CMSL Canal Bridge fixed

Talking to a new member down here at the campground last night who works for NJT and he said the bridge is working at the canal and trains should be running soon. Finally will get to take the kids on it again since we rode Thomas two summers ago. Roger D.

I just got back from a weeks vacation at Ocean City, NJ today and on Friday morning my uncle and I decided to take a ride into Tuckahoe Station to look around. We met up with some guys who were working on a P-70 coach /restoration work. To my surprise, the car they were working on happened to be used alot on Wildwood Expresses! And one of the workers told us that the bridge is repaired which is good news. The problem is is that down towards Cape May City there is alot of weeds growing around the tracks and the tracks are barely visiable. Hopfully they will restart service to Cape May because that is were the business is.

PRSLFAN wrote:I just got back from a weeks vacation at Ocean City, NJ today and on Friday morning my uncle and I decided to take a ride into Tuckahoe Station to look around. We met up with some guys who were working on a P-70 coach /restoration work. To my surprise, the car they were working on happened to be used alot on Wildwood Expresses! And one of the workers told us that the bridge is repaired which is good news. The problem is is that down towards Cape May City there is alot of weeds growing around the tracks and the tracks are barely visiable. Hopfully they will restart service to Cape May because that is were the business is.

Hallelujah! When the tracks are cleared of weeds and debris, and regular service starts up again and hopefully becomes stable and profitable, the other branch on the Cape May side of the bridge to get open again is the Cape May Point Branch (where the magnesite plant was). A lot of the automobile traffic that goes out to the point every evening to see the sunset needs to be eliminated.

Why don't the Cape May trains run to Tuckahoe? It would be nice to ride the line from Richland to Cape May.

Because the tracks from Cape May Court House to Tuckahoe have yet top be rehabed. The way I understand it is that their intention has always been to run from Cape May to Tuckahoe but that trck between Court House and Tuckahoe has been what has kept them from doing so.

What's the word on trains to Cape May City? I will be at the shore the first week in August and would love to ride into the city.

Gentlemen - spoke to a CMSL employee yesterday - yes canal bridge is fixed - a couple places tracks are washed out do to storm in April. Trains will NOT run to Cape May this year !!!! Shame !!!

mb38 wrote:Gentlemen - spoke to a CMSL employee yesterday - yes canal bridge is fixed - a couple places tracks are washed out do to storm in April. Trains will NOT run to Cape May this year !!!! Shame !!!

Does anyone know how extensive the damage is in each location?

I spoke to an employee at Richland yesterday who said no trains to Cape May this year due to track wash outs. I asked about the line from Tuckahoe to CMCH and was told the line was ready from Tuckahoe to Woodbine Jct but the section from Woodbine Jct to CMCH was still waiting for rehab.

hutton_switch wrote:

mb38 wrote:Gentlemen - spoke to a CMSL employee yesterday - yes canal bridge is fixed - a couple places tracks are washed out do to storm in April. Trains will NOT run to Cape May this year !!!! Shame !!!

Does anyone know how extensive the damage is in each location?

I haven't personally seen any of them, but they've got to be pretty bad...I do know that along that segment, ties are nearly non-existant, so any type of washout would result in rails only, suspended. They're usually kinda stuck in the dirt and mud, but when that washes away, they're up in the air...

The storm they're referring to is the same nor'easter which resulted in portions of the NS Lehigh Line in the area of Bound Brook, NJ being under water. The damage we saw here for the most part was minimal.

Mike DiMunno

If there are those who wonder why discussions about the CMSL can be bring out cynicism among some, then this should be a prime example. Last May there was an extended discussion about the prospects for Cape May service. Statements were attributed to the CMSL that suggested that once the bridge was fixed, service will start:

...Yes, a CMSL spokesperson was present. Yes, he said exactly what one would expect him to say. He fervently hopes that the bridge will be repaired and that train service between Cape May Court House and Cape May City can resume soon.

That was at a NJ-ARP lunch hosted by the CMSL on May 20. Now, the bridge is fixed, so service will start soon? Well, not exactly. Seems the Nor'easter of April 15 washed out the tracks near Dennisville. Lets see. The tracks were washed out in mid April. CMSL says nothing about it (publicly) on May 20. Now, the bridge is fixed, and, oops: the tracks are washed out: and have been for three months.

It is frustrating for those of us who would like to support the CMSL to be so isolated from the facts. The CMSL web site even has a "President's Page" where the initial posting promised discussions of CMSL operations and "even a few surprises". That initial posting several months ago is the only one that has been posted. The only surprise so far has been the lack of any updates at all. What a perfect place to discuss the future of the Cape May service and CMSL's future plans. What a perfect waste of an opportunity to generate support for what has to be done to get the trains running to Cape May again.

It seems CMSL disseminates information on a "need to know" basis. Other than a small clique of insiders, they apparently believe that no one needs to know. Too bad, because maybe some of us who are not members of the CMSL insiders club could help. But instead, we know nothing and can do nothing. It is hard to come away with any conclusion other than that is the way the CMSL wants it.

So, please, don't blame us when stuff like this happens and the cynicism oozes out.

agreed prr60. dont be suprised if this gets deleted or the topic is locked.

I am very eager to see the CMSL service resume as soon as possible. Its a shame they cant do more to get the track up to operation. They lease the line from NJDOT correct? It is NJDOT's responsibility to maintain the ROW as such, right? I have said on other topics that the NJDOT doesn;t seem to take the CMSL seriously, I think a effort needs to be made to change that.

Sounds like more BS from the CMSL. Wonder what the excuse will be for no trains to Cape May next year will be?

This topic won't be deleted or locked, as long as we can all continue to act like adults here and have a normal, intelligent conversation...

I don't know what's on the mind of the CMSL...and while I'd very much love to see service to Cape May City resume, I'm happy with any service whatsoever on this formerly dormant line...this includes the current operation out of Tuckahoe. I'd also like to remind everyone here that CMSL doesn't HAVE to run trains at all...if there's some reason that they can't, they do have a right to simply not run them...simple as that. And I see no reason why they wouldn't WANT to run trains over that track, so there must be some reason why they can't. The most likely cause is that there is no equipment there...

And they don't really have to explain anything at all to us...we're not shareholders, or the federal government, or NJDOT...we're some railroad enthusiasts.

Mike DiMunno