Official Rahway Valley Thread

[cjl330]

The track crew is replacing ties on the RVRR in Kenilworth. They are currently working on the stretch of track between the new A&P and the Garden State Parkway.

[cjl330]

The track work has reached RP junction, where the "CNJ" branch and the "Lehigh Valley" branch meet. The rail and ties have been removed on the "CNJ" branch from the junction switch almost to the grade crossing on Market street. It appears that this section, as well as the section between Market Street and Faitoute Ave./Michigan Ave., will be completely redone with new ties and rail. The "Lehigh Valley" branch was removed several years ago. This portion will not be rebuilt.

[Douglas John Bowen]

The progress reported here on trackwork upgrades is welcome news indeed. Add to that mix some progress of the political kind: more of an orderly retreat from rail opponents -- in this case, the Worrall Newspaper Group.

The local publishing company, proudly and openly hostile to restoration of the Rahway Valley Railroad (either or both segments, any or all uses; we know because we've asked), ran an editorial piece Sept. 28, 2005, entitled "Face Reality." The editorial urges rail opponents, in particular those located in Summit, to move on.

See http://www.localsource.com/articles/200 ... 486553.txt .

As always, apologies that NJ-ARP can't immediately provide plain text copy; if anyone else can, we'd be obliged.

[rvrrhs]

"Short of physically laying their bodies across the rail lines, there’s nothing politicians or anyone else can do that will stop this project from moving forward."

Isn't that more or less what the area opponents to the last segment of I-78 did? Can't wait to see a big, red Alco bearing down a bunch of supine NIMBYs!

"This means that the long dormant tracks in Summit are expected to have running freight trains by next spring."

Next spring?!?!?!?!?! Not sure that's possible! From the looks of things, wouldn't it be more like next fall?

"At this point, it makes little sense for the city and its residents to devote so much time, energy and money to a fruitless effort. It’s time to focus attention to ensuring that when the trestles are rebuilt, safety precautions are followed."

Amen!!!

Wooooo hoooooo!!!!!!!!

[CJPat]

Is it truly impossible to rebuild the LV Branch? As I understand, the ROW, or atleast part of the ROW, was sold off to a developer who was building townhouses or condiminiums in the area in the mid '90s. Is there no land left for the ROW or insufficient area for safety clearances?

Of course, if it could be rebuilt, you could bank on a whole lot of additional NIMBYs jumping into the fray even though they live with their backs against the LVRR.

[Sir Ray]

Is it truly impossible to rebuild the LV Branch? As I understand, the ROW, or atleast part of the ROW, was sold off to a developer who was building townhouses or condiminiums in the area in the mid '90s. Is there no land left for the ROW or insufficient area for safety clearances?

I believe that the actual ROW for this branch is unencumbered (well, except for 'magikal expanding gardens') with the minimun width necessary for clearance (I have some pictures of this area I took a while back, and the homes are NOT on the ROW), and while the LV connection may perhaps have been the better one operationally, M&E soon enough will have the CNJ fully functional, and they really don't need two interchanges (besides, wasn't the CNJ interchange the only one used during the last years of the Delaware Ostago system?)

[rvrrhs]

Is it truly impossible to rebuild the LV Branch? As I understand, the ROW, or atleast part of the ROW, was sold off to a developer who was building townhouses or condiminiums in the area in the mid '90s. Is there no land left for the ROW or insufficient area for safety clearances?

Of course, if it could be rebuilt, you could bank on a whole lot of additional NIMBYs jumping into the fray even though they live with their backs against the LVRR.

Like the Monsanto branch and the Newark Heights branch before it, the LV branch is indeed gone--sold off--with houses and other buildings where the ROW once was.

However, the CNJ branch is mere yards from being completed.

[rvrrhs]

I believe that the actual ROW for this branch is unencumbered (well, except for 'magikal expanding gardens')

That's much more of an issue west of Mountain Ave. in Springfield...

[CJPat]

I was under the impression that the townhouses/condiminiums that were constructed along Seaton Ave and maybe Aldene Ave were physically built into the ROW because it was sold off (or atleast part of it). So... then there actually is enough area to rebuild the interchange or atleast a leader track from the LVRR to the RVRR?

As far as the last years under Delaware-Ostego, I finally moved from the general area (Cranford) in 1985. At that time, I didn't think the RVRR ever used the CNJ branch anymore because it was well overgrown through Horan Lumber. I thought all the RVRR connections were all done on the LVRR interchange. Golden-Arm can probably give us a better understanding of those last years. I thought he mentioned that he made the last runs on the RVRR.

As a different side note, will the M&E try to rebuild the connection to the LVRR off of the SIRT? It looks like that connection was taken out a VERY long time ago. Anybody know when? It looks like it might make for a better interchange point with the LVRR because it is south of the Aldene connection and wouldn't interfere with NJT passenger runs on the Raritan Valley. Of course my preferrence is to see the CNJ begin to run freight again between Elizabethport and Boundbrook and beyond (if they ever could rectify the height limitations).

[RVRR Fan]

If I remember correctly there are still rails laid from where the LV branch met the CNJ branch. The rails go from the point where the two branches met (up by Fairfield Ave), all the way down to Colfax ave. Going South, after the rails cross Colfax, thats where the houses where built and the rails torn up. Here's a few visual aides thanks to Google Maps and Photoshop.





If M&E was able to restore the LV branch (which I highly doubt will happen), the ROW would run right through the backyards of the 5 houses seen in the pic above. After that however, it seems nothing else obstructs the path of the former ROW.

[rvrrhs]

Could the ROW be shifted 20 feet east, to run between those backyards and the football field? I mean, legally/administratively. I know that physically it is possible.

[cjl330]

The houses in question on the LV branch are not on the right of way. Those houses were there when the railroad was active. After the rails and the ties were removed, the homeowners extended their back yards. Some of them built sheds on top of the right of way.

[GOLDEN-ARM]

As fun as it might be, to imagine the LV connection going back in, there is no point to it. IF the M&E needed to interchange with the LV (NS) it could be done from the SIRT side. No way the RR is going to rehab multiple interchanges, between the same roads, in an area less than a mile apart from one another. I don't believe I would hold much hope on the LV/SIRT interchange going back in, either, not with the M&E already making interchange down at Bayway. Between there, and Mo'town/Lake Junction, there seems to be no legitimate need for yet another interchange, on the M&E, at this time. Having worked for the M&E, RV, SIRT and Conrail, it would be nice to see, but again, not much point in it. Regards

[CNJFAN]

Correct Golden - Arm.
That is why they plan on using the RVL ( CNJ ).
From there they are supposed to interchange with the LV ( SHARED ASSETS ) in Bound Brook.
It has been in numerous Star Ledger articles over the last 3 years.

[CJPat]

I remember that this line of thought was discussed on this thread (or one of the previous iterations) earlier. As I recall, the items brought up during the brief discussion was that no one had applied for permission to run freight on that section of the RVL between Cranford and Bound Brook, and that NJT would never permit it because there was concern about how a freight could operate on the RVL since the CNJ 4 track main had been ripped up and reduced down to only 2 tracks (night time movements?).

That would repersent a long dead line of tracks for the M&E or the the NS to run. It seemed to make more sense to cut the run shorter by reconnecting to the LVRR either at Aldene or in Cranford, unless the M&E or NS had designs on re-establishing freight service along the RVL (anything left in Plainfield?)

Other then the NEC overpass in Elizabeth, where were the next hight restrictions on the RVL?