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

I know that, but I doubt that they are buying new motive power just for this operation. It would make more sense to just re-letter a current unit(s) to the new name and get them transported up to the new line of operation. Maybe I am wrong. I just figured it would be something like Black River & Western & Belvidere Rail Road.

Kevin

The last discussion on motive power suggested that a couple CNJ liveried units may be doing the honors although only one of them is currently in CMSL stewardship at Tuckahoe.

They would need motive power appropriate for the freight they would be moving (heavy sand filled hoppers). They might consider using the power they have on hand at the CMSL (beside the PRR GP-9, what other loco's are in the CMSL stable, assuming the URHS lease allows it?), but I would think they will end up leasing a couple of additional units specifically geared for this kind of heavy traffic as opposed to what they use for hauling a few passenger coaches. I assume, this kind of traffic takes a heavy toll (maintenance-wise) on whatever unit they use and the leased unit would need to handle that kind of service.

The current operable stable at Tuckahoe includes the PRR and CNJ Geeps and the LV F units. At least some of that would need to stay south for moving cars currently in storage on the CMSL, plus the upcoming Santa Trains. I agree that some leased six-axle units would probably make much more sense for the northern operations. Based on what some of the other short lines are doing, second generation six axle loco's seem to be pretty plentiful and relatively inexpensive these days.

I love this topic. Its a bit like watching paint dry and then all heck breaks loose. I am here because after crowing to my neighbor all last year here in Whiting about the return of the RR all activity stopped. I even surmised recently that the Diamond Road crossing improvements (which I documented here) were just after the bar to lefts off Station Road a way to accommodate the increase in (sigh) vehicular traffic. I work full time and have been studiously avoiding the paving follies so when my neighbor came with the news I now know more since reading up here about them, I had to check in. As usual I was fully briefed. The siding adjacent to the ballfield was the legacy connect to the PRR? I just thought it was the "diamond" of Diamond Rd. Thinking about it though I had to remember the appearance of the Blue Comet motive power at the Bay Head yard on a piece of film.

I do recall reading here about the bid specs including railroad signalization as part of the Lacey Rd/530 improvements, but the long period of inactivity left me flat. All i recently saw was ROW tree pruning for power lines along Manchester Ave.

I like the involvement of the Southern RR of NJ. Yea the link between the Hansen Pit and Winslow junction is a "Night of the Living Dead" set, but its still there. Railroads run through Grand Canyon National Park and Steamtown is one.

Yea the track and ties are pretty terrible, but these new "restorations" are to me a welcome reawakening. Right now i am watching frick and frack battle on TV. I 'll take four more years of seeing rail transport making a sensible dent in those lumbering behemoths that clog 539. Maybe its return secures at least the hope for expansion some day which could revive a River Line type usage scenario. Ooops that guy who pokes fun at us will drop a "bullet train" comment.

One beef I have is some contributors like standing on a pat hand and by that i mean, they seem to like to keep the big picture as..thats for me to know and you to find out. C'mon we all adults here...we can take it.

Next up is the Rt. 539 crossing. When they start on that I'll believe that all this isn't just some NJDOT civil servant's elaborate punked on us silly old railfans

I am off to see the reports about the Mt. Misery crossing on the motoguzzi this weekend.

"There are quite a few good sources of information out there if you just start looking for them"

Wear is the sand going to the north so why dose it have to go to hte SNJ Railroad. Thjey gring stone into south Jeresy and take sand Out.

MEA, i heard it in rumorpace so it must be true

Along the Southern, just south of I-195 in Howell you can clearly see utility trucks on the dirt road along the ROW, looks like they are clearing back trees. Is it more upgrades for any future service?

GooStats wrote:Along the Southern, just south of I-195 in Howell you can clearly see utility trucks on the dirt road along the ROW, looks like they are clearing back trees. Is it more upgrades for any future service?

I would opine that the trucks are conducting vegetation management work to maintain the required clearances for the conductors on the electric line and thus nothing to do with the railroad.

Driving through Whiting today and noticed a crew working on the crossing on Manchester Blvd/Wranglebrook Rd. The electronics cabinet had a nice new label saying NJ Seashore Lines. The flashers and gates looked like they were working pretty well!

What if the commodity moved is not sand?

bystander wrote:Wear is the sand going to the north so why dose it have to go to hte SNJ Railroad. Thjey gring stone into south Jeresy and take sand Out.

The big question was "Who is the market for the Clayton Sand?" Before it's cancellation, the thought had been that the building of the THE tunnel was going to need great quantities of sand. Since then, no one really understands what market Clayton would be feeding the sand to. It probably explains why this project has been 6 years in the making and not done yet. The sand heads north because that is the only existing connector. Clayton owns the 13 miles of track (Would this be classified an industrial track or a private siding?) that leads up to the Southen Secondary. The reverse line of track back down to Winslow is still owned by the State (correct me if I am wrong). It would be far more complicated and expensive to rehab that to conect to the AC line.

The NJ Seashore Line was is the Subcontractor to Clayton to complete and operate the freight hauling and interchange with Conrail Shared Asset in Lakehursts.

Sand North and Stone south are just due to the nature of NJ's geography. We are basically on a giant sand dune down here while north Jersey is on a bunch of rock.

CJPat wrote:My wife humored me and let us swing by the area so I could get a look see as well.

I had never noticed the PRR connector track in the weeds adjacent to the Southern Div/Southern Secondary along Manchester Blvd before. It just sort of runs into the ground about a hundred feet or so before reaching Lacey Rd. I am amazed they left the switch in-line for all those years. I guess, as seen in jrzwalker 86's pic, that they may be planning to rehab the switch and make a storage siding out of that? The exposed section of rail is only a few hundred feet long. Looking at the historical aerials, it looks like the connector has not been used at least the later 60's or early '70's (Didn't the PRR run to the edge of the GSP in South toms River until around 1965?)

Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the PRR tracks crossed over by the Whiting First Aid building and headed Northeast towards South Toms River? Isn't that just a siding over by the park?

wolfboy8171981 wrote:What if the commodity moved is not sand?

Apparently, there is a rumor circulating in Manchester regarding rail service; these are excerpts from the Manchester Twp. council minutes (albeit not so recent):

9/26/2011 - "Mr. Weiner discussed the rail line that will be going through Whiting. It will run 13 miles from Woodmansee to Lakehurst. It is run by Clayton Block. He said it will have less impact on the infrastructure. It will help Clayton get their product from one location to another. They will be able to use one rail car compared to the four trucks that they would normally use on the road. This may one day lead to a rail line that will have excursions for tourists through the Pine Barrens similar to Cape May."

1/23/2012 - "Mr. Fusaro met with the Manchester Township Coordinating Council. They had a good amount of representatives present from the senior villages. The area of greatest concern was the reassessment. The second area of concern was the railroad crossing. It is rumored that there will be a passenger train service that would increase the number of trains and noise."

Again, just a rumor.......