Bay Ridge Branch

ncvab wrote:

Mr rt wrote: Hand off local, xNY Cross Harbor, freight business to NY & Atl why, because I don't see The Port Authorty wanting to be in the freight business on this side of the Hudson.

NYAR will not take over the floating

Actually I think the Quoted text was implying NY&A would take over service to the local (former) NYCH Brooklyn-based Customers (e.g. on 1st Ave and so on), not the actual Float Operations, which I suppose would remain under PA NY&NJ aegeis (it will be interesting to see how that shakes out - would the PA contract out the float operations to a third party?)

Sir Ray,
You are correct about NY & Atl, just xNY Cross Harbor local Brooklyn freight business, such as it is.
CP vs. NS ... CP is the one that comes to Fresh Pond over Hell Gate ... NS is in NJ and feeds freaght over Hudson Rv ?

Hi everyone. Im just wondering, how often does the freight come down the Bay Ridge branch and what time of the day you can expect it? What is the average train consist? Thanks.

DogBert wrote:Yesterday was a good day for a walk, so I met up with a few people to go walk the length of the Bay Ridge branch...

A few notable things -

No cars at the NYRR interchange. There looked like there were some cars in 65th. yard but we didn't walk back there.

Rail looked rusty, like it hasn't been run on in a week or two. Some spots through the residential area west of brooklyn college where the rails looked much more rusty. I'm guessing that is from the leaves that were piled up down there?

There were also sections of retaining wall along this part that were held up with rails - anyone know when this was done?

There were two DSNY dumpsters along this part of the tracks as if someone at some time tried to clean it up. They didn't get very far with their cleanup efforts (unless this is some ongoing work?).

Under (I believe) ocean ave there was a cinderblock structure placed under the overpass with rail running into it. Was this some sort of MOW office at some point? You could fit a locomotive or some hi railers in there for sure. There were also some rooms with shelving - all of it was knocked over, tagged up, and completely abandoned.

There's some new building over the tracks east of Brooklyn College. They left space for 4 tracks under there and had the entire 'tunnel' very well lit.

Entering the industrial parts of town. we found a siding w/a box car at some building supply place, about a half dozen cars of pellets behind favorite plastics, and about a dozen BRRX cars at siding where old cars get shredded and hauled off to who knows where. This one seemed to be the big customer of the bay ridge, at least at the moment.

BTM had a single refrigerator car on the very long siding that they have down there. The building they were demoing in there is now gone. It looks like they might be taking down the one next to it, though I don't know if it's always been so open looking?

A bit further north from here behind NYCTA linden shops there was a random cut of 5 cars on a siding. No idea why they were there. 2 or 3 gons, a box and another pellet car. seemed like a strange place to leave these cars.

North of there it was clear to fresh pond. No cars at gershow just south of the tunnel, though the siding is still there and looked to be occasionally active.

Was this walk part of the NY Connecting Railroad Society tours??? Because if not, you should keep in mind you are trespassing, and can be subject to possible arrest and prosecution by the MTA PD and or the NYPD who does do patrols there. One of the person who did walk this line for a section on the website OldNYC.com for the Cross-Brooklyn Expressway section of the site reported in the tour that during the walk he was stopped and questioned by the NYPD. BE CAREFUL!! As always, I say please....stay out of restricted areas, no matter how active/inactive the railroad may look. Police/law enforcement agencies use things like that to make problems for all railfans, including those who are doing it safely and LEGALLY.

Trust me I know... It's why I keep my pba card next to the license.

All things considered much of the Bay Ridge line goes through the not so good sections of NYC, so trespass isn't even on the nypd's radar in those areas. It's a DAT at the most, most won't bother with it since it's not going to get them the overtime a collar will. 90x and off to the next job. They're not hurting to meet the numbers out there. MTA police wouldn't be pleased I'm sure but i'm a normal looking guy with some previous leo experience, so i don't worry much.

I don't advise anyone without any sort of street smarts to be anywhere around that line though. More shady people than cops to worry about, and some feral dogs around the junk yards.

DogBert wrote:Trust me I know... It's why I keep my pba card next to the license.

All things considered much of the Bay Ridge line goes through the not so good sections of NYC, so trespass isn't even on the nypd's radar in those areas. It's a DAT at the most, most won't bother with it since it's not going to get them the overtime a collar will. 90x and off to the next job. They're not hurting to meet the numbers out there. MTA police wouldn't be pleased I'm sure but i'm a normal looking guy with some previous leo experience, so i don't worry much.

I don't advise anyone without any sort of street smarts to be anywhere around that line though. More shady people than cops to worry about, and some feral dogs around the junk yards.

Yeah, the locals and the dogs did get mentioned on the OldNYC tour!! BE CAREFUL!!!!!!

Too bad you can't walk around with a sidearm. NYC's gun laws are horrible. Hell, not too much better on Long Island either, at least they issue carry permits.