RENSSELAER -- Projects to eliminate a decades-old bottleneck between Albany and Schenectady, boost the reliability of track signals, and improve service along Amtrak's Empire Corridor will move ahead after agreement was reached with CSX Transportation, which owns the tracks.

The agreement was announced late Friday afternoon by U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Rochester.

But agreements on other projects, including a third track for high-speed trains in western New York and other improvements, haven't been reached.

Work likely will get under way by next spring.

With the agreement, $149.3 million in federal funding has been obligated to the projects. House Republicans tried this summer to redirect non-obligated funds from the Obama administration's rail program, which they oppose, to other uses.

Friday's deals cover the following:

• Construction of a second track between Albany and Schenectady to eliminate delays of up to half an hour when trains must wait for others to clear the 17 miles of single track;

• A fourth track at the Albany-Rensselaer train station, which was part of the original station design but wasn't constructed because two older stations first needed to be removed. That work was accomplished earlier this year;

• New platform and track layout at the Schenectady station, which also will be rebuilt;

• Burying signal wires along the tracks south of Rensselaer. The underground lines will help reduce signal outages, transportation officials said.

Platforms at the Albany-Rensselaer station will also be lengthened to accommodate longer trains.

Required agreements that would allow these projects to proceed had eluded Amtrak, CSX, the state Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration over a number of years.

This summer, Schumer called on the parties to make some progress, which they apparently did.

"High speed rail is a key to upstate New York's economic future, and that future starts today," said Schumer. "I pushed the parties to reach an agreement so that we could put hammer to nail and get these projects rolling down the tracks.

"I'm thrilled that everyone has signed off on this deal, and can't wait to see the construction begin. We're going to create jobs and modernize our rail infrastructure that is going to be key to bringing even more jobs and economic opportunity to the Empire State."

Platform extensions have already been marked out at the Rensselaer station, and design work has progressed on the second track even as talks continued.

Work on the second track likely will wait until spring, said Bruce Becker, president of the Empire State Passengers Association. The rail advocacy group has lobbied since the 1990s for the improvement.

"This is all very good news," Becker said. "This will benefit the entire Empire Corridor," which runs from New York City to Buffalo.

Still, he said, Friday's agreements didn't include any projects west of Schenectady.

Of the Capital Region improvements, "none were in contention, as far as CSX is concerned," Becker added.

Ray Gillen, chair of the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority, also welcomed the announcement.

"It's great news and it means the Schenectady station project will move forward," Gillen said.

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"We've been talking about the congestion in Albany for the better part of 20 years and today, finally, thanks to federal funding and the work my office has done with the New York Department of Transportation, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration, we can announce that construction will begin next season," said Slaughter. "I also want to acknowledge CSX's efforts and look forward to a new era of cooperation," said Slaughter."

CSX officials couldn't immediately be reached Friday for comment.

Reach Eric Anderson at 454-5323 or eanderson@timesunion.com.