Lehigh Line Traffic

Hey guys. Im Jeff. I was just wondering since im planning on finding a way to get to the Lehigh Line what kind of traffic would i see? If you could post some of the trains that would help? I know at one point CSX, NS, and NJT run the line so if possible could someone post the trains excluding NJT that run on the line? Thanks.

NJ Transit only runs passenger trains from Aldene in Roselle Park to Newark before connecting onto the NEC Line.
On the Lehigh Line in terms of freght service you will mostly see CSZ and NS but you will also occasionally see CP Rail.
Does this help?

On my trip to Roselle Park a few weeks back, I spent about 45 minutes at the station. In that time I 4 NJT trains in both directions, a looong NS train, a Sperry Rail Service alinement Hi-Railer, and a CSX engine running light. Hope that gives you an idea, that was only 45 minues, try and spend a few hours.

Is it alright to take video from the station? Ive heard that you arent allowed to use tripods while video taping at stations plus with the recent terror attacks in Spain i figured that railroad police might be asking people just sitting at the station to leave. Also what radio frequencies would be used? I guess that NJT would eigther be on 160.400 or 160.235 depending on which divsion they are on. Thanks for the quick feed back.

p.s. What NJT division is it?

Well I was there not to long ago, and I had a camera on a tripod, and my father also had a camera. No one said a word to us about them. Roselle Park is on the Newark Division.

Depending on what time you go to the Lehigh Line the trains vary.

Morning (7AM-12PM) 5-10 trains
Afternoon (12PM-6PM) 3-7 trains
Evening (6PM-11PM) 3-8 trains

I've never railfanned late at night but i heard that was suppose to be the busiest with all the NS intermodals.

NS 18G is due into Oak Island at 12:30 PM so he is usually through Roselle Park around 11-12. If you want more info drop me an email at [email protected]

NJT's rules prohibit interfering with apssenger flow. So if you take photos, set up at one end or the other of the platform and you should be OK.

Within 24 hours, Norfolk Southern runs a minimum of 20 trains on the Lehigh Line. You may not see all of them on the Lehigh Line north of the Junction as a handful of our trains run on the secondary to E-rail, portside, dockside, Oak Island, and Croxton. The CP trains tend to use the Port Reading secondary for their setoff at Dockside. You may however catch the westbound CP Rail trains in the evening, but CP is a hit or miss. I think the CP Rail trains are 166(east) and 165(west).

I know CSX runs the line but from reading all the posts do they have a good amount of traffic on the line?

p.s. Thanks for all the help everyone.

Well offhand I can think of Q409/410 Q300/301 K276, K277, The Tropicana Juice train, a couple of intermodals Q-173174? and Q175/176?, and Q417/418. There may be others that I am missing. As far as photography is concerned. I dont think you should have any problems at NJT stations. You can go to Union, Roselle Park or Bound Brook, although I wouldnt go to Bound Brook after dark. Hope this helps


quote="trainfreak"]I know CSX runs the line but from reading all the posts do they have a good amount of traffic on the line?

p.s. Thanks for all the help everyone.[/quote]

Don't be afraid to set up your tripod and enjoy yourself. NJ Transit is very loose with its policy. They tell us to charge the 5.00 surcharge but then issue a notice saying to waive it if the passenger feels it is unfair. Bottom line is set up, take pictures and enjoy yourself. If a transit cop comes along and tells you to leave, then leave. Most likely, you won't see any transit cops. I never get them when I call them from my train anyway.

nolifeCRchaser wrote: The CP trains tend to use the Port Reading secondary for their setoff at Dockside. You may however catch the westbound CP Rail trains in the evening, but CP is a hit or miss. I think the CP Rail trains are 166(east) and 165(west).

CP does NOT operate the secondary. The 166 specifically runs the Lehigh Line to Oak Island. The train makes the Dockside setoff at Bethlehem where NS 24V takes the train in from there. On the outbounds the 167 takes the train to Allentown and NS runs the 25V to Bethlehem where the CP picks it up. If the 167 misses the connection, then usually the 411 takes the traffic up. The CP trains run from Montreal to Oak Island and if they're on time they run Mon, Wed, and Fri.

If you are willing to spend a morning watching trains, you can see up to eight trains during that time. I usually try to arrive between 7:30-8:00 a.m. and leave around noon. I have spent time at both Bound Brook and South Plainfield (no NJT action there) since the summer and have been pretty successful. I usually go on a Saturday, but did make a trip on a Friday last month.

To add to the train list you may see, you can add NS 212 (east) and 213 (west on Saturdays), plus the NS autotrain which I think is 11J (west) and 18N (east). If I am incorrect, someone with more knowledge of the NS trains can make any corrections.

See my website link here for some photos: http://octrainguy.com/LehighLine-aug03.html
http://octrainguy.com/LehighLine-aug03b.html

Trainfreak,

On the radio frequencies:

NJT Raritan Valley Line (along with the rest of the Newark Div.) - 161.235
NS/CSX/CSAO Lehigh Line (North Jersey Dispatch) - 160.860

Between Aldene and NK where NJT operates on the lehigh line, NJT is on 160.860. At Bound Brook, the lines are next to eachother, thoguh not the same line, so you'll have to scan both.

How many trains can one expect to see on a Sunday? Reason being is that with my hockey season fast approaching my Saturdays might get clogged up. Also last summer i tried to go down to the Bound Brook NJT staion. Does the Lehigh Line run right through the station on the tracks? Because i didnt see anything just one NJT train.