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  • NS On the NEC

  • Discussion relating to the NS operations. Official web site can be found here: NSCORP.COM.
Discussion relating to the NS operations. Official web site can be found here: NSCORP.COM.
 #602811  by briansweep
 
Hello All...

Quick question for someone on the board. I just moved (actually twice) down from Northern Maine (MMA/NBSR) after getting married. After we finished my wife's lease at her place (next to the CSX in Ridley Park, PA) we are now living about a block away from the Northeast Corridor. Last night shortly after midnight, I heard what I suspected was probably NS using their trackage rights. Can anyone provide some background about what I might be able to see in terms of traffic from the NS during a typical day or week on the corridor?

Thanks,

Brian
 #603824  by Kaback9
 
I'm not sure but does NS still run the intermodal train on the NEC. I remember a few years back they were trying this out.
 #604144  by Wazzzy
 
might be a loaner engine. i've ridden CSX and BNSF engines on NS trackage. waiting for the UP to send us an engine.......
 #604157  by amtrakhogger
 
NS runs a few trains from Philly down to Edgemoor Yard (in Wilmington) that pass by Ridley Park. Among trains that you will see are a Edgemoor to Abrams Yard (Near Norristown Pa.) transfer (H86- I think) and the occaisional coal train bound for a power plant just adjacent to Edgemoor Yard. Most moves occur at night but you might get lucky during the summer months where you may see northbounds in early morning light running north to Phil Interlocking to get off the Corridor before rush hour.

You can see daylight NS moves if you hangout at Marcus Hook or Claymont stations where locals come out of Edgemoor bound for Hook Interlocking and Stoney Creek Yard in Marcus Hook
 #604728  by riffian
 
You probably heard NS train 67T, or 67V, the stone train from Bridsboro (near Reading), PA to Millsboro (Dagsboro)Delaware. This train runs three days a week, but both directions are at night, so you hear him pass through six days a week. Here in New Castle, DE (just south of Wilmington) he generally goes through between midnite and 4:00AM in both directions. I have seen it northbound through Philadelphia in mid morning, however. I believe this is probably the only regular NS freight through Ridley Park. Everything else pretty much runs as a local out of Edgemoor Yard up to Stony Creek Yard in Marcus Hook. South of Wilmington NS runs two trains a day to Enola Yard via Perryville and the Port Road and another from Harrington, DE to Enola.
 #605026  by briansweep
 
Thanks for the info all. I appreciate it.

Brian
 #605553  by Comet III 5001
 
I believe NS still runs train on the Northeast Corridor Edison, NJ and north. I remember hearing the Leslie horn of an NS as it passed through Metuchen station last week.
 #606005  by Jtgshu
 
The NEC still sees freight in NJ, but there is much more in PA inbetween Trenton/Morrisville and PA.

There are often relays of freight from Oak Island Yard in Newark, NJ (comes out on the NEC at Lane interlocking) down to Metuchen Yard (at Lincoln and Edison interlockings)

There isn't much local service on the NEC in NJ, but there is some. The switches that get served are General Tire and National Can in Edison/Metuchen area, and Deans down in South Brunswick. Also, there is freight service in New Brunswick, on the Millstone Branch (where the NJT Jersey Ave trains go) and down on the Delco Lead, which is the track that follows the NEC for about 3-4 miles south of New Brunswick. They lost a big customer on the Delco when Johnson and Johnson shut down their operations there in South Brunswick

There is also a few customers down by Trenton, in the area of Ham interlocking. There is a lumber yard west of Hamilton Station that gets a car or two, and there have been a few more cars lately by the switch/wye to the Bordentown Secondary (on the westbound side) so maybe there is a new customer somewhere around.

There used to be a bakery in North Elizabeth (Berry Bakers maybe?) that would receive a car or two every once in a while, but i haven't seen anything there in a while, and I was told it shut down (I haven't smelt the cookies in a while going through there, so maybe they did).

There used to be a LOT of freight activity in the area, with the GM Plant in Linden and the Ford Plant in Edison. but they have both shut down within the past 5 years, and there is nothing left of either. Monster trains would run from Lane down to Linden and Edison from Oak Island. It was not uncommon to see 4 or 5 locos and 100 plus cars. Sadly, they are all gone. But the runs inbetween Metuchen and Oak Island can be a good size though.

Rarely, but it does happen, a run through freight comes from Oak Island and heads down the North Jersey Coast Line (at Union interlocking) if there is some kind of blockage/work on the roughly parallel, freight only, Chemical Coast Line. There is also a customer on the North Jersey Coast Line at "Cutters" that is serviced by I guess a Metuchen crew I guess. Cutters switch is in Woodbridge/Perth Amboy area.

Its a shame to see what has been lost in the past 5 or so years, i can only imagine what it was like back in the "good ol days". I guess its a payoff for having more pax trains means less and more expensive freight service...........
 #611381  by kevikens
 
Riffians: I have been trying to get a photo of something going through New Castle and something through Clayton. Do you know of any time when I might be able to get something going through either of those two spots ? Thanks
 #612533  by Big Bri
 
Hi All,
I live 600ft. from Ridley Park Sta. and have been catching freight on the Corridor since the 70's.
Riffian,you're quite correct about the 67T/67V Stone Trains.Although from experience the loads will come by RP(Ridley Park)anywhere between 8pm. and Midnight.Depending upon CETC-4.The mty Stone usually comes North between 3am and even as late as 11am!!
There's also an 85E mty Hopper train out of Edgemoor that runs around the same time.Both the Stone and mty Hopps use Abrams crews.(throw in the 569 occasionally also).And an 84R or 650 loaded coal train.
There's also the NS-501 which comes down from P.E(Eddystone)via the Chester Sec.,out the Linwood Branch and up the Corridor to Abrams.Eventually on to Shire Oaks for re-loading.
Back in the CR era(1990's)I used to catch the EDPI/PIED almost every night! And back then you also had the UDE(Edgemoor)coal train that would come down from PHIL as required.

The 80's were the Best years for catching fast freight on the Corridor.Up 'til the massacre at Chase,MD. in 1987 you had the SEPY/PYSE,OIPY/PYOI,EDCA/CAED,TV-23/TV-24 and even an occasional Ore train from S. Philly to Bayview(I saw it only ONCE in 1981 with 3 B23-7's and a GP-38-2).

Does anyone here remember the ill-fated NS-24A/25A that ran from Croxton thru Washington,D.C back in 2004? They only ran the train 4 times with 4 xCR GP-40-2's modified to run thru 30th St. Station.

Cheers,
Bri
 #613117  by riffian
 
" I have been trying to get a photo of something going through New Castle and something through Clayton. Do you know of any time when I might be able to get something going through either of those two spots ? Thanks."

The best bet to get something through New Castle is to be by the tracks at about 0830, Monday through Saturday. The local from Edgemoor to the Valero refinery comes through pretty reliably at about 0900. This train will have 2 or three units and can be pretty long - up to the 40 or 50 car length. The track is all welded rail (recently resurfaced) and he really scoots along, so chasing is out of the question. a good place to catch him might be the wye at Porter Junction. (Porter Road) There are multiple trips made (at least two each way), but the later trips are frequently lite engine.

As far as Clayton, other than a local, it is hard top catch something this time of year. My limited experience is that 13 G, the freight from Harrington to Enola, goes on duty at Harrington in the late afternoon. During the longer days of the year it is easy to catch him during daylight - the bridge over the C&D canal would be a good spot. I have seen him out of Harrington by 5:00PM. Hope this helps.
 #613122  by cobra30689
 
Hey Jt,

Funny you mention the Burry cookie factory in North Elizabeth. I was born in Elizabeth and lived right on North Ave...in the high-rise a few blocks down you can see from the station. Took the kids to Kellogg Park not long ago(haven't been in the area for many years)....come to find out a LOT of the building came down to build that supermarket that backs up to the NEC and faces Newark Ave. That whole area is different from what I remember. IIRC the siding that led up to the factory was still electrified as late as 1985.

Matt
 #613372  by Big Bri
 
Kev,
From Edgemoor Del. they come up to BELL and call CETC-4(160.920 AAR 54/54)to get permission North.Once CETC-4 cuts-em-loose the train will move up to HOLLY and then out onto the Corridor.Usually freights will run #1 track all the way up to PHIL Interlocking and onto the NS Arsenal Connector.Once they reach ARSENAL it's CSX territory controlled by "NI" Disp. in Albany(160.980 AAR 58/58).The train will go over "The High-Line" all the way to BELMONT and make a left at CP RIVER.Then the train is on NS rails(160.800 Mainline Disp. AAR 46/46) all the way to Abrams Yard and HBG beyond.
Usually the trains are mty Hopper and mty Stone trains coming North out of Delaware.There's also the NS-501(mty Hopps) which comes off the Linwood branch in Marcus Hook at HOOK and North also.
Last Summer NS ran a bunch of detour freights between PHIL and BELL due to a rock slide on the Port Road that closed the Port Road for a week.
12G/13G,36A/37A ran via the NEC north to PHIL and on to HBG that way.It reminded me of when Conrail ran the EDPI/PIED back in the 90's at night.I used to catch those trains almost every night up at Prospect Park Sta.!!!!

Cheers,
Bri
Last edited by Big Bri on Mon Dec 15, 2008 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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