CJPat wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 6:50 am
One thing that confuses me when I read comments about NJT not wanting certain type cars on the Coast line is that if the the FIT-Southern connection gets replaced/repaired, that only means cars will go to Browns yard rather than Red Bank for interchange. Any cars in Browns yard are not going in/out thru Monthmouth Junction onto the Northeast Corridor. They are still going back out to the Coastline to get over the Raritan even if they head up the Chemical Coast.
On NJT coastline is still on the NJT Coastline. Kind of hard to say policy prohibits scrap gondolas, or anthing else, on the NJT Coastline if they are still using NJT rails across the Raritan from Parlin.
What am I missing?
I believe NJT south of South Amboy is pretty unfriendly to freight. Not sure why, but as @Bracdude101 said there are a few bridges on the Coastline that cannot handle anything above 263,000-pound cars. The desired weight for most railroad-utilizing businesses is 286,000 pounds. The Raritan River bridge, I believe, can handle 286K cars, and it is being replaced with a bridge that could handle heavier and won't have a height restriction to it.
In addition, the Coastline has tons of issues with scheduling and whatnot as is, I can see why NJT would want to limit the trackage they have to share with freight companies to a very limited amount. Having the freight trains only have to traverse over 2 or so miles of track instead of however long South Amboy-Red Bank would be pretty good for all parties involved.
Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 7:07 am
Scrap gondolas frequently travel the 1.8 miles from WOOD to ESSAY on the Coast Line, yet aren’t allowed past South Amboy. Apparently it’s something to do with the bridges not being able to take the weight? That’s what I’m told.
Yes, according to this document on page 2 (
https://www.njtpa.org/NJTPA/media/Docum ... f?ext=.pdf), there are three bridges on the Coastline south of South Amboy that have a weight restriction
Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 7:07 am
I have, however, also heard Brick Recycling may have gotten in trouble for loading their cars over the 263,000 limit imposed by NJT, hence them not being allowed to get cars anymore.
Ah, that would make sense. Hopefully after FIT-SOUS is reconnected they get a nice amount of cars.
R&DB wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 10:03 am
Besides Stavola's Tinton Falls plant they have another plant on Yellowbrook Road on the FIT. Also directly across the street is L&L Paving company asphalt plant. Three posslble sand customers.
EDIT: Don't forget asphalt has three basic components, sand, stone and bitumen (tar). All must be delivered to the plant to make the paving matterial.
Ah, good points. Not to mention maybe they could ship asphalt/concrete/whatever finished products they make by rail too, if that's possible. Not sure why Stavola in Tinton Falls never got rail service, since the tracks literally go through their property, probably because CR wouldn't service them enough to justify it.
CharlieL wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 12:05 pm
OK, Howell tax sheet 8.16 shows that section of track owned by NJT. L&L may sue whoever sold them the land but they don't appear to have a prayer of stopping the RR.
L&L should try to make lemonade with the lemons they were given, and get rail service. Maybe they can sue the seller for the cash to build the siding, lol
They won't be able to stop the railroad, but they could be able to throw a big, expensive tantrum that can delay the repairs. Not sure what the point of that is if they won't be able to stop it period.
