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  • Article regarding the Chester Branch

  • Discussion about the M&E, RVRR and SIRR lines of New Jersey, and also the Maine Eastern operation in Maine. Official web site can be found here: www.merail.com.
Discussion about the M&E, RVRR and SIRR lines of New Jersey, and also the Maine Eastern operation in Maine. Official web site can be found here: www.merail.com.

Moderators: GOLDEN-ARM, cjl330, mikec

 #802036  by NYS&W142Fan
 
james1787 wrote:
Jtgshu wrote:
james1787 wrote:Some good news in the paper today regarding the Chester Branch:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/0 ... to_un.html
I like the picture chosen for the article - a NJT Multilevel train in Newark Penn station.......
LOL yeah, I didn't realize NJT was on the Chester Branch :-D :wink:
Didn't you hear, Roxbury resident's worst fears are coming true, Hi-Speed Rail past horseshoe park. :-D
That aside, at least we will get to see something local for all the money that has been spent.
 #812043  by cjvrr
 
Preliminary work on the Chester Branch rehab project will begin within the next week or two. Railroad Construction of Paterson, NJ was awarded the contract for just over $5 million. Total completion is scheduled for December 30, 2010. I plan to post some photos of the work as it progresses.

Work will progress a thousand or more feet at a time with total removal of the track structure, grading and compacting the sub-ballast, installation of new stone, new ties and new rail. M&E is coordinating with the contractor to keep the work windows as long as possible while still maintaining service to Holland Manufacturing and access to the High Bridge Branch customers.

I would also remind everyone that although owned by the County the rail line is not open to the public. If you visit the line to see the work, please stay on public property. The FRA, FHWA, NJDOT, M&E Railway and the County of Morris are all watching this project with eagle eyes. At least one inspector from the County is on site at all times. Everything and everybody needs to be safe.

Chris
 #812952  by Tri-State Tom
 
Chris -
I would also remind everyone that although owned by the County the rail line is not open to the public. If you visit the line to see the work, please stay on public property. The FRA, FHWA, NJDOT, M&E Railway and the County of Morris are all watching this project with eagle eyes. At least one inspector from the County is on site at all times. Everything and everybody needs to be safe.
Not all that familiar with this area....can you recommend a good public property viewing location ?

thanks.
 #813078  by cjvrr
 
Tom,

Horseshoe Lake Park bike trail is immediately adjacent to the track for most of the south end of the project below the new Kuiken Bros. lumber yard. Main Street, Succasunna is just sourt of Holland Manufacturing where some substantial track work will take place. Railroad Avenue in Kenvil parallels the tracks from Route 46 south to County Concrete's facility. North of Route 46 to Lake Junction the only public access is the Berkshire Valley Road crossing.
 #813382  by RS115
 
CV,

Which end are they going to start from - Lake Junction?

Thanks
 #816316  by X4401
 
Railroad Construction Company had listed some jobs on indeed.com stating "Track Workers needed ASAP" although it didn't specifically say anything about the Chester Branch its a pretty reasonable guess that that's what they were referring too. Too bad they filled the jobs before I got my application in :( I wanted to get a start in track work so bad. :( especially at 19 bucks an hour!

Just to add to the above posts, as a nearby resident Id like to warn everyone that even though County Concrete looks like a wide open vacant area to watch the work take place on weekends (if they do track work on weekends, no idea), it is actually watched very closely by at least one person at all times. They have had a number of problems over the years with people getting on the property (usually on ATV's) and then getting injured and suing the crap out of them.

Horse Shoe lake is your best bet. The one parking lot by lake junction where the rails were stacked as of last week are private and anything other than a quick U-Turn and peek will probably not go over very well.
 #816436  by cjvrr
 
Work is not scheduled to take place on weekends at this time. Work is scheduled for weekdays 7am to 3pm or so.

Beginning last week and continuing, any of the formerly spoiled ties along the right of way are being picked up and sent to a recycler.

Rail removal is scheduled to start next week south of Holland Manufacturing. The work adjacent to Horseshoe Lake (south of Kuiken) is being postponed to a later date in the project schedule.

Between the Holland Manufacturing siding and Main Street a new run around track will be constructed. This will eliminate the current method of operation in which M&E crews push cars from Lake Junction all the way to the Holland siding. This will also aid in bringing cars back to Lake Junction from Kuiken once they start getting shipments.
 #816460  by CarterB
 
Are there any serious plans, so far, for any rail customers at the old Westinghouse (Beta) complex? Or just for now, Kuiken Bros. as furthest south customer?
 #816545  by cjvrr
 
CarterB,

Kuiken will be the southern most customer at this time. Beta has marketed their site for rail use, but no takers yet. That site is actually in Randolph. The owners of Beta and the Township of Randolph fully support the project and hope it will bring new interest and further investment in the Beta property.

A new turnout will also be installed at the former Lock-Joint-Pipe property. This is between the tracks and Dell Avenue. Vehicle access to that site is from Dell Avenue. This site has sat vacant for over 10 years now but is still zoned for industrial use. This turnout is being installed to spur interest and investment in the parcel.

Chris
 #816548  by CarterB
 
Dell Ave, above Rte 46 in Kenville? Where exactly will the turnout be located?
 #816740  by Sirsonic
 
Has Kuiken Bros even received a car yet?
 #816834  by blockline4180
 
Sirsonic wrote:Has Kuiken Bros even received a car yet?
Nope!

And OT, the High Bridge Branch has not seen a train since December!!! :(
 #816859  by cjvrr
 
Kuiken is scheduled to start receiving cars just about the time we finish the track work. Their site is nearly complete. It was just paved about two weeks ago.

High Bridge Branch had a train on it a week ago. However it only went a few hundred feet south of the lower Berkshire Valley Road crossing. It was three loads of lumber; unloaded just south of the Berkshire Valley Road crossing. It did not cross Route 46.

blockline4180 wrote:
Sirsonic wrote:Has Kuiken Bros even received a car yet?
Nope!

And OT, the High Bridge Branch has not seen a train since December!!! :(
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