CMSL service Rio Grande to Cape May

[Steve F45]

In talking with CMSL management in the past, statistically ridership has always been highest on weekdays and lower on weekends when tourists are doing other seashore related things like hitting the beach.

Mike DiMunno
SJRA / SJRAIL.COM

plus saturdays tend to be the day everyone is leaving to go home and new renters are coming in.

[Ken W2KB]

In talking with CMSL management in the past, statistically ridership has always been highest on weekdays and lower on weekends when tourists are doing other seashore related things like hitting the beach.

Mike DiMunno
SJRA / SJRAIL.COM

plus saturdays tend to be the day everyone is leaving to go home and new renters are coming in.

And weekly renters by Thursday and Friday folks are tired of going to the beach and looking for something else to do.

[south jersey trains]

Is there any news on NJT repairing the damaged tracks? The NJ budget was just passed and now is the time to get funds before its used up.Also Ray Lahood of the federal govt. said there is 17 billion dollars avaible for roads,bridges and railroads.Contact your local politicans to ask them to get some funds for NJ and the CMSL track repair.We send a lot more tax money to Washington than we get back,i think were 49th in recieving aid.Talking on here is great but getting money for our favorite projects is even better,but you have to call or write them.

[JJMDiMunno]

As of 8/7, the schedule has been expanded to include Saturdays per the CMSL website.

Mike DiMunno
SJRA / SJRail.com

[rrbluesman]

It's good to see they are running something this year, maybe that will evoke some public interest outside of just the railfan community to get the tracks fixed.

[Ken W2KB]

Use of the trailer cars and speeders is somewhat reminiscent of the illustrations of the trains of the 1830's with small steam engine followed by small, stage coach adaptations.

[wolfboy8171981]

Second - Several more serious thoughts on the situation:

2. What he is doing is showing the flag. That is very important, possibly more important than how much money he makes doing it or whether it counts in the railfan or the regulatory mind as a 'train'.

Sometimes you have to show the flag, or you will loose the flag pole.

[dlagrua]

I would like to share in the optimism that something can be done to repair the line and get trains back running into Cape May City again in 2013. On mile of spike , rail plates and some tie replacements is not an insurmountable task but none the less its a big expense. It is doubtful that the CMSL can expect to sue the thieves for damages and win much but they can try. The theft was also of NJT property not CMSL property. CMSL leases the line but does not own it. The CMSL/NJT may be able to sue the scrap dealer but then again who knows? Lots of unanswered questions here so all we can do is be supportive and hope that Tony finds some luck and can get the job done.
I thought that I read somewhere that the B.R. & W RR puts out calls for and uses volunteer track crews. If enough people can be mobilized then that might be a possible solution. Maybe NJT can be convinced to supply the needed parts. This may be a far fetched scenerio but the line needs a solution to operate again. Perhaps this is an unwanted suggestion but IMO all suggestions and help from motivated rail fans and historians should be considered.

[Ken W2KB]

I would like to share in the optimism that something can be done to repair the line and get trains back running into Cape May City again in 2013. On mile of spike , rail plates and some tie replacements is not an insurmountable task but none the less its a big expense. It is doubtful that the CMSL can expect to sue the thieves for damages and win much but they can try. The theft was also of NJT property not CMSL property. CMSL leases the line but does not own it. The CMSL/NJT may be able to sue the scrap dealer but then again who knows? Lots of unanswered questions here so all we can do is be supportive and hope that Tony finds some luck and can get the job done.
I thought that I read somewhere that the B.R. & W RR puts out calls for and uses volunteer track crews. If enough people can be mobilized then that might be a possible solution. Maybe NJT can be convinced to supply the needed parts. This may be a far fetched scenerio but the line needs a solution to operate again. Perhaps this is an unwanted suggestion but IMO all suggestions and help from motivated rail fans and historians should be considered.

(1) I suspect that rather than a lawsuit, which would be costly to CMSL in terms of attorneys fees, any funds that are obtained would be in the form of restitution as part of a plea agreement with the defendants. That approach would not incur legal fees as Tony could work directly with the prosecutor. Hopefully, any restitution would be adequate.
(2) BR&W does not have volunteer track gangs, so you are likely thinking of another operation. We do have MOW work such as brush clearing done by volunteers. Track repairs as such are done by the for-profit corporation.

[south jersey trains]

Is there any news or updates on the CMSL?

[rrbluesman]

Are they even planning on running Santa trains this year? The last few years we've normally known by now if they were going to.

[bcooper153]

This was posted on the CMSL facebook page earlier today (11/20/2012):

We know so many of you are eagerly awaiting the posting of the schedule. We expect to post it very very soon. We appreciate your patience. Many of the other questions you are asking have already been answered here, so scroll through before posting them, please. We're looking forward to a busy Santa Express season and we are very happy that so many of you are ready to go for the trip. We planning more trains later in the season in order to meet demand and maybe a few other surprises. Stay tuned.

The website is all set for the Richland-Tuckahoe and Rio Grande-Cape May City runs, except for actual schedules.

I've been away from the forums for a while, and quite out of the loop here. Question - is there a major barrier preventing through service from Richland to Cape May City?

Thanks,

Bryan

[JJMDiMunno]

This was posted on the CMSL facebook page earlier today (11/20/2012):

We know so many of you are eagerly awaiting the posting of the schedule. We expect to post it very very soon. We appreciate your patience. Many of the other questions you are asking have already been answered here, so scroll through before posting them, please. We're looking forward to a busy Santa Express season and we are very happy that so many of you are ready to go for the trip. We planning more trains later in the season in order to meet demand and maybe a few other surprises. Stay tuned.

The website is all set for the Richland-Tuckahoe and Rio Grande-Cape May City runs, except for actual schedules.

I've been away from the forums for a while, and quite out of the loop here. Question - is there a major barrier preventing through service from Richland to Cape May City?

Thanks,

Bryan

Significant track work is necessary to restore the Cape May Branch to acceptable specs for passenger service, between Woodbine and Cape May Courthouse. This includes the recently vandalized and pretty much destroyed segment of main track at Dennisville.

Mike DiMunno

[prr60]

I don't think that CSAO is operating hardly anything south of Winslow these days. If that is true, I wonder if the absence freight service and associated track inspections by CSAO is impacting CMSL's ability to operate even the Richland trains?

[glennk419]

I don't think that CSAO is operating hardly anything south of Winslow these days. If that is true, I wonder if the absence freight service and associated track inspections by CSAO is impacting CMSL's ability to operate even the Richland trains?

There were several trains to and from the power plant over the last 4-6 weeks so the inspections have surely been ongoing. CSAO even sent down a couple "rail shiners" to ensure that the grade crossings were activating.