CR on the Southern Secondary

Eastbound through Shrewsbury at 0600; they may park at Patterson Ave this morning.

David wrote:Let's get some pictures--Please.

Would have loved to get out and snap a few pictures. But there is somethings inherently wrong with a 60 year old man getting out of his car and taken pictures of 23 NJDOT workers leaning on shovels and 1 guy using a cutting torch! I have much better sense than that. I was going through the area at that time. I would have loved to go after hours but couldn't.
steve

Chris noted:

Eastbound through Shrewsbury at 0600; they may park at Patterson Ave this morning.

Why not just hold until after the Coast LIne rush at Red Bank slows at 8:40? Should have plenty of time to make it back to Browns before they outlaw. That of course depends upon when they got called in last night.

SA-03 ready east at BANK
Permission to open Church 3:00 PM
Lined and locked normal 3:11 PM

Took couple of pictures looks like the siding will be corrected not to go through the MOM parking lot. The track before this work ended just prior to the curb.

looking towards rt 70

Great!!!! Keep those pictures coming!

Please remember that the siding track on the North side of Union Ave had to curve around a steam era water plug. When the plug was removed the tracks were never realigned. Decades passed Conrail removed a good portion of the siding track on their end and left a single track over their bridge. Then the parking lot was built where the old passing siding was, but since the water plug was removed it looks like there is enough room to put the siding back in and reconnect it with the main.

So I'm thinkin' the gas tax was raised 23c per gallon, and the state constitution was amended to dedicate those tax revenues to "NJ transportation". Now there is work being done in Lakehurst by NJ transit, upgrading / replacing the crossing at Brown road.

Possible the MOM will proceed (leaving out Middlesex) with stops at Lakehurst, Lakewood, and Farmingdale / Howell?

I know a lot of additional work will be required upgrading track, but I can hope!

Took a ride thru Lakehurst yesteday. Didn't have time for pics. Will try later this week.

CharlieL wrote:So I'm thinkin' the gas tax was raised 23c per gallon, and the state constitution was amended to dedicate those tax revenues to "NJ transportation". Now there is work being done in Lakehurst by NJ transit, upgrading / replacing the crossing at Brown road.

Possible the MOM will proceed (leaving out Middlesex) with stops at Lakehurst, Lakewood, and Farmingdale / Howell?

I know a lot of additional work will be required upgrading track, but I can hope!

Took a ride thru Lakehurst yesteday. Didn't have time for pics. Will try later this week.

Monies raised by the gas tax goes to the Transportation Trust Fund. Some of that trust fund money goes to the New Jersey State Rail Freight Assistance Program. I do not believe this project fell under that program. This project seems to be funded by NJDOT ( NOT NJ Transit, there is a difference). The MOM project is not on anyones radar right now.

SA-31
Permission to open Church 3:28 PM

CSX 4432 shf + 11 Woodhavens, approaching Maxwell Rd in Eatontown at 4:40 in the pm.....

A while ago someone posted a rumor on this forum that NJ Transit wants to eventually restore the rest of the line and start a service that is similar to the Blue Comet. I believe this is false because the remainder of the line to Winslow Junction and beyond goes through vast pine forests, and cutting down all the trees on and around the ROW would require considerable environmental destruction in a few parts. Plus, I'm not sure if there really is a demand for direct New York to Atlantic City service as of now, considering that the previous AC express train is now defunct. It will be great for those along the Atlantic City Line east of Winslow Junction and the former CNJ line, but that may not be enough to support such a long train ride. NJ Transit could theoretically restore a little more of the CNJ line beyond Winslow and repair the Cape May bridge and vandalized track to run some sort of a Cape May express service, but even that might not be sufficient. Travel times from New York to AC or CM would likely be abysmal too. I'll be surprised if even the MOM plans get working.

Hamilton Road 5:07 PM

MaRoFu » Thu Mar 29, 2018 5:06 pm

I just heard the same rumor from another railfan trackside about an hour ago and I was told it is the Governor who is pushing this idea. I hope the NJ Transit leadership can talk him out of it. The track from Red Bank to lakehurst is either FRA Exempted or Class 1. From Woodmansie to Winslow is a mess. Trees 8" in diameter, all ties rotted, pieces of rail missing in places and no more Chatsworth or Winslow Junction Stations. They would have to build it to Class 4 and price it real low to make it competitive for time and price with the GS Parkway. Not going to happen.