New Jersey Seashore Lines: was CNJ being cleard Woodmansie>N

Can someone explain to me what it is exactly that Riffin et als is doing to block the NJSL? I have been following this post since the start as I am excited about the reopening of a part of the Southern Division; the name Riffin has come up a few times. What I understand is this: Riffin filed to the STB that the NJSL shouldn't be allowed to operate the Southern Division from Lakehurst to Woodmansie because the track was improperly acquired from ConRail in the 1980s. A previous response to my response to the recently available STB document is that Riffin et als have some kind of operation in Baltimore that, through the obstruction of the NJSL and Clayton, expect that their operation in Baltimore will profit/change/operate. I'm no clear on what Riffin is trying to accomplish by doing this.

Basically in his filling he contradicted himself.

He's trying, and failing, to have the STB rule in a manner as to create a precedent so his Baltimore "operation" can become a "railroad".

It's indifferent to Clayton and NJSL, they just happen to be the party this time around. Quite clearly Riffin and/or Eric still read this website and they think you can just :poof: some sand to Jersey City from a Sand Mine that hasn't shipped sand by rail in 20 years to a site in North Jersey that they dont yet, or ever will control.

I read about the dealings Mr Riffin has in the Baltimore area.
At 1st he sounds like a person serious about saving some abandoned RR lines.....
and after reading for a while, you realize that he may not be playing with a full deck.

The long and short of the Baltimore deal as I understand it....
The very north end of the Cockeysville Ind track out of Balto. (former PRR Northern Central Line)
was operated for freight service by NS, during the night when the light rail was not operating
(the remainder of the line is the current Hunt Valley light rail line to Balto)

When the light rail line was OOS on the north end for about a year (5 years ago) for double tracking, NS abandoned their
freight service on about 1/2 mile of track at the north end of the line.

Mr Riffin apparently claimed that this 1/2 mile of track that diverged from the light rail
line at Cockeysville, was never conveyed to NS or the MD light rail authority, and base on
some law on the books, he could acquire this piece of abandoned track from the PC or CR estate
(which he claimed were the last rightful owners), as long as he offered to provide common
carrier service. My guess here, is that there was an agreement back when CR was formed, that any
track abandoned or not acquired by CR could be acquired by any entity that was willing to operate it to continue
"essential service" for an industry along the line.

Mr. Riffin's claim to the abandoned track was thrown out in MD, as the court so no active
industry on the track that need "essential service", and no indication that Mr. Riffin was capable of operating a common
carrier on the track. From the courts standpoint, it looked as if he just wanted to acquire
the ROW and track for some personal reason.

Moving on to the CRRNJ southern division, I'm guessing that he is claiming the same thing....
that this track was abandoned by the CR estate, and he has prior right to acquire it to provide
"essential service". The court will have to slog thru his filings, but they will all be thrown out.
He is in no position to operate a common carrier, and as far as I can tell, the trackage was
conveyed from CR to Clayton sand, making the abandoned CR "essential service" claim moot.

wolfboy8171981 wrote:Basically in his filling he contradicted himself.

He's trying, and failing, to have the STB rule in a manner as to create a precedent so his Baltimore "operation" can become a "railroad".

It's indifferent to Clayton and NJSL, they just happen to be the party this time around. Quite clearly Riffin and/or Eric still read this website and they think you can just :poof: some sand to Jersey City from a Sand Mine that hasn't shipped sand by rail in 20 years to a site in North Jersey that they dont yet, or ever will control.

Mr. Vaccarella,

I will agree with you on just one point. Mr Riffin and I do monitor this site, and other sites, from time to time. I expect that you and certain other people who post here regularly will likely have alot more to say in this thread as the STB proceeding moves forward. We look forward to reading everyone's comments.

Sincerely,

Eric S Strohmeyer

Eric S Strohmeyer wrote:

wolfboy8171981 wrote:Basically in his filling he contradicted himself.

He's trying, and failing, to have the STB rule in a manner as to create a precedent so his Baltimore "operation" can become a "railroad".

It's indifferent to Clayton and NJSL, they just happen to be the party this time around. Quite clearly Riffin and/or Eric still read this website and they think you can just :poof: some sand to Jersey City from a Sand Mine that hasn't shipped sand by rail in 20 years to a site in North Jersey that they dont yet, or ever will control.

I will agree with you on just one point. Mr Riffin and I do monitor this site, and other sites, from time to time. I expect that you and certain other people who post here regularly will likely have alot more to say in this thread as the STB proceeding moves forward. We look forward to reading everyone's comments.

Sincerely,

Eric S Strohmeyer

We are all have our opinions, and this is a great fourm. Most of the time we try to stay annonymous, but I guess my reputation excceeds me.
As a General Chairman for the ATDA, There is nothing more I like to see then when the Big Bad railroads mess up, get caught, and have to pay. That said, keep up the good fight, You will win sooner than later, maybe. While the chances are slim that you can affect my lively hood as a railroader, you can affect most of my co-workers that I still call friends. I will always protect their jobs, and this project whatever it turns out to be, has the potential to create jobs where none exist.

Not sure if this has been posted in the last year. The diamond that once was in Whiting is no longer on the side of the rails. Just thought that since they cleared the tracks in Whiting earlier this week some might go down to snap a picture.When they made Diamond Rd about a year ago they moved it to a rail museum type place at Rt 9 and rt 72 in Manahawkin.
Here's a picture.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanker1497/4063128265/

Your mail link is no good. You need to put the photo on another site.

This it?

in Whiting on Dec 28, 2006

Gee Bob--Has it been that long since we took those pictures?---I am glad that the diamond has been rescued. We were wondering, at that time, if someone would take it for scrap or put it in a place that was secure. Thanks, Bob, for sharing your pictures.

As promised here are the pictures from Whiting. It was dark and raining at times, I did not stray far from my truck.
The last picture shows as far as you can see from Rt 539 looking towards Woodmansie as being cleared. They will reach MP79 this week as this section was not too badly overgrown. I could not find the brush hog any location?
http://s443.photobucket.com/albums/qq15 ... G_0012.jpg
http://s443.photobucket.com/albums/qq15 ... G_0007.jpg
http://s443.photobucket.com/albums/qq15 ... G_0005.jpg
http://s443.photobucket.com/albums/qq15 ... G_0004.jpg
http://s443.photobucket.com/albums/qq15 ... G_0003.jpg
http://s443.photobucket.com/albums/qq15 ... 0001-1.jpg

can anyone tell me where the siding goes heading twords rt524 and will it be used again?

What to my genuine surprise since moving about 500 yards away from once one of the businest RR diamonds..that a rather serious attempt is being made to clear the ROW of the former Conrail Former- CNJ (SD) and finally former route of the fabled Blue Comet from under the Rt.37 West overpass south as best I can tell as of last Friday to the other side of Rt 539. The rails were paved over during thr improvements made to 539 South from there. Mostly I fear since the old road had such a crown as to threaten to tip over the 5 million pound behemoths that travel it. (more on them later).

Looking south at the 3 track crossing in Lakehurst (a charming town) it is very evocative of a time now long past as an ROW looks like it might have as recently as the late 80s when anything more than a jackrabbit tried to run along it. Not only the bed but about 10-12 yards either side, about what? 3-4 miles?

All sorts of ideas about it, though none as to it having anything to do with rail purposes...but then the machine, which is parked on the south side of 539 is a dual truck gadget as would be used by a railroad. There is all that activity at the lines south end at Winslow junction with rolling stock store all the way up. Of course there are the major sections now missing, inlcuding those which were almost stolen during the rise in metal prices...but still. Is it the MOM line? You wouldn't be interested in anything south of Lakehurst. It is taking someone some amount of cash to pay for it, a chipper is trackside at Lakehurst too. I have not seen the work, because I am not in town during the week. However I will be poking around tomorrow for sure.

It might just be that NJ Natural gas will be using a portion for the gas lines that are now coming to all of Manchester. Ah there is the reason of course. Not that transportation planners see 20,000 people going to a U2 concert is any big deal..nor would the ability to ride to NYC Philadelphia or Atlantic City and beyond by stepping off my porch..no I guess I just get behind those behemoths on 539 every morning and think how many dump truck loads fit into a hopper car and how much fuel it takes to do that.
Love to hear from anybody who has any feedback on this topic

Wow, what great pics, thanks for the pic update tanker!

Spray some weed killer from a high rail truck and I think we would all be very surprised with how clear it would look then!

It does look like that Xbuck on Diamond Road is a wee bit close to the track! haha

I gotta get down that way and take a looksee for myself....