Any trains running during the day through Ridgefield park?

May sound stupid, but i never hear them during the day anymore just at night. Im about 3 blocks up from the rt.46 drawbridge and could here the horns and bells just fine. But have not heard a thing in a long time.

Can anyone tell me if they do run anything during the daytime?

CSX runs trains almost continuously during the morning and evening rush hours, if you listen to the commuters complain. NYSW often has a yard job out and about during the daytime as well.

I was there last wednesday morning 9/21/05 and saw five trains between 10 and 11 am.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194531
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194532
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194533
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194534
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194535
The next friday 9/23/05, I caught six from 9:45 to 11:00.
The first one was Q108 but my camera batteries decided to die so I didn't get a shot.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194536
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194537
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194538
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194539
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=194541
The following sunday afternoon, I saw two southbound CSX frieghts but the lighting was so bad I didn't bother shooting them. The were Q254 and Q156. They both came through around 5:00 within a couple of minutes of each other. The WS-1 was drilling cars at the train station all afternoon. The only shot I took on sunday was of SU-99.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=195438

So yes trains do run during the day at Ridgefield Park.

I do need to get a scanner then. I work midnights so the only time i get to go down there is around 9ish before work and maybe mid afternoons before the g/f comes home.

Seems to be alot of UP traffic coming thru. I've never seen them down there before this year.




Also, does anyone know where the 69th street yard and yard near secaucus junction goto? do they meet?

2005Vdub wrote:
Also, does anyone know where the 69th street yard and yard near secaucus junction goto? do they meet?

The yard at 69th street had a south end "exit" called the Swamp Switch, which feeds into the former Erie Northern line. That line heads south ( ) and passes the southeast end of Croxton yard. The other end of Croxton may be in Secaucus.

2005Vdub

Do a Google Map search for
69th St., North Bergen, NJ
http://maps.google.com
It should center on 69th.St and Rt 1&9
switch to satellite photo drag to the left and zoom in
on tracks you can count the freight cars in the yard.
Best tool yet for scouting rail locations prior to visit.

Drag to south end of yard, Swamp Switch location. You will see construction of links to Erie Northern ROW. Photo is a few years old and taken before HBLRV construction.

Keep draging south to Croxton Yard and Marion connection

thanks andy. I have google earth and dont know why i didnt' use it. I used it to figure out what tracks use to be in mahway what is now the sheraton crossroads.

I followed the line down into jersey city near christopher columbus drive, does it go into a tunnel there and under the hudson?

Also in secaucus there is a bridge that has been turned open near secaucus junction. What bridge is it and how long has it been like that? I mean i've found so many old railroads and spots where the tracks used to run its unbelievable how much rail activity use to be here.

I followed the line down into jersey city near christopher columbus drive, does it go into a tunnel there and under the hudson?

Today this is the PATH ROW it does enter a tunnel just west of Chris Columbus Dr. C.C. Dr. was Railroad Ave. at one time and the PRR ROW to their east coast terminal on the Hudson River before Penn Station NYC was built. Going west from C.C. Dr. (satelite photo) towards Journal Sq. you can see the original 1830s ROW of the New Jersey RR. Looks like dollar sign $ with present ROW as the straight line.

a bridge that has been turned open near secaucus junction

.
NJT line taken out of service after the Montclair Conection was built a few years ago.

2005Vdub wrote:Also in secaucus there is a bridge that has been turned open near secaucus junction. What bridge is it and how long has it been like that? I mean i've found so many old railroads and spots where the tracks used to run its unbelievable how much rail activity use to be here.

That bridge is DB Draw, and it was for the Boonton Line prior to the opening of the Montclair connection in September, 2002 (almost exactly three years ago now). I'm not sure how long it's been locked open, but if not the whole time, then a substantial portion of it. I just so happened to be out there last weekend taking pictures of DB, the old ROW, and trains passing over Portal, the NEC bridge nearby (pictures here, if interested).

Cool pics, never knew they were just recently abandoned. I've got a few pics myself of that area. Even a few pics of the fire that was on the nec bridge in the spring.