Delaware and Raritan River Railroad-General Discussion

The 2 switches in Farmingdale are now connected.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 28, 2023 9:52 am Train was north through Farmingdale at 11:15 PM according to a friend.

Railroad Ave looking towards Gold Lumber
Southard Ave looking towards Farmingdale

Pandrol clips on that curve? on wood ties? https://www.pandrol.com/us/product/victor-system/

Well, on their website, it shows the clips being used on wood ties

We had Pandrol clips on wood ties mainly on sharp curves and or steep grades.

@dgvrengineer Just curious, are these clips harder to vandalize than spikes and tie plates? Big problem of spikes being removed on the southern lately.

Those clips are not uncommon throughout the system. They're harder to remove than spikes but can be vandalized just about the same. It's funny how the only one's seeing this vandalism and track defects are you and your pal. Spoke with our track guys this morning. Completey different story from them.

AceMacSD wrote: ↑Thu Jul 27, 2023 8:52 am

JohnFromJersey wrote: ↑Wed Jul 26, 2023 6:20 pm It's not that hard to make fake plates. You can design them and make them say anything. It's not that hard. Illegal street racers do it all the time.

In addition, the FRA does not have a law enforcement division, nor does a "federal railroad police" exist as a separate entity.

This's somewhat correct. Some CSX and NS PD wear badges stating federal police but I haven't paid too much attention to their uniforms.

And yes, it's easy to make fake plates. Look at those people on the news beating the tolls with fake plates.

These are the federal regulations governing the establishment and operation of railroad police: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/s ... I/part-207

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Hmm… I don’t recall seeing a metallic shield on that fellow I mentioned a few days back. The guy in Lakewood with the truck…

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 29, 2023 9:45 am Hmm… I don’t recall seeing a metallic shield on that fellow I mentioned a few days back. The guy in Lakewood with the truck…

This is the New Jersey statute governing the establishment and operation of railroad police in NJ: "N.J.S.A. 48:3-38. Police for railroad, street railway, canal or steamboat companies

48:3-38. a. On the application of any railroad, street railway, canal or steamboat company the Governor may appoint such persons as the company may designate to act as policemen for the company. The Secretary of State shall issue to each person so appointed a commission, a copy of which shall be filed in the office of the Superintendent of State Police. Each appointee shall pay to the Secretary of State a fee of $25.00 for that commission.

All applications shall, in the first instance, be made to said superintendent. The superintendent shall investigate and determine the character, competency, integrity and fitness of the person or persons designated in the application. Notwithstanding any other provision of law in the case of any railroad, street railway, canal or steamboat company, the operations of which extend from this State to any other, such person or persons need not be residents of the State of New Jersey. If the application is approved by the superintendent, the applicant shall then present the approved application to the Governor.

Every person so appointed and commissioned shall, in the several counties, possess all the powers of policemen and constables in criminal cases of the several municipalities in such counties and shall be compensated by the company.

When on duty, except when employed as a detective, he shall wear in plain view a metallic shield or device with the words "railway police," "canal police" or "steamboat police" as may be appropriate, and the name or style of the company for whom he was appointed inscribed thereon.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, all appointments made prior to the effective date of this enactment which meet the requirements thereof shall be and they hereby are declared to be valid.

When any such company shall file in the offices of the Superintendent of State Police a notice that it no longer requires the service of such policeman, his power as such shall cease and determine.

b. The provisions of subsection a. of this section do not apply to the New Jersey Transit Corporation established by P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-1 et seq.). The executive director of the corporation, through the chief of police of the New Jersey Transit Police Department, may appoint and employ transit police officers under the provisions of section 2 of this 1989 amendatory and supplementary act.

Amended 1951,c.275; 1987,c.435,s.15; 1989,c.291,s.1; 1991,c.386,s.4. "

Hmmm… that part in the federal laws you posted has me curious. Could C&D hire one of those jewish security firms to keep people off the tracks and guard crossings and whatnot? From what I can tell such firms have a high authority in town, and are obeyed and respected more than local PD. Considering some past incidents such as:

Throwing of rocks and other objects at the train and in front of the locomotive. Most notably a plastic playground slide which got lodged under the engine once, and had to be removed with help from local PD.

Countless times they have ridden on the side of train cars while the train is moving. Strangely, this hasn’t been happening much lately…

Placing of objects on the rails to be run over. Usually coins, but occasionally you see something bigger. Track spikes, large rocks, etc. I saw dried out concrete chunks on the rails at County Line once. Not cool!

There’s been at least one incident of a handbrake being put on after the train left Woodhaven, forcing the train to stop at Farmingdale so it could be released.

Complete disregard for crossing safety. I’ve lost count of how many people run the lights or run in front of the train because they simply cannot wait 10 seconds for RB-1 to cross with three cars.

Parking vehicles in a manner which fouls the track. This usually happens at fourth and seventh streets and frequently results in the vehicle being towed by Local PD. Maybe three times I’ve seen them move their cars before they show up.

Very early on, when C&D first started down here, they put up a wooden fence at Woodhaven with a no trespassing sign. Presumably to keep locals from crossing the tracks there. The fence was there for three days max before it and the sign were destroyed. I assume some locals did it to make it easier to walk from the housing development on the opposite side to the supermarket next to Woodhaven.

Maybe they could get one of these firms involved to try and stop the BS? IMO it’s worth a shot of it means no one will mess with the train anymore.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 29, 2023 10:23 am Hmmm… that part in the federal laws you posted has me curious. Could C&D hire one of those jewish security firms to keep people off the tracks and guard crossings and whatnot? From what I can tell such firms have a high authority in town, and are obeyed and respected more than local PD. Considering some past incidents . . .
Maybe they could get one of these firms involved to try and stop the BS? IMO it’s worth a shot of it means no one will mess with the train anymore.

Yes, C&D could hire a private security firm, but note that such security firm employees do not have police powers, they are no different than ordinary citizens in that regard. For a security firm employee to be granted police powers the process in the NJ statute I also posted would have to be followed, i.e., each person apply to the Superintendent of the NJ State Police, be investigated and certified, and then approved by the NJ Governor. That is the same process as a railroad employee becoming a railroad police officer.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 29, 2023 9:45 am Hmm… I don’t recall seeing a metallic shield on that fellow I mentioned a few days back. The guy in Lakewood with the truck…

The RR pd officers out there nowadays don't wear metallic shields. They're dressed in swat gear with embroidered badges and body cameras.

The problem of kids throwing stuff on the tracks for the train to run over's been going on for as long as I can remember. Talking to some of the guys the other day, they said it's been going on for a long time. Kids derailed the train in Farmingdale putting stones on the tracks sometimes in the 90s. Crews had problems with a kid in Lakewood throwing garbage on the tracks while the father just watched. It happens all over the railroad and as long as Hollywood keeps glamorizing it, it's not gonna stop with a security patrol.

Jesus, I never knew we had a derailment due to such behavior on this line. A pal of mine remembers when they used to leave 2x4s and appliances on the track. Train would have to stop and the crew would have to push them aside.

Beyond any doubt the peak of this nonsense was before the Jewish moved in, and Lakewood was a playground for members of groups such as the Bloods and the Crips. In those days, objects thrown at the train were the least worrisome thing going on round the tracks.

Actually, when that incident in farmingdale happened would you happen to know how big the stones were? That worries me a bit because I’ve seen concrete chunks left on the tracks in town before. The chucks were about the size of a human head, some a bit smaller.