Metuchen Yard Operations and Vicinity

[amtrakhogger]

Monday 3/20, ME-2 had about 12 cars (most being covered hoppers) going by Edison westbound on #4 track with the hack. I would hazard a guess some were destined for the Delco lead.

[OportRailfan]

ME84 with the CSXT 4441, 2798 headed east from Lincoln to Lane right now.

[OCtrainguy]

A late post, as I've forgotten to remind myself, but last Monday. the ME2 came out of Metuchen Yard around 12:30 p.m. with the Conrail caboose, an ACF car, a boxcar and NS 5640.

Does the ME2 typically work on Fridays? Just curious if it is M-F on the corridor.

[OCtrainguy]

Here are some photos of the ME2 by the Metuchen station from August 21st.

First, the crew switching cars around in the yard

Shoving east passed the station
The ME2 awaiting the signal and is passed by an Amtrak Keystone train
After the Keystone train cleared, the ME2 got the signal to proceed
Passing through the station
And the Conrail caboose they use

Enjoy the photos!

[OCtrainguy]

I went to Metuchen on Friday, September 1st and was able to answer my own question. I will say I didn't think they were running today and a passenger at the station spotted the "moving freight train". It was about ten cars, excluding the caboose, and they had a pair of GP38-2s.


Shoving east through the station
The train powered by NS 5313 & 5640
The ME2 and a westbound NJT train
The ME2 and a westbound Amtrak Keystone train
Heading west through the station
The two engines
A going away photo as the train changes tracks.

Enjoy!

[kilroy]

Nice shots OC. Metuchen is a nice place to shoot in the morning.

[OCtrainguy]

Nice shots OC. Metuchen is a nice place to shoot in the morning.

Thank you, and I agree.

[OportRailfan]

ME-02 couldn't run Friday - switches stuck on center at LINCOLN due to malfunctioning switch heaters.

[BigDell]

ME-02 usually works midday yes? Noon to 2 sometime?

[OportRailfan]

ME-02 usually works midday yes? Noon to 2 sometime?

Typically, that's when they come out. They just cleared Lincoln, headed West to National Can, CSXT6228+18+CSXT2798

[TAMR213]

West through Highland Park today about 3 pm with a bracket of about 5 boxcars, 5 covered hoppers, and 5 more boxcars. Some days they operate with two engines, other days just one and the caboose - not sure as to the rhyme or reason as I don't follow as closely as I used to. Train size can vary, but traffic certainly seems improved over the past couple years.

[OCtrainguy]

Not sure if this power is still assigned to the yard or not, but on June 2nd, it was NS 5269 and what I think is NS 5286.

http://octrainguy.rrpicturearchives.net ... id=4976322

The second engine is in an Operation Lifesaver paint scheme.

[RailsEast]

Nice photo, Stephen. And for those who may be interested, NJT has acquired the Delco Lead from Conrail, with freight operations to continue as normal....

"Notice that it intends to acquire from Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") a portion of the
property commonly known as the "Delco Industrial Lead" in order to begin providing commuter
service on that track as part of its transit operation. NJ Transit will acquire ownership of the
track and Conrail will retain an exclusive freight easement thereon."

https://www.stb.gov/filings/all.nsf/ba7 ... 245780.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ccutler]

Thanks for posting the STB filing. Are there any active customers on the Delco lead?

[pumpers]

My best guess on this is that it is for emergency car storage when floods threaten, like Sandy. I've read that NJT was eying the Delco lead for that. What I'm not sure of is if they are bascially just going to upgrade (and elelctrify) the existing track, or put down a second track on the real estate they are buying. My guess is just the one track, and if there are any customers (which is doubtful south of the Route 1 overpass), they'll just have to wait for the few days (?) cars are stored during a flood emergency.

Also, best I can tell is that the southern (timetable western) end of this segment, MP 36.4, is around the southern end of the old J&J plant, about where Costco is now. The line seems to go another mile before it turns away from Amtrak, but does not look active south MP 36.4, or even that far. Maybe some one else owns south of MP 36.4

My real question, though , is this just for car stoage, or does the real-estate figure into the 'North Brunswick loop" over the NEC that has been talked about for years.
JS