Empty Gons on Lodi Branch

Been awhile since I posted on here...on the way home from work the other night I noticed a string (30+?) empty gons parked on the southern end of the lodi branch nearest the DMV in Lodi. It's been awhile since I've seen any activity on this line soon after the rehab they did to the south end of the branch....I assume theyr'e just storing these empty cars there temporarily?

Regards....

that is very interesting. I haven't seen anything in probably a year or so. Had wondered if they would ever use it again for car repairs like they had started.

Someone once told me that he was driving north on 17 when a train was trying to get across the highway, but cars were going around the train.
I would sure hate to be the crew that had to work that branch.
Honestly, I'm kind of shocked that route 17 still has an active rail crossing. Given, there aren't many trains crossing, but even one a week seems to be too many.
Building a bridge would have been a good idea, but I would think that would have had to be completed during construction of the new Essex st overpass.

Speaking of branch lines, what about the one that goes both north and south of the mainline north of Wayne, near Bloomingdale, just before the main crosses I-287.
It looks as though the northern end goes only to about a mile or so, but the south end goes several miles.
The NS branch crosses the main on a diamond, with the connecting track on the west (closest I-287) side.
From the NASA/Google Earth maps, the rail looks to be in pretty decent shape, at least at the diamond.

FW

I witnessed a NYSW ballast train crossing rt 17 back in 2006 when they rebuilt the tracks. It was pretty interesting to saw the least. Northbound cars would not stop, southbound came to a stop once the lights were activated. I was hoping that while they were rebuilding essex street they would rehab both crossings so its a smooth ride at speed. But they just cleaned up the old asphalt with new stuff.

as for the other topic, i believe that is the nysw pompton industrial.

When I used to live on Essex Street, I had just missed the train going by. It would have been a great sight.

I think the problem with rebuilding anything with the line is that it is the NYS&W's responsibility to maintain these crossings, so for the little traffic they see, it wouldn't make much sense.

Two yard crews made the move last week, with engines on both ends. They took 64 cars from Little Ferry, where they had been stored on what is referred to as the "new main"(which parallels the exsisting main the length of the CSX Intermodal yard in Little Ferry). The cars were relocated as the railroad needed the space in Little ferry. A Signal maintainer had to be called out to assist in activation of the signals at Essex Street, although the Route 17 signals worked as intended. The crew had the highway blocked for what i beleieve was close to 30 minutes while they gently shoved the cars down the branch, spotted them and then secured them as required. Sure would have liked to have seen that move!!!

was it at night or during the day?

It was mid day. I believe it all took place between 11 AM and 2 PM, from departure from Little Ferry, until the crews returned back to the yard. I was out of state at the time and was unable to catch the move, but was tipped off by an internal source. Being 500 miles away at a union convention didnt help...LOL

I cannot imaging blocking SR17 for 30 minutes! You would have people out there with shotguns (if this were another state<g>).

FW

fw2008 wrote:I cannot imaging blocking SR17 for 30 minutes! You would have people out there with shotguns (if this were another state<g>).

FW

30 minutes? Well the day i cought them crossing i waited and waited for them to inch there way down the line. I honestly think it took atleast 15 minutes just to cross 17 since the tracks are so bad between liquidators and home depot. Luckily though they were able to clear the tracks when they split the ballast hoppers up.

Engines on both ends? Looked like the 2nd cut of cars were even fowling the switch just east of 17, is there a loco left on the east end of the spur now?

There is another string of gons on the east end of essex street probably 100 feet from the crossing.

yes I've seen a string of empty cars there, just a few, maybe 6-8 cars? Always wondered about them.

Are they abandoned or just in storage?

they store them there i think when they get a bunch of extra's for that superfund site. If they can't fit them there on those 2 tracks i think they just bring them to the lodi branch.

I actually ended up driving down that street. Both tracks are empty.

So if they store cars there and need an engine to run and pick them up as needed, does that mean lodi branch is still active?