West side of Newark Branch

Clifton residents won't be too happy with the night time moves, although at least it's winter and everyone is buttoned up in their homes with the widows closed....In the past when this line was really active, the NIMBY's were out in force. But it's still a treat for those of us who remember this line for what it was.

Early last week on my way to work I was waiting at the light on Allwood Road by the Home Depot and noticed that other than the grade crossing you couldn't tell there were tracks there since they were buried under several inches of snow and ice either side of the road. I thought I was seeing things the next morning when I passed by and saw the tracks had been used overnight. This may very well be the last hurrah for the line east of Van Ness in Clifton. It would certainly take some effort until the spring thaw to get to Newark since the Kia dealership on Washington Ave plowed all their snow onto the track next to their lot.

Nothing spotted at the loading/unloading site on Isabella St. as of 4pm today. All the spines were loaded and spotted just south of Allwood Rd., apparently ready for NS to pick up.

Thanks for posting updates. If I may ask a favor, please let us know how many spine cars are spotted when you report. I'd like to know how much business the branch line is seeing.

Its been roughly 5 or 6 cars at a time (one car would be 2 articulated platforms).

A buddy of mine happen to catch the H70 last night heading through Rutherford towards Suffern.... said the hind end had a bunch more EPIC cars which will be heading to Nutley.

I'm guessing the train ran last night ??? If it did it was real late didn't hear or see it ,But Wednesday morning I passed by & didn't see this car there it was there today ???? that's the track mobile behind it ( covered hopper) they were loading cars today .

Wonder what that covered hopper (TILX 56772) is doing there?

rev66vette wrote:Wonder what that covered hopper (TILX 56772) is doing there?

My guess is its an empty from Van Ness that got stranded on the opposite side of what were the "inbound" cars for La Roche when they spotted them, and decided to leave it for the next trip. I imagine it gets a little complicated to switch all this stuff out on the siding down by Franklin Ave (is that still a run around or now a stub ended siding??). Again, thats just my own guess.

I think that's a good guess!

Train rain tonight (saturday) around 10:00 He got stuck down in Nutley (is a runaround) trying to run the the loco one a time front & middle because he has to drop the empties but, he couldn't make the grade a Nutley, tried for over a hour finally put the Loco back together up front & had it pinned , Sound was great!!!!!! Rails were real icy!!! to bad its snowing , ice ,raining & at night !! same covered hopper at the rear again left it !!

Wow! Really weird to see then run on a Saturday night...wonder when the last time that ever occurred on this branch? Probably eons ago when the passenger trains were still running.

The train came last night...currently, (8:30 AM) he is stopped just west of Van Ness prior to the Mt Prospect Avenue crossing. Not sure if there is a crew on board, but of there is, they are probably waiting for a break in the commuter rush before heading onto the Main Line...there are several garbage cars and last car is the covered hopper that was seen below earlier.

Here are some more pic's , the covered hopper & the shuttle wagon !!!!

Here are a couple of the shuttle wagon leaving the tracks!!!!!

Train ran last night 3:30 am herd it saw it, 2 GP 38 ,12 loaded spine cars , 6 covered hoppers, 12 empty spine cars & for some reason that 1 covered hopper stays here ?