This has always intreged me, and being that the forum is moving slow, it might be a good time to spark some discussion....
What are the major factors for the incredible decline of local freight service in NJ since roughly the 1970's?
I think its a chicken or egg kind of thing....
Was it the "restructuring" of lines for increased passenger operations, espeically NJT owned lines (i.e. the Coast Line), and Amtrak lines (NEC)??
Following the same idea, was it the increased passenger train schedules, and narrowing windows and flexibility for freight operations?
Increased costs for the use of the lines for freight service (to basically discourage freight ops)?
A reluctance of Conrail to focus on local freight service, and a turning of its back on the few cars a week shippers and instead focusing on unit trains, intramodal, and other like operations....
Cheaper and more flexible truck operations and operators, compared to the bullish "my way or the highway" (pun intended) mentality of Conrail, and railroads in general.
Of course, the move of factories and industries out of the region and away from active raillines has to be considered as well, but i don't think it is as much a factor as people think. There are still LOTS of industries that are lineside to raillines which had service at one time or another, which still operate and ship via truck.
For example, look at the two HUGE warehouse/transfer facilities built in the Perth Amboy/Woodbridge area on the Coast Line, right near the switch for "Cutters", and right on the Coast Line. What do these places do, who are they for, and was rail access even an option for their building there??
Will there be a resurgence in local freight operations on today's "passenger rail corridors"? With NJT (and Amtrak too) in such budget dire straights, I think it should be their responsibilty to drum up whatever revenue they can, and that should be a partnership with freight operators, whomever they may be for that particular line, to try to get more customers and carloads moved on the lines, equaling more revenue.....
Thoughts??????????
What are the major factors for the incredible decline of local freight service in NJ since roughly the 1970's?
I think its a chicken or egg kind of thing....
Was it the "restructuring" of lines for increased passenger operations, espeically NJT owned lines (i.e. the Coast Line), and Amtrak lines (NEC)??
Following the same idea, was it the increased passenger train schedules, and narrowing windows and flexibility for freight operations?
Increased costs for the use of the lines for freight service (to basically discourage freight ops)?
A reluctance of Conrail to focus on local freight service, and a turning of its back on the few cars a week shippers and instead focusing on unit trains, intramodal, and other like operations....
Cheaper and more flexible truck operations and operators, compared to the bullish "my way or the highway" (pun intended) mentality of Conrail, and railroads in general.
Of course, the move of factories and industries out of the region and away from active raillines has to be considered as well, but i don't think it is as much a factor as people think. There are still LOTS of industries that are lineside to raillines which had service at one time or another, which still operate and ship via truck.
For example, look at the two HUGE warehouse/transfer facilities built in the Perth Amboy/Woodbridge area on the Coast Line, right near the switch for "Cutters", and right on the Coast Line. What do these places do, who are they for, and was rail access even an option for their building there??
Will there be a resurgence in local freight operations on today's "passenger rail corridors"? With NJT (and Amtrak too) in such budget dire straights, I think it should be their responsibilty to drum up whatever revenue they can, and that should be a partnership with freight operators, whomever they may be for that particular line, to try to get more customers and carloads moved on the lines, equaling more revenue.....
Thoughts??????????
On the RR, "believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see"
John, aka "JTGSHU" passed away on August 26, 2013. We honor his memory and his devotion to railroading at railroad.net.
John, aka "JTGSHU" passed away on August 26, 2013. We honor his memory and his devotion to railroading at railroad.net.