The Middletown & New Jersey Railway that runs through Middletown and Wawayanda is now squarely under the control of Chartwell International.

The company announced it had completed its $2.2 million acquisition of the 15-mile shortline railroad, according to a press release issued yesterday.

Chartwell declared itself in its public filings as a waste management company and its purchase of the railroad set off alarm bells in Middletown. A company spokesman said in February that Chartwell planned to build a waste transfer station along its Middletown track and cited a federal pre-emption that exempts railroads from conforming to local regulations.

Since then, Chartwell's president, Imre Eszenyi, said that his company is steering away from transporting trash, and looking toward more traditional freight transport.

The release yesterday cited the trend of the past decade toward shipment of goods by rail including timber, chemicals, plastics and minerals.

The news release also stressed the importance of a $750,000 state grant for rail improvement. Regional representatives have vowed to work to block the grant in support of the public's opposition to Chartwell's trash plans.