and late evening hours. It also will mean less stress on the historic Wilmington train station, said John Rago, communications director for Wilmington Mayor James Baker.

Delaware Department of Transportation spokesman Mike Williams said the state also hopes the return of the bridge will take some trucks off state roads as companies switch to trains.

The bridge is designed to sit on a pedestal in the middle of the river and rotate or "swing" open to allow boats to pass. When Conrail decided the foundation damage was too expensive to repair, freight trains were routed onto the Northeast Corridor. Freight rail traffic in Delaware was largely restricted to 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

DART officials said freight trains at the Newark station sometimes would not clear tracks in time for morning SEPTA and Amtrak trains.

The traffic restrictions forced some trains to wait at rail yards as far away as Harrisburg, Pa., to get in and out of Delaware, said Rudy Husband, a spokesman for freight rail carrier Norfolk Southern. In 1999, Norfolk Southern purchased Conrail's Delaware operations and the company decided to reopen the Shellpot Bridge, he said.

"We're excited ... We've already seen a lot of increased business in anticipation of the opening and we expect it to get even better," said Steve Ehrlich, vice president of Port Contractors, a bulk materials shipping company adjacent to the port.

Refurbishing the bridge began in 2002. The state paid for repairs up front and Norfolk Southern will repay the cost over the next 20 years by paying a toll to Delaware every time a train crosses. Husband said Delaware could receive more than it paid to fix the bridge.

Williams said the state is guaranteed to at least get its money back.

On Thursday, Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and Transportation Secretary Nathan Hayward III are expected to be passengers on the first freight train to cross the bridge since it closed.

Husband said while the bridge can once again carry heavy freight traffic it will not go into full service immediately. He said some electrical work has to be completed before it is fully operational.

Contact Sean O'Sullivan at 324-2777 or sosullivan@delawareonline.com.