Harrison, NJ

I believe GEO Specialty Chemicals is the customer served at Harrison on the Passaic River off the M&E. I was talking to a resident of Harrison about all the residential development going in on former heavy industrial areas there. He mentioned he lives a block away from the chemical company and that it too is going to be developed into housing. According to this unnamed source the property will be capped to contain decades of pollutants. Has anyone heard of this and if so do you have any details? Is this the only Morristown and Erie customer down there? I always thought it was strange that the M&E came all the way from Morristown to service this lone industry when the South Kearny yards are only a short distance away.

Found the attached article after posting the subject message. Not directly on topic, but interesting nonetheless.
http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns-sch ... -harrison/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We have no customers in Harrison. We solely interchange with CSX (CR) there.

Okay, that explains it...thanks.

Rudy, I would love to see M&E subcontract to operate and market the RV line in particular. There are so many businesses still operating and for whatever reason not getting rail service. I suspect some attention from dedicated railroaders not focused on landing the next large intermodal account is what is needed, but who knows? Moreover, M&E is the only short line I know that can coordinate traffic with NJ Transit.

Hey, if you have suggestions for the right people to talk to, we're all ears.

Are you allowed to serve customers on the Boonton line, or is that NS territory?

rr503 wrote:Are you allowed to serve customers on the Boonton line, or is that NS territory?

NS territory. We can't serve any customers that are directly located on NJT lines - only on our own branch lines that spur off of NJT.

Rudy, I have no silver bullets per se, but I would start with your NS contacts by presenting them with a cost-saving and service-enhancing solution, for any NJ Transit territory, not just contiguous lines. They may be thinking of you only in terms of the Washington Secondary. It might be easier for NS complying with their labor agreements if you are a union shop, though I am not sure that still holds true.

In reality there is probably on one person to speak with, and it would probably call for a longer-term charm offensive supported by a good operating and financial record from your subcontracting operations.

Wish I could help, I'm stuck in financial markets even though I'd rather be a railroader.

- Chris