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

They should bring in one of these http://www.wimp.com/traintrack/ they'd get the line done in no time!

That machine would be just the thing, although OSHA might have a problem with those guys so close to the workings of the thing. Noisy!

GSC wrote:That machine would be just the thing, although OSHA might have a problem with those guys so close to the workings of the thing. Noisy!

OSHA doesn't have a problem with them. Produced by Harsco, in South Carolina actually I believe, there are models used to "renew" existing track and also to build new track on prepared roadbed. Their website can be found here: http://www.harscorail.com/

I believe that the portion of the old Blue Comet line that we are discussing will be reactivated from freight as early as next year. The Southern portion of the line to Winslow Junction is apparently in pretty bad shape. The track is all still there but there have been track washouts and a number of bridges are in state of terrible disrepair. It would take a significant amount of money to get this part of the line running again but the existing project is a step in the right direction. It is important that this line be maintained as if future need exists for a direct access line from NYC to AC a good building block is already in place.
BTW, when I spoke to Tony last week he indicated that the line still has the original 1925 Blue Comet rail. Just goes to show you what kind of quality the US once produced.

Oh jeez, here we go again with the NY to AC routing via the Southern Sec.........

Excuse me while I bang my head against the wall........

I think it is important to have the line intact, well maybe not in service, but it at least exists in its entirety, because basically all southern NJ freight comes over Delair....while I odn't think the Southern Sec could be put back inservice immediately, as it would take many months, but it could be done. And I think thats one of the reasons why it wasn't ripped out so many years ago.

Id like to see the trains running sooner rather than later, but a lot of work still needs to be done.

The rails might be original, but that don't mean they are in great shape. This section hasnt' seen a train since the mid/late 80s, while south of Woodmansie to just north of Winslow hasn't seen anything in over 30 years now.......a train hasn't run since soon after the whole line wae rehabbed.....go figure

dlagrua wrote:I believe that the portion of the old Blue Comet line that we are discussing will be reactivated from freight as early as next year. The Southern portion of the line to Winslow Junction is apparently in pretty bad shape. The track is all still there but there have been track washouts and a number of bridges are in state of terrible disrepair. It would take a significant amount of money to get this part of the line running again but the existing project is a step in the right direction. It is important that this line be maintained as if future need exists for a direct access line from NYC to AC a good building block is already in place.
BTW, when I spoke to Tony last week he indicated that the line still has the original 1925 Blue Comet rail. Just goes to show you what kind of quality the US once produced.

While there may be places that some old tract exist on sidings that aren't in service. (I know of several) The main from Red bank to Chatsworth was completely redone in 1974 with 140/6 and new ties new ballast. I spend weeks watching the whole project being done. Just go down and read the numbers on any piece of track you find on the main! Don't look at crossings as they are redone with 180lb rail.

Looks like another year of nothing for this line.

I would agree if they don't get their funding from the feds...

napp11 wrote:Looks like another year of nothing for this line.

I believe that its likely that we will see service on this line in 2011. That is the goal. No it won't be the Blue Comet. It will be a freight line.

It would be great to see a train crusing over the Winslow - Chatsworth section of the line with all of those trestles, but there is a decent amount of work to be done. The Pump Branch trestle is in bad shape and some rail has been removed there. There's also some rail missing from High Crossing, and it looks like possibly the rail was removed from the Rt. 206 crossing, not to mention the huge section missing in Chatsworth. There's a lot of broken splices in between and the pine trees are choking that line in more and more every year.

But at least that 13 mile section near Woodsmansie is a start. That portion seems to be in decent shape too, I think there is only a handful of pipe culverts that run through there, no bridges. That Hanson sand pit is HUGE!

dlagrua wrote:

napp11 wrote:Looks like another year of nothing for this line.

I believe that its likely that we will see service on this line in 2011. That is the goal. No it won't be the Blue Comet. It will be a freight line.

One or more passenger extras are not out of the question. Freight being the mainstay of course.

Sorry - meant State funding....

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/f ... es2011.pdf

Here is the part of the report that pertains to the Southern Line:


Sponsor / Railroad:
New Jersey Seashore Lines (NJSL)
Project Name:
Tie Renewal Project to serve an Aggregate Transload Facility
Project Scope of Work:
Description of the Proposed Project: In order to provide new freight rail service to (initially) two new freight rail customers at a new aggregate transload facility; New Jersey Seashore Lines (NJSL) proposes a tie, switch and bridge timber renewal project on 13 - miles of main track, and repairs to one (1) undergrade wooden bridge to gain access to the transload facility.

This work is necessary to support the movement of heavy - density aggregate traffic. Detailed Scope of Work of the Proposed Project: Tie, switch and bridge timber renewal: 1. Remove nine thousand, three hundred sixty (9,360) old ties and properly dispose of them off site; 2. Furnish and install nine thousand, three hundred sixty (9,360) new grade ties; 3. Remove five (5) sets of old switch timbers and properly dispose of them off site; 4. Furnish and install five (5) complete sets of new switch timbers for Number eight switches. All new timbers will be a Grade #5 quality; 5. Furnish and install five (5) new switch stands, complete with new rods and latches. 6. Remove two (2) unused switches and straight - rail the track;

7. Tighten or replace (as necessary) all loose track bolts; 8. Utilizing an on - track Tamper, spot - tamp the track to level as effectively as possible, without performing a complete surfacing project; 9. Utilizing an on - track Broom Regulator, broom the entire 13 miles of track; 10. Remove all old bridge timbers on one (1) undergrade wooden bridge and properly dispose of them off site; 11. Furnish and install all new bridge timbers on one (1) undergrade wooden bridge;


Bridge repairs:

Bridge repairs:
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
BUREAU OF RAIL SERVICES
FISCAL YEAR 2011 STATE RAIL PLAN APPLICATIONS ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING
Page 3 of 6
12. Furnish and distribute ballast at both north and south approaches to the bridge; 13. Furnish and install 96 lineal feet of 4" x 8" timber guards, with fasteners; 14. Furnish and install 132 lineal feet 12" diameter treated timber posts; 15. Furnish and install one (1) each concrete cap; 16. Furnish and install one (1) each concrete sill;

17. Remove drift; 18. Furnish and install inner guard rail; 19. Furnish and install 200 lineal feet of 3" x 10" bracing

20. Clean up the job site, perform final inspections and prepare the track for service.


Additional Information: In order to accomodate the process of the movement of aggregates by rail, Clayton Sand Company recently purchased a new 14" x 14" 120 Single Pump electric Marlin Class Dredge with 120' dredging depth capacity. This capital expenditure by Clayton Sand Company totalled $2.7 million dollars. The new Marlin Class Dredge was placed in service during March of 2010.
Municipality (s):
Borough of Lakehurst; Manchester Township
County (s):
Ocean
Legislative District (s):
8, 9
Total Cost:
$1,653,000.00



NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT

Looks like the bridge piers are relatively OK on the timber trestle west (south) of Lakehurst-Union Ave. Aside from fixing up/changing one abutment sill to concrete, most of the work appears to be replacing the horizontal timbers. Well Jtgshu did say in a much earlier post, that from his on-site observations (last year?), the bridge didn't look all that bad. I was figuring it probably would need a complete rebuild/replacement due to anticipated weight of new cars, age, lack of maintenance, and vandalism.

in that post they said two freight customers, whos the second? thanks