The SIRR and RVRR V

njt4172 wrote:Well, most of the real hard parts would be restoring the line through the western side of Kenilworth, Springfield and then up to Summit, where a new bridge would have to be constructed to connect to the M&E??? How about through Union where it crosses Morris Ave? Is that bridge still in good condition???

1. How would it be "real hard" to restore the line in Springfield, where there is very minimal encroachment, other than the parking lot covering the ROW next to the former RV station, and where the idiot on Bryant Ave. stores his business trucks? As far as Springfield is concerned, maybe you are talking about the other bridges to worry about--the one crossing the Rahway River between Springfield and Union, and the one crossing Van Winkle's Creek in Springfield. See http://home.comcast.net/~norbkowa/springfield.htm for photos of the Van Winkle's bridge and the parking lot.

2. What are the difficulties on the western side of Kenilworth? That segment (from Boulevard to Rt. 22, appears to have the least encroachment on the entire Kenilworth portion of the RV. See pictures of the RV on the western side of Kenilworth at http://home.comcast.net/~norbkowa/kenilworth.htm

3. There are 2 bridges in Summit (Broad St., Morris Ave.), and one in Springfield on the Summit border Shunpike Rd.), that need to be replaced (or at least re-placed). They were removed but not scrapped, although one or more of them might need to either be rebuilt or replaced outright. Two other bridges in Summit are still in place but probably need to be at least shored up if not replaced outright.

4. The Morris Ave. bridge is slated for removal. Morris Ave. is going to be widened in that area. I don't think there are very many businesses on the north side of Morris Ave. that would require rail service (and thus warrant a new, longer bridge). Also, the ROW no longer exists about 500-1,000 feet north of Morris Ave., where condos, townhomes, and houses have been built on Francyne Way and Swanstrom Place. I know Francyne Way is a recently-built street, but I don't remember if Swanstrom was already there when the townhouse site was an industrial property. If the RV was able to be extended through there, it would now cross Vauxhall Ave. at grade, as the old bridge was removed and the surrounding land re-landscaped to more gently slope down to the road.

Regarding western Kenilworth....

There is only minor encroachment south of Route 22 thru Galloping Hill Golf Course to the point south of the Parkway overpass. From the Parkway overpass south to Faitoute, you can hardly recognize the right-of-way, let alone tracks. Several businesses are actively using the right-of way and have either paved over or are using the space for the storage of materials and/or vehicles. One homeowner simply extended their property over the tracks, a nice, green lawn run between the rails, shrubs block one end of the rails and, until recently, a fence blocked the other end. The Honda dealership on Route 22 has long used the right-of-way to store cars and was supposedly fighting the return of the property. Rail removal along the Kenilworth/Roselle Park portion of the line, south of Faitoute happened last year, but the crews stopped at Faitoute and nothing else major has been done north of Faitoute. I'll try to get pictures this weekend.

Hello all,

With regards to the Morris Avenue bridge, I understand that Cee-Dee Candies, located east of the bridge, has expressed interest in the past to moving product in via rail. I believe they are currently using CSX's food grade transload center in E'port yard and trucking the raw materials to their plant. I know the M&E is aware of those interests.......

Well that's all for now.......

See ya all later....

Maybe a nearby team track or something will service companies like Cee-Dee Candies?

There was talk on these forums that Jaeger Lumber was up for sale, or its real estate was.

NJ-ARP reiterates that it is not idle in rebuffing anti-rail efforts to scuttle restoration of the Rahway Valley Railway. We had thought our earlier post clarified that.

But The Rising raises an interesting point on NIMBY focus. Are anti-rail partisans making a tactical error in dragging Cut-Off restoration efforts into the picture? Or are they, instead, implementing a sound political move to expand one's influence by spreading fear, uncertainty, confusion and dissent?

NJ-ARP has to respond to that move regardless, for the potential impact affects at least one of the two restoration efforts, and possibly both.

To some degree, we concur with The Rising's analysis, in that NJ-ARP believes the efforts by "Stop the Freight Train" could inflict more long-term damage on the Cut-Off, and not necessarily rail restoration in Union County.

Finally, rumor or not, NJ-ARP has long been aware of the fiscal shortfall facing restoration efforts on the two Rahway Valley Railway lines. Here, too, we are not idle, though we'll also make no promises. And it's our belief that anti-rail forces are also keenly aware of the fiscal picture.

Two Raway valley lines? Or is the B and O now a Rahway Valley line, too.

>>>Once they finish the easy parts, the M&E truck being used for the construction better contain a lawyer holding some court order or eviction notice.<<<

Don't need a court order to proceed with construction since the owner of the railroad land has obviously given permission to M&E. For that matter, M&E probably could not get one since the courts will not hear a case based on speculation or something that might happen. Let the encroacher go to court to get a restraining order if it wants to go to that expense. That's how it would get to court, if at all, I would opine.

bystander wrote:Two Raway valley lines? Or is the B and O now a Rahway Valley line, too.

The Morristown & Erie is now referring to both the former SIRR and the former RVRR as "Rahway Valley RR." See the M&E's page at http://www.merail.com/rahway_valley_rr.htm

Our bad; we too were citing the Morristown & Erie's Web site to define the project's scope, and used Railway instead of Railroad. (Or, perhaps more accurately, "RR.")

Apologies, and thanks to rvrrhs for the clarification.

Looked this morning like the ties are in place in the right of way starting north side of North Ave at Aldene.

There's lots of rebuilding pix in the "Rahway Valley Rebirth" thread over at http://Forums.Railfan.net/forums.cgi?board=RV

The Leader weekly newspaper, serving Kenilworth, has an article in its June 1, 2005 edition outlining the latest "Pesticide Lawsuit" action against the Morristown & Erie Railway and (presumably) its restoration efforts.

See http://www.localsource.com/articles/200 ... 006930.txt

Whenever my employer utilizes a contractor to perform work on its rights of way, we require the contractor to indemnify us against incidents of this type. Perhaps the M&E has a similar provision in its contract with its contractor.

TheBaran wrote:Regarding western Kenilworth....

There is only minor encroachment south of Route 22 thru Galloping Hill Golf Course to the point south of the Parkway overpass. From the Parkway overpass south to Faitoute, you can hardly recognize the right-of-way, let alone tracks. Several businesses are actively using the right-of way and have either paved over or are using the space for the storage of materials and/or vehicles. One homeowner simply extended their property over the tracks, a nice, green lawn run between the rails, shrubs block one end of the rails and, until recently, a fence blocked the other end. The Honda dealership on Route 22 has long used the right-of-way to store cars and was supposedly fighting the return of the property. Rail removal along the Kenilworth/Roselle Park portion of the line, south of Faitoute happened last year, but the crews stopped at Faitoute and nothing else major has been done north of Faitoute. I'll try to get pictures this weekend.

You must be thinking of the pontiac/mazda dealer who used the row adjacent to the car lot facing 22. Recently, after Planet Honda lost their privilege to keep cars at the old Mr. Goodbuy warehouse (which is now a trucking depot) They fenced in part of the ROW near the wye and turned it into a makeshift lot. This cant be seen from 22 but must be recent (within the last year) because I remember driving all the way down that road alongside skate22 and maaco and being able to see the tracks where the road dead ends. Now there are cars parked on it and a fence going around where the row once was.

Planet Honda mustve been told by those Maxon crooks to park on the tracks and encroach that way it adds another opponent to their cause.

Still planning on getting some pictures...been traveling a lot, Pittsburgh last week, Richmond this week (get to see some rail car coal unloading at a large power plant this week). Should get some free time this weekend.

Weekend (June 4) update...

Ties are pretty much down south of Colfax to Route 28. Rails following pretty close behind, spiked down every fifth tie or so. Ties being set out north of Colfax to Faitoute, beyond that is encroachment land.

Noticed that a utility pole had been planted (some time in the past) what looks like right between the rails just south of the Route 28 grade crossing in Roselle Park. That will certainly need to be addressed before any work proceeds into the old yard area.