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Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New Jersey

Moderator: David

 #1506615  by blockline4180
 
riffian wrote:From Trains Magazine -
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... ines-plans" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Not in position to pay $42 to read this article now. What is the main point or details??
 #1506643  by pdtrains
 
Despite the paywall,.....yea, we know, Plate F, 286,000 lbs. They want to dig the tracks lower under main st in Pburg, or build a new connection? WHo's gonna pay for it? Timeframe; will it ever get done, or just more talk....
 #1506671  by CR7876
 
NEWARK, N.J. — The Dover & Delaware River Railroad, New Jersey’s newest short line, is planning upgrades to allow it to move larger, heavier cars — changes the railroad outlined as part of a presentation last week to the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.
The railroad, based in rural Rockport, N.J., operates 27 miles of leased Norfolk Southern Washington Secondary track between Phillipsburg and Hackettstown, N.J., and has 80 miles of trackage rights on NJ Transit’s Morristown, Montclair-Boonton, and Gladstone lines. The NJ Transit lines had previously been served by the Morristown & Erie.
Kean Burenga, president and managing director of parent company Chesapeake & Delaware, said the month-old Class III railroad will need to upgrade its route to Plate F standards (17-foot clearances, 143-ton equipment) by upgrading three bridges between Hackettstown and Dover and increasing clearance at the South Main Street Bridge in Phillipsburg. It will also improve the interchange with the NS Lehigh Line at Phillipsburg.
Burenga said the changes will allow the railroad to keep existing shippers and obtain new ones. Currently, Plate F equipment must be transloaded by truck in Bethlehem, Pa., depriving the railroad of potential revenue.
The largest online shipper is Borealis Compounds near Rockport, a plastics firm that is part of an Austrian chemicals conglomerate. It will benefit from a runaround track added in Rockport to facilitate operations.
The railroad operates six days a week from Rockport — three days eastbound and three days westbound — with a 10-mph limit on its tracks from Phillipsburg to Hackettsown and 40 mph on the NJ Transit tracks. It also serves an industrial area near Paterson, N.J. via NJ Transit trackage rights.
The Dover & Delaware River is one of four Chesapeake & Delaware short lines in New Jersey. The others are the wholly-owned Dover & Rockaway River Railroad and affiliates Belvidere & Delaware River Railway and Black River & Western Railroad.
 #1506704  by RailsEast
 
New Jersey hands out grants every year for qualified transportation projects; I am sure that Mr. Burenga will petition the state for a bit of financial assistance for these upgrades. Having met the man on a couple of occasions and having listened to him speak at Black River System functions in years past, I have full faith and confidence that he will make every attempt to ensure the success of the C&D 'family' of lines. Kean is not one to sit still; he moves slowly but deliberately to ensure the very best service to his customers.
I am looking forward to the future of these new lines, lots going on all over the system.....
Chris
 #1506710  by riffian
 
Interesting to note that operations are based in Rockporrt, the site of their largest customer, Borealis Compounds. Operations in each direction on alternating days. Operations east of Lake Junction probably only once a week. At last count, I believe there are only three customers left, the plastics place in Dover yard, Blue Lynx in Denville and one customer on the Totowa. Tip Up plastics in Dover had closed, but it was reported here that they planned on reopening. Not sure if Blue Lynx is an active customer and NS served the Totowa on a weekly basis. How many active customers on the two branches out of Lake Junction?
 #1506737  by blockline4180
 
riffian wrote:. How many active customers on the two branches out of Lake Junction?
Chester Branch
1. Holland Manufacturing Succussunna
2. Kuikens Lumber end of the line near Randolph.

High Bridge Branch
1.Blue Ridge lumber Kenvil
2. Triumph Plastics Flanders.

They also interchange with M&E there for the few customers they have left on the Whippany Line.

The Dover and Rockaway Branch has about 3 plastics companies left and a scrap company in Dover but that's accessed from D&R Junction in Wharton.

Anyone else have any customers I am missing?
 #1506814  by riffian
 
NS carloadings really took a hit when BASF in Washington shut down. It appeared to be the largest carload generator on the secondary.
 #1507153  by Ken W2KB
 
May be running a train today (Sunday). Just was outside the house with my dogs and heard a locomotive horn blowing for a grade crossing a few minutes ago at about 2:40 p.m. I live in Lebanon Township about 4 miles southeast of the closest part of the track, and sometimes hear the horns. About 4-1/4 miles south/southeast from Borealis so may have been a grade crossing near there.
 #1507222  by blocksignal
 
Good afternoon I was informed by CR7876 (thanks again CR) Royal Distributors (which is located at 50 Maltese Drive in Totowa, NJ) gets serviced as needed M-W-F by this shortline. Here is their website if anyone is interested.

http://royal-inc.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal also has a second facility in Totowa, NJ at 20 West End Avenue. They also have an out of state facility in California according to their website.

Any idea what time they get down there on those days? Thanks.

Blocksignal.
 #1507235  by riffian
 
NS went over to Totowa one day a week, generally Tuesday morning. Don't know about the new operation. West End Road and Maltese Ave are adjacent and intersect in Totowa - only one Royal facility.
 #1512175  by CR7876
 
Joseph DeLuisi wrote: Mon Jun 24, 2019 7:40 am Hi, who is doing the Harrison interchange with CSX?
The ME. The DD does not have an interchange agreement with CSX, nor trackage rights with NJT past Newark Broad St. Any traffic with CSX is for the ME proper and not for any DD customers.
 #1513684  by oibu
 
Sad how much of a microcosm example of the impacts of more widespread decline these branches are.

Just 20 years ago, trains ran 5-6 days/wk with 20-30 car trains being about average EAST of Washington. Now they would probably be thrilled to fill out just ONE of those trains in a week. There were still (just quick offhand counts, not looking to quibble over anything one way or the other), around 10 shippers or consignees west of Dover (not including M&E interchange- which itself served about 10 or so customers on the three County branches plus several on the original M&E) , a couple around Dover, and at least a half dozen or so east of Dover.

A far cry from the current breakdown of approx. 2 west of Dover /1 dover/ 2 east of Dover and a couple or so on the M&E. The County branch traffic is probably similar and similar number of shippers/consignees.
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