I pulled the last revenue cars, off the line, in January, 1988. We were kind of suprised, about this, as Monsanto was actually a rather productive customer. The same thing was happening on the SIRY (off topic, I know). We lost P&G, then the lumber yard, and soon it was only a carload of bricks, maybe once or twice a month. Let it be said, that the DO Corp., parent of the NYSW/RVRY/SIRY, etc., was in a period of "selling" out their railroads, from underneath the trains. A nice profit was made selling off Edgewater, after "losing" the business. Also witness the FJ&G, also owned by DO. If one were to look at the total railroad/real estate holdings of the DO in 1987, then look again at 1991, you will understand what we are speaking of. The SIRY couldn't be "sold" (scrapped and turned into viable real-estate) because the DO was the designated operator, not the owner. Notice they did manage to keep the 120, however. No one can blame a railroad for selling off unused real estate, or abandoned lines, but how do you suddenly "lose" every single customer, on a profitable railroad, in less than a year. Then again, how does this "happen", again and again, on all of your recently acquired properties ? The RVRR was making money, but we were not ALLOWED to switch the customers, when they needed service. The jobs started working out of WS, and we were down to servicing both sides, a total of 1, maybe 2 days, per week.The work at Canford was the only thing left, when I left, and this was served across the main, from Excee tower. (some plastics place, name escapes me) We took the RVRR engines, and shipped them to Bingo, along with the LVRR "office" car. everything of value was removed, everything else was scrapped. Trackwork was done, only to rerail cars, and then sometimes, once the cars were re-railed, the torn-up track behind it was abandoned, and (I will presume) the ICC was petitioned to accept the request for abandonment. The LVRR interchange was a good example. It was newer rail, 132 pound, if I recall correctly, new ties, ballast, etc. A nice "tight" yard at Roselle Park, at Locust St. It was easy to interchange, run around our cars, and haul back to Kennilworth. For some "odd" reason, this line was sold !!! We then had the luxury of rambling through the weeds, and rotting ties, on the 80 pound (if I recall) "rails" through the long and out of the way route, to Excee, where we now had to shove, one way or the other, due to all of the former CNJ/RV tracks in the interchange yard being out of service. WE had to cross over at Excee, if we needed to run around our train, and enter the SIRY, then run around between South street, and the end of the long run-around, which heads out towards Bayway. (the middle crossovers were also OOS). There were spots, between the "junction", and Excee, where you couldn't even see the rails, as they were buried in the dirt, and grass. Some people actually mowed the "lawn" on the railroad, thereby extending their yards. (illegal encroachment) We literally derailed every single time we serviced the RVRR, at the end. The last derailment I had, was at the Wye, at Rt. 22, and this took 3 days, to rerail 1 engine, and 2 cars, due to the deteriorated track condition. And while this was happening, no-one was being serviced, on either side. (RV/SIRY) The amount of work we lost, and customers who were somehow "convinced" to move their business to trucks, would make you cry. We saw it happen, and there was nothing we could do to stop it. The best thing to EVER happen to those properties, was to come under the control of the M&E. I never saw anyone try so hard, to keep the businesses they had, and aquire new ones, as I did while working for Ben, on the M&E. Those guys want railroad, and they want to run it, not scrap it, then sell off the land. Wess and the new team seem just as eager, to carry on that legacy. I could think of a few more properties, in the area, that they should be running, as well. But that is another subject, entirely. Regards...
