Railroad Forums 

  • Partial Bridge Collapse at Little Ferry?

  • Discussion related to New York, Susquehanna & Western operations past and present. Also includes some discussion related to Deleware Otsego owned and operated shortlines. Official web site can be found here: NYSW.COM.
Discussion related to New York, Susquehanna & Western operations past and present. Also includes some discussion related to Deleware Otsego owned and operated shortlines. Official web site can be found here: NYSW.COM.

Moderators: GOLDEN-ARM, NJ Vike

 #1481106  by CPSK
 
Hi;
Today I was listening to the CSX River sub and heard talk about a partial bridge collapse on the NYS&W at Little Ferry.
Does anyone know the details of this?
I know that bridge is still the "original" span, but I believe that work has been done on this bridge over the years.
It would make sense to replace the span with a non-moveable one like what Conrail did with the now CSX span. As I recall, there was a small marina on the Overpeck creek to the east of the bridge, so Conrail purchased that marina and subsequently closed it so that they could build a non-moveable bridge.

CP
 #1481118  by CPSK
 
Mike Doughney wrote:https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/ ... 855116002/
RIDGEFIELD PARK — A New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway bridge partially collapsed early Saturday into Overpeck Creek, damaging one railcar but causing no injuries or spills, according to police and railroad officials.
Thanks for the link. I receive The Record on Sundays, so I suppose it will also be in print form.

Detour routes?
CSX can obviously get into the yard at CP3. But what about NYS&W trains that would normally go west from Little Ferry?
I can think of a couple routes:
NJT to Hawthorne (if the junction there is still active). If not, Little Ferry yard out at CP3 onto CSX, into Croxton yard, out onto NJT/NS Main Line to Campbell Hall, then back down NYS&W, or if the train is going to Binghamton, just continue west on NS from Campbell Hall to Binghamton?
Or, perhaps the long way: CSX River sub to Selkirk, west on CSX Mohawk sub to Utica, then south to Binghamton on ?? (I don't know who's track that is).

Should I be looking for some NYS&W power on the CSX River sub??
 #1481128  by B&M 1227
 
SU-100/SU-99 should run as normal albeit much smaller. The issue here is that the Sealand yard and everything east of the engine terminal is cut off. SU-100 will only be able to bring cars down for the MNJ, Sparta Local, and the two westbound WS locals. Cars from the west, destined for North Bergen customers, CSX North Bergen Interchange, and NS Marion interchange, will need to find an alternate routing. Presumably this traffic will be rerouted over the NS and CSX and handed off by a local as was the case when the Syracuse bridge collapsed. Intermodal traffic to/from the CSX Little Ferry yard will be rerouted to North Bergen or Kearny. Little Ferry may have seen its last container train ever today... but that's another story.
 #1481135  by CPSK
 
Funny; I had never considered the fact that the locals were carrying loads from the west (Binghamton) and not from Little Ferry.
I would assume that the intermodal trains using the Little Ferry yard were all CSX trains going in at CP5, and not NYS&W trains. I recall the days when long double-stacks were running on the NYS&W out of LF yard, but I guess those trains have been gone for a long time.

As for the new bridge; It will be non-moveable, like the CSX bridge. Double track?
 #1481177  by CPSK
 
ccutler wrote:What's happening with the little ferry intermodal terminal? Is it getting shut down?
For now, CSX is still using it. Listening to CSX on the radio I hear trains going in/out at CP3. Its future is anyone's guess.

I was down at CP5 today. Nothing spectacular. Just the missing section of the bridge. I'm wondering whether they might do a temp repair to the old bridge while the new one is being built. It would probably make sense. Doesn't look like too big a job to get a replacement section installed.
 #1481195  by lvrr325
 
First I've seen anywhere of what was done when the Syracuse side wasn't being used, can you explain that better, maybe on the post for that bridge issue?
 #1481354  by pumpers
 
One of the news articles said the contractor for the new bridge has just recently set up equipment to drive piles for the new bridge (the actual work (pile-driving?) was supposed to have started yesterday, two days after the failure). Wonder if that equipment set-up played any role, like an inadvertant bump against the failed bridge section. JS
 #1481405  by CPSK
 
pumpers wrote:One of the news articles said the contractor for the new bridge has just recently set up equipment to drive piles for the new bridge (the actual work (pile-driving?) was supposed to have started yesterday, two days after the failure). Wonder if that equipment set-up played any role, like an inadvertant bump against the failed bridge section. JS
Is the new bridge being built alongside the old bridge, or will the old bridge need to be completely removed before the new one can be built?
 #1481475  by photorailfan
 
I went to cp5 early yesterday morning to see what was going on. I doubt they will make a bridge along side the old one. The span is to short and the tracks immediately crosses a grade crossing. Hard to believe that the bridge is over a hundred years old?
 #1481494  by pumpers
 
photorailfan wrote:I went to cp5 early yesterday morning to see what was going on. I doubt they will make a bridge along side the old one. The span is to short and the tracks immediately crosses a grade crossing. Hard to believe that the bridge is over a hundred years old?
Presumably then NYSW had a plan on how to route things during construction. I guess they had move the timeline for starting that plan a bit ealier!
 #1481541  by CPSK
 
photorailfan wrote:I went to cp5 early yesterday morning to see what was going on. I doubt they will make a bridge along side the old one. The span is to short and the tracks immediately crosses a grade crossing. Hard to believe that the bridge is over a hundred years old?
Yes, it would be difficult to re-align the gauge.
It does appear that trains are running and getting deliveries made. It's a bit more of a hassle for CSX having to do the zig-zag into the yard at CP3, but it works.
 #1481585  by pumpers
 
CPSK wrote: It does appear that trains are running and getting deliveries made. It's a bit more of a hassle for CSX having to do the zig-zag into the yard at CP3, but it works.
What about SU 99 and SU100? Is any traffic getting to the NSYW yards/terminals south of the failed bridge? Is CSX just carrying all traffic on CSX rails from CP3 to/from Syracuse, not just he intermodal CSX uses the NYSW Little FErry yard for? ON the same topic, with the orientation of CP5, I don't see how NYSW can use CSX just for the few miles (CP3 to CP5 for example) to leapfrog around the failed bridge. Are they using NS in some way to out through Marion Yard and somehow up NJ Transit to Patterson? Thx, JS
 #1482885  by CPSK
 
pumpers wrote:
CPSK wrote: It does appear that trains are running and getting deliveries made. It's a bit more of a hassle for CSX having to do the zig-zag into the yard at CP3, but it works.
What about SU 99 and SU100? Is any traffic getting to the NSYW yards/terminals south of the failed bridge? Is CSX just carrying all traffic on CSX rails from CP3 to/from Syracuse, not just he intermodal CSX uses the NYSW Little FErry yard for? ON the same topic, with the orientation of CP5, I don't see how NYSW can use CSX just for the few miles (CP3 to CP5 for example) to leapfrog around the failed bridge. Are they using NS in some way to out through Marion Yard and somehow up NJ Transit to Patterson? Thx, JS
I would think they are using the southern junction from the LF yard onto CSX/Conrail to Croxton, then out onto the Bergen County/Main line to Binghamton.
Looking at Google maps, I see three points where NYS&W connect to CSX & Conrail.
The northern most is CP5, which can't be used with the bridge being out.
Then there is CP3, which is the main point of interchange, where CSX trains access LF yard.
Finally, just north of what I believe is called "CP West Croxton", the NYS&W merges into Conrail trackage. But from the looks of the sat images, there are usually cars or locos stored on the tracks down there, so I would guess that most of the activity is at CP3, with SU99/100 entering/exiting there and continuing to/from Croxton using a reverse move at CP West Croxton.

I hope someone can jump in and correct me on any points I am not accurate.