Lackawanna Cutoff Passenger Service Restoration

im sure this has been asked before, but are there obstructions now in the ROW that werent there back in the 70s early 80s?

What do you mean by "Obstructions"??

NYS&W142Fan wrote:What do you mean by "Obstructions"??

I read that as meaning encroachments by adjoining property owners, community gardens, and so forth.

TDowling wrote:im sure this has been asked before, but are there obstructions now in the ROW that werent there back in the 70s early 80s?

If there are, the answer is to provide the owners, if they can be identified, written demand to remove in 10 days, or similar timeframe. For those where the owner cannot be determined, post notices on or adjacent to the obstruction/encroachment for a similar period. Then remove the obstructions/encroachment if the owners did not.

As a trespass the notices are not truly required but do serve a public relations function.

TDowling wrote:im sure this has been asked before, but are there obstructions now in the ROW that werent there back in the 70s early 80s?

Yes, the bridge that had gone over the cutoff tracks at Slateford Junction, PA was removed 20 or more years ago. This bridge would need to be replaced to construct the track to a rail connection in PA.

One other roadway bridge under the tracks (CR 602) in Stanhope was removed from service as it was narrow and on a reverse curve. It was replaced with a grade crossing. It is not an obstruction it will just be a typical grade crossing.

Other than lots of trees, I know of no other obstructions in the right of way that would block track installation.

Every couple years or so I like to check in on this one particular thread. Has Lackawanna Cutoff Passenger service been restored yet? Is it any further along than the Freehold Mystery Service? ...or light rail to E'port? (My personal pet fave, waiting impatiently...). If not, I'll check in again in September 2018.

Either that or page 500 of this thread, whichever comes first.

What monster hath I wrought?

Too early to tell--I see no indication that it's stopped growing. Actually, it seems to be the only sign of life associated with the line.

The veracity of Wikipedia is questionable, but I read there that the row , at least some of it, was sold by conrail to private developers.

It was sold to Jerry Turco a developer from Kearny NJ., NJT did not buy it till 2001?

http://enhancedwiki.altervista.org/en.p ... na_Cut-Off_(NJ_Transit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)#Early_preservation_efforts_.281979.E2.80.9386.29

That is correct. Turco planned to sell the clean fill and remaining ballast. Don't recall what, if any, plans he had for the land afterwards. Maybe selling easements to utility companies. After the State condemned and acquired ownership of the property I met a consultant hired by Turco's attorney who was hired as an expert witness to value the property as the State appraisal was considered by Turco as far too low.

Mr. Turco was planning to use the fill for a highway project in the Boston area that was cancelled. Not sure what the highway project was off the top of my head but if I find the info I'll post it.

Kind of interesting to think that, had the project not been cancelled, Mr. Turco might have had to lay rail on the cutoff to excavate and remove all of the fill material.

By the time rails make it to Scranton a paper printout of this thread, laid end to end, would be longer than the rail line.

Edit: My bad, the fill was going to be sold to New York, not Massachusetts, for the cancelled Westway project.

.......to move to Kubler-Ross Phase V - Acceptance, that this superbly engineered piece of railroad right of way has no use in anyone's, sector notwithstanding, long range transportation plans.

The extension to Andover...maybe. But NJT appears to have other projects to which their scarce capital improvement funding need be addressed. Aren't there still some Sandy related projects that remain unfunded?

Like it or not, the Wyoming Valley is no longer a source of natural resource (..."upon the road of Anthracite") or manufactured goods transportation. Overhead transportation, both CSX and NS have other routes that can move traffic more economically and efficiently. Even the ERIE, to the extent that it is part of any overhead routing, is more efficient is that rather than going up, over, and through the mountains and valleys follows the Delaware River. Of course, the Positive Train Control mandate further deters opening up either the ERIE or DL&W to through traffic.

Commuter trains to Monroe County PA, I've noted it before in this epic and for those tuning in late, I'll note it again. There is no public benefit to New Jersey in transporting out of state residents (PA) to out of state jobs (NYC). This contrasts with bus transportation over I-80 to the PABT. Here the bus operator will pay fuel taxes to NJ regardless of where the "pooch takes a drink" and access fees to the PABT benefit the Bi-State agency owning such.

Passenger service up the Valley to Binghamton and beyond? That's an interstate route and as such falls within the purview of Amtrak. Chuckie and Kirsten have done their part in obtaining two major Amtrak equipment orders either abuilding or to be built in the Southern Tier - Elmira and Hornell to be more precise. Further, it's hard to dispute that Amtrak has "done OK" with Pennsylvania. Lest we forget a second PRR frequency over Horseshoe is not ruled out at this time.

So all told, Mr. Big Dell has the most sensible plan regarding this Odyssey, Iliad, Aneid, and Beowulf all wrapped up into one.

There is no public benefit to New Jersey in transporting out of state residents (PA) to out of state jobs (NYC)

That kind of reasoning ought to exempt New Jersey from paying tax revenue to support I-80, especially for the many vehicles that travel through without stopping.