Bayridge branch operations

Hello everyone. It's been awhile since I asked questions about the Bayridge but I have some unanswered questions about the operations of the RS-100 (still the RS-100 right?) and its operations. So here it goes

1. What cutomers are served west of the East NY tunnel and what are their approximate locations?

2. Is Tri-State Brick served in the 65th street yard? Anyone else served in the yard?

3. Are all customers served on the way down to 65th or on the way back up to Pond or is it a mix depending on where the switches point?

4. Does the RS-100 always make the trip to 65th street yard on its run?

I'm basically trying to get a handle on the operations for future modelling purposes. So I know I'll have more questions but it's probably too much to post here. But if anyone feels like emailing me ([email protected]) to answer me I'd be very appreciative.

Thanks in advance,
Joe

Hey, Joe! Long time no hear from. How've you been? Aren't you a Poppa by now?

BTW, sorry, but I'm not able to answer any of your questions. Only thing I can say with certainty is that the RS-100 comes through on the Bay Ridge every other day (and occasionally EVERY day).

I'll certainly see you and the crew on the 23rd at Hofstra.

The Bay Ridge job is still the RS-100 and it works M-F running the full length of the branch. The train switches the customers a variety of different ways, all depending on train size, and customers to be done.
Customers are, starting from the tunnel and working west to 65st,
1-Heritage Paper, he is right below the subway station where the L and 3/4 cross each other.
2-NYCTA's Linden Yard, right about Linden BLVD.
3-Laquilla Pipe, he gets cars on Fridays, the cars are left on the main just past the west switch of the TA runaround. Its where Rockaway Pwky ends.
4-Brooklyn Terminal Market, which has three different produce customers in it.
5-Brooklyn Resources Recycling, which is around Utica Ave area.
6-Manhattan Beer, is where BRR is, just across the tracks.
7-Favorite Plastics, is on Utica Ave.
8-Glenwood Mason, can't think of the cross streets right now.

At 65st, Tristate brick is still there, getting switched 2 or 3 times a week, hs is the only customer in the yard. In the yard though is where the NYCH usually leaves cars for the NYA and also Favorite Plastics cars are stored.

Jayjay1213,

Thanks so much for your detailed response. I guess the NYCH interchange is now in the yard and no longer under the Gowanus?

Would I be correct in assuming that Tri-State brick, Glenwood Mason, Brooklyn Resources Recycling and Laquilla Pipe all get shipped in Gonds?

Also, I think I noticed the last time I was in Pond that the beer was being shipped warm in boxcars rather than reefers. Am I correct here?

Once again, thank you.

Doug,

My wife is 4 days past due!! So of course I'm doing research now for my model railroad that will be put on hold for something like 18 years once my daughter is born. LOL

No problem, glad to help.
Tristate and Glenwood Mason get their product in boxcars, and the rest get gon's.

The beer part you are correct, they do not arrive in reefers.


Jason

Thanks again. If you get the cross streets of Glenwood Mason I'd appreciate it. Also, where is the market? Remsen? Ditmas? Ralph?

Thanks, Joe

Hey, Joe looks like you're an overdue father! My best to you and the Mrs.! (So maybe I WON'T see you at the Hofstra show -- but I'll save you a cigar)

In the meantime, I can answer your latest questions:

Glenwood Masonary's cross street is Albany Ave (at the corner of Glenwood Road).

The Brooklyn Terminal Market is a large tract of land bound between Remsen Ave. on the east -- E. 83rd St. on the west --Ditmas Ave. to the north -- Foster Ave. to the south.

Interesting historical fact: the original Brooklyn Terminal Market was located on Wallabout Creek which today is the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The advent of the need for battleships in the Civil War forced out the market to where it is today and the Navy Yard was created.

BTW, the Brooklyn Terminal Market may get a BIG shot in the arm as rumors abound that a major retailer may locate there. The site has the potential to become a Brooklyn version of the Tanger outlets in Riverhead -- more details later. Surely this could turn into new customers for NYA.

Thanks Doug,

Interesting historical note about the BTM. You are the source of everything Brooklyn..LOL

So if Glenwood Masonary is at the corner of Albany and Glenwood, where is the siding located? The tracks I noticed cross Glenwood first (east of Albany and then cross Albany (but well south of Glenwood). If you look at mapquest it crosses on an angle.

Also, what is the track configuration of the Brooklyn Terminal Market. Seems like it may be a bit daunting to model considering its size. Is there one main track coming off the main (to either the north or south) or are there multiple tracks coming off the main there. Piecing this together is pretty fun. It seems all of these customers are pretty close to one another.

Thanks again.
Joe

Here's a webpage with a very rough layout of the Brooklyn Terminal Market (no trackage shown - I remember only one or two tracks parallel to the Bay Ridge branch - nothing particularly complex): http://www.terminalmarkets.com/brooklyn.htm.

BMT wrote:BTW, the Brooklyn Terminal Market may get a BIG shot in the arm as rumors abound that a major retailer may locate there. The site has the potential to become a Brooklyn version of the Tanger outlets in Riverhead -- more details later. Surely this could turn into new customers for NYA.

BMT, do you mean a major retailer's distribution center (which kinda breaks the Terminal Market concept anyway), or a major Big Box retailer? (say Target) - if the later, this would turn into a major disaster for NYA, as the Terminal Market warehouses and distributors would quickly and eventually be replaced by a discount Mall, possibly similiar to the one off the Belt in Spring Creek, near Starrett City. As for freight traffic, just ask yourself how much rail freight traffic Costco generates on 2nd Ave. near Bush Terminal, as opposed to when the site was Davidison Pipe.

Sorry, we just don't really need anymore 5.75/hr dead-end retail jobs in this city...

Joe, as far as the ROW at Glenwood Masonry is concerned: Albany Avenue meets up with Avenue H at the point where the Bay Ridge ROW makes it's second pronounced curve in the route*, after the exist from the ENY Tunnel. The line curves due west to run along Avenue I for a good stretch of mid-Brooklyn.

The two yard tracks at Brooklyn Terminal Market are accessible from the westbound track of the Bay Ridge ROW (requiring a reverse move). The tracks end at street grade in a separate yard in the market itself. There is a UP reefer there almost 24/7 on premises (I may have some photos to post in the near future).

Sir Ray, I'm not sure about exactly WHO'd be coming into the Terminal Market, but the rumor of 'more than one' retailer was mentioned to me.

On a similar note -- since you mentioned Target -- in today's NY TIMES there is a story about a Queens developer who had aquired the air-rights above a former Municipal Parking lot near Brooklyn College at the Flatbush-Nostrand Ave. junction in Brooklyn. This lot is adjacent to the Bay Ridge Branch and the article mentions that the developer plans to use the air rights above the tracks as well. Target was mentioned as the 'anchor' for this project. I too am tired of these cheap-jack chains over-developing all over the place in the city as well as on LI. If this goes through that'll make three Targets in Brooklyn (One at the new Gatway Mall, another recently opened above the LIRR at Atlantic Terminal two months ago and now this one planned for 'The Junction'). If this is all our economy can produce for the work force then we've become a pitiful nation indeed.


*The first curve is near Linden Blvd. and Avenue D on the ENY-Canarsie border.

Joe, as far as the ROW at Glenwood Masonry is concerned: Albany Avenue meets up with Avenue H at the point where the Bay Ridge ROW makes it's second pronounced curve in the route*, after the exist from the ENY Tunnel. The line curves due west to run along Avenue I for a good stretch of mid-Brooklyn.

The two yard tracks at Brooklyn Terminal Market are accessible from the westbound track of the Bay Ridge ROW (requiring a reverse move). The tracks end at street grade in a separate yard in the market itself. There is a UP reefer there almost 24/7 on premises (I may have some photos to post in the near future).

Sir Ray, I'm not sure about exactly WHO'd be coming into the Terminal Market, but the rumor of 'more than one' retailer was mentioned to me.

On a similar note -- since you mentioned Target -- in today's NY TIMES there is a story about a Queens developer who had aquired the air-rights above a former Municipal Parking lot near Brooklyn College at the Flatbush-Nostrand Ave. junction in Brooklyn. This lot is adjacent to the Bay Ridge Branch and the article mentions that the developer plans to use the air rights above the tracks as well. Target was mentioned as the 'anchor' for this project. I too am tired of these cheap-jack chains over-developing all over the place in the city as well as on LI. If this goes through that'll make three Targets in Brooklyn (One at the new Gatway Mall, another recently opened above the LIRR at Atlantic Terminal two months ago and now this one planned for 'The Junction'). If this is all our economy can produce for the work force then we've become a pitiful nation indeed.


*The first curve is near Linden Blvd. and Avenue D on the ENY-Canarsie border.

Well, now I feel foolish for having posted the same message twice (I got a message that it hadn't gone through the first time).

Joe, I forgot to mention that the Glenwood Masonry location is significant because it is the last constomer on the line (westbound) before the line becomes submerged in the cut that continues the rest of the way to the 65th Street floats.

Just to add to what BMT said. Glenwood Mason is a trailing point switch if you are heading west towards Bay Ridge, it is located about 150' east of the Ave H/Albany Ave overpass. The customer has a platform that fits two boxcars, and the lead to the platform from the main can fit about 8 boxcars.

Brooklyn Terminal Market, is a facing point switch heading west. It is located just east of Remsen Ave. When you get on the lead, you go over Remsen Ave and then down a very steep hill to street level. At the base of the hill is a facing point switch, to a spur track, about 4 car lengths long that is used to switch out the empties and loads. As you continue east, you go over two trailing point switches that were for Key Food when they used to get rail service. At the end of the lead, (distance from bottom of the hill to the end of track is about 20 car lengths), next to a parking lot is where the cars are left for the various BTM customers. You can fit about 4 cars on spot here.

Hope this helps.
Jason

Guys. Thanks for the help. Eventually I'll piece this all together. For now, I just came home today with my new daughter! Talk to you all later

Joe

Congratulations, Joe! A cigar awaits you.