NS H-02 - sightings and reports

With new traffic possible in NJT territory and their biggest customer on the line, BASF, closing in the near future, it would almost make more sense to run trains out of Croxton instead of Allentown. I would guess there is a way to get to NJT trackage from Croxton even without the bridges in service...

SecaucusJunction wrote:With new traffic possible in NJT territory and their biggest customer on the line, BASF, closing in the near future, it would almost make more sense to run trains out of Croxton instead of Allentown. I would guess there is a way to get to NJT trackage from Croxton even without the bridges in service...

You do have a point there!!
It would also make the remaining customers happy as well, as they won't have to wait as long for H65 to drop off cars,while waiting even longer for H-02 to to come retrieve them 2-3 days later... Not only that, but the Washington Secondary trackage between P'burg and Bill (Hackettstown) is for the most part only 10 mph, and unless NS increases the speeds on the line I don't see how this current setup should continue.

SecaucusJunction wrote:With new traffic possible in NJT territory and their biggest customer on the line, BASF, closing in the near future, it would almost make more sense to run trains out of Croxton instead of Allentown. I would guess there is a way to get to NJT trackage from Croxton even without the bridges in service...

they would have to come down at West End, run up the MandE and either go down the Montclair/Boonton Line at Roseville, or keep heading west on the MandE to Summit and on to Denville/Dover.

Would probably have some serious dimensional restrictions with the low/close clearances along those routes tho.....

If BASF closes down (there has only been talk of this for 10 years now), you'll probably see a re-arrangement to the H65 schedule. Like twice a week to washington, or a 2 day turn to dover twice a week. The line from washington to Pburg needs rail replacement to get the speed up. Right now, there is too much difference in height between the center of a piece of rail, and the joints. Too much chance of excessive car rocking motion for NS's taste....so they are keeping the speed at 10 mph.

I doubt you'll ever see freight for H02 coming from Croxton....size restrictions, movement on busy passenger line, backup move out of croxton, a day or 2 extra transit time. I think the hit setup is to have H65 work a 2 day turn to Lake Jct or Dover. The current H65-H02 handoff at washington is kind of stupid, and an extra 1 or 2 days of transit time.

Or maybe NS will hand off all the H02 and H65 traffic to the M&E, if there isn't any large shipper/receiver on line....

pdtrains wrote:
Or maybe NS will hand off all the H02 and H65 traffic to the M&E, if there isn't any large shipper/receiver on line....

M&E looked at taking over the H02 customer base on NJT back in 2007 or 2008... Nothing came of it, and I don't think they are interested any longer.

As far as large H02 customers, there aren't really any, although I heard Royal Ingredients is expanding on the Totowa Industrial and car counts seem to have been increasing this year. I guess time will tell!

blockline4180 wrote:

SecaucusJunction wrote:With new traffic possible in NJT territory and their biggest customer on the line, BASF, closing in the near future, it would almost make more sense to run trains out of Croxton instead of Allentown. I would guess there is a way to get to NJT trackage from Croxton even without the bridges in service...

You do have a point there!!
It would also make the remaining customers happy as well, as they won't have to wait as long for H65 to drop off cars,while waiting even longer for H-02 to to come retrieve them 2-3 days later... Not only that, but the Washington Secondary trackage between P'burg and Bill (Hackettstown) is for the most part only 10 mph, and unless NS increases the speeds on the line I don't see how this current setup should continue.

Not to mention the don't have trackage rights between on the M&E east of Summit for quite a ways. I forget the location where trackage rights ends, but it isn't that far east of Summit.

Borealis Compounds has been quite active all along and NYK Logistics has gotten busy again after a lull in the action....Both are in Port Murray-done on the return east by the H02...........When BASF closes there will still be a need for a job out of Allentown to bring cars to Washington.....The 15ft 5in restriction on the M&E will always be a problem for getting cars from the east.......

nick11a wrote: Not to mention the don't have trackage rights between on the M&E east of Summit for quite a ways. I forget the location where trackage rights ends, but it isn't that far east of Summit.

Point taken Nick, however you still have not answered the first question of mine.... Why is NS going back to the Gladstone Branch?? Will they be serving General Chemical weekly, or is this just a one time move???

3010 and the caboose were at the URHS event in Boonton on Sunday.

HO2 east through Mansfield at 3:15. 3010 with 18 cars.

Good afternoon does the H02 still service Royal over on the Totowa Industrial Spur on Tuesdays or did they switch to Thursdays? Also if they still come down there on Tuesdays is it typically in the morning? Thanks.


Blocksignal.

At around 5:20 this evening, 3010 and the caboose were tied up in their normal place in the yard. There were probably about 6-8 cars (didn't get an exact count) at East Dover, with 5664 just east of the cut of cars.

H65 brought replacement unit for H02 east on thurs, and brought back 3010 DIT west on friday.
3010 probably out for periodic inspection.

Tank cars for BASF in washington still going back and forth: Plastics place on Stryker rd in Lopat. busy, with extra loads on lead.

H02 east through Hackettstown at 5pm. 5617 and 3010 with 14 cars

Just heard H-02 come back from Colgate through Denville westbound at 12:30