Delaware and Raritan River Railroad-General Discussion

I think so. Can’t say I know how they’ll tackle that issue.

So when this project is finished, what will freight train speeds be? FRA Class 2 or 3 railroad?

Probably Class 2

IIRC the Southern is "Excepted" meaning <10 mph. Unless they upgrade the Southern to the same class of the work from Freehold to Farmingdale, it probably remains as so. There are parts of the SouS I wouldn't drive at 5 much less 25. (For instance the stretch between Squankum and County Line Roads.)

In other matters if I were the D&R I would fence as much of the RoW in Lakewood as possible.

CharlieL wrote: ↑Fri Jun 23, 2023 3:48 pm Is a shame. 75 years. Gonna miss that smell.

It is a shame, yes. On the bright side, maybe an industry that will utilize the railroad will move in.

Likely the Nestle plant will go the way of all industrial plants in NJ (turned into cheap-to-build yet expensive to rent/own condos), but one can be hopeful for otherwise.

Dcell wrote: ↑Sun Jun 25, 2023 7:18 am So when this project is finished, what will freight train speeds be? FRA Class 2 or 3 railroad?

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 25, 2023 7:23 am Probably Class 2

IIRC, the way they were setting up the wood ties for crossing wiring and the distance from the crossing to where the steel ties would come in instead of wood ties, implies that Farmingdale-Freehold will be 25mph.

I think long-term they will try to make the entire Jamesburg - Farmingdale - Lakewood route be 25mph, but who knows. Will be pretty expensive to do, when there is only one bulk customer on the SOUS currently that regularly gets decently sized deliveries.

That being said, this has been a very big investment and project on the part of DRRR and the state of NJ. They are definitely trying to appeal to businesses along the line, present and current.

R&DB wrote: ↑Sun Jun 25, 2023 8:59 am IIRC the Southern is "Excepted" meaning <10 mph. Unless they upgrade the Southern to the same class of the work from Freehold to Farmingdale, it probably remains as so. There are parts of the SouS I wouldn't drive at 5 much less 25. (For instance the stretch between Squankum and County Line Roads.)

In other matters if I were the D&R I would fence as much of the RoW in Lakewood as possible.

IIRC, the Southern is a mish-mash of track ratings. Some areas are good for 25, others are good for 10, and others are barely "excepted" status. DRRR has been trying their best with tie work, but I think much of the Southern is going to need a complete rebuild.

I also doubt Farmingdale-Red Bank will ever be worked on after this project is done, unless some business opens up in the Tinto Falls/Red Bank area that is generating an absurd amount of traffic a week.

I can almost guarantee you that Nestles land will become an apartment complex or storefront. Stuff like that is literally the only thing they build in this state anymore. At least around here.

But on the off chance the factory gets used for something else, what could go there that could make use of rail? IMO, Freehold Cartage should use it to load up train cars with garbage. Heard they’ve wanted to do this in the past but have been forbidden from doing so by the township. I don’t get why, especially when past officials have raved about how they wanted rail in Freehold…

@R&DB Less people causing problems in Lakewood as of late. Heard some of the “big people” in town told the usual suspects to cut the crap. Guess we will see how long this lasts, as those who have been causing trouble there have a history of telling off anyone who asks them to stop.

They already tried to keep people from crossing the tracks at Woodhaven by putting a fence up with a no trespassing sign. Locals destroyed it within 3 days of installation to get their cut through back, and the fence was never put back up. The signpost is still laying in the weeds there but the sign itself is gone. Probably got taken as a trophy.

The Frrehold plant made freeze-dried instant coffee?! How 1980s. With Keurigs, who drinks ghastly instant other than campers and hunters? I'm sorry for those facing unemployment.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 25, 2023 9:51 am I can almost guarantee you that Nestles land will become an apartment complex or storefront. Stuff like that is literally the only thing they build in this state anymore. At least around here.

Well, if not crappy condos or "life-style" retail strips, there's always mega CubeSmart or Outta Space storage centers, so residents of those crappy condos can store their extra worthless junk...I mean precious items. Those wouldn't use rail either, I'm afraid.

Then watch. They’ll all move in there and complain about train noise and having to wait an extra 30 seconds at a crossing while trying to get home to watch Law and Order LMAO

Bracdude181 wrote:Then watch. They’ll all move in there and complain about train noise and having to wait an extra 30 seconds at a crossing while trying to get home to watch Law and Order LMAO

It's a good spot for NJ State-mandated affordable housing. And I don't see an issue with proper setback and landscape screening from the railroad.

That last one was a joke about how people in NJ complain about stuff. Something similar to that happens in Lakewood all the time, regardless of how far you may live from the tracks.

Little Falls just redeveloped industrial properties into condos abutting the Montclair-Boonton line and the units start in the $400,000s.

On a happier note, I wonder how many crews the contractor(s) have working. They are at the least, prepping the roadbed Yellowbrook-Fairfield, and magically, part of the switch was placed at Southard Ave between Friday and today, alongside the water main work. Two rails about 10 feet long, and a facing point, and of course, ties.

I may be over generalizing about the following comment. I lived in Pennsylvania for several years and observered the numerous short line railroads that practically run past people front and back yards. Even down the middle of the Main Street in the center of towns! I rarely heard people complain and the trains ran a couple of times a day. What a difference in the culture. I remember people asking me” are you really from nj?” I gues because I wasn’t rude and pushy. What is it here in nj. Is it something in the water or just the over population?