Lackawanna cutoff

Conrail destroyed the progress when the track was quietly ripped up

The Cut-off was in trouble long before Conrail took over. Declining anthracite traffic caused a major decline in traffic. The subsequent E-L merger with the sale of the 3 mile stretch of the Booton Line in Totowa/Paterson and removal of through freight traffic in Montclair all but doomed this artery as a rail freight corridor. With no passenger service I can see-but still lament-Conrail's removal of rail on the Cut-Off.

Did anyone notice today in the NJ Herald the article on page A5 under the Cutoff article? I found it interesting how they put an article under the headlines of "Freight train collison releases toxic fumes, three dead" right under the Cutoff article.

trainfreak wrote:Did anyone notice today in the NJ Herald the article on page A5 under the Cutoff article? I found it interesting how they put an article under the headlines of "Freight train collison releases toxic fumes, three dead" right under the Cutoff article.

Are you referring to Sunday's Herald dated 6/27? I'm looking at the paper now and all I see is a advertisement for Lakeland Bank.

The next page has a small article on the person that was killed by a NJT train.

Greg wrote:The subsequent E-L merger with the sale of the 3 mile stretch of the Booton Line in Totowa/Paterson and removal of through freight traffic in Montclair all but doomed this artery as a rail freight corridor

Not doomed altogether. Remember that Conrail abandoned the DL&W from Port Morris all the way to Scranton; the D-L did not jump in overnight.

I agree Irish, but it will most likely never be a through freight route again as it's eastern connection with the port area was severed in the 70's. Local freight is a distinct possibility but with no on-line industry I don't see much use for the Cut-Off other than passenger service (which is still better than no service).

NJ Transit’s proposed passenger rail service project sparked enough interest to draw residents to an open house meeting on Tuesday.
Trains for the Lackawanna Cut-Off will run about 500 feet from the end of Jeffrey Nowling’s property on a cul-de-sac in Byram.
He wonders about emergency access to the neighborhood if a train crash occurs. “There’s one way in and one way out. It would be hard for the firemen to get through,” said Nowling after he left the five-hour informational session.
About 15 residents at a time walked through the large dining room at Adam Todd Banquet Caterers on Route 206.
Charts displayed factual information about the proposed rail line, estimated to cost $350 million. Once completed, it will cost about $22 million annually to operate and maintain the rail service.
NJ Transit is studying whether to restore passenger rail service from Scranton, Pa., to Hoboken. The trains could run as often as every 45 minutes.
The project would require rebuilding the dismantled Lackawanna Cutoff, a 28-mile former rail corridor in New Jersey.
Peggie Phillips, who lives in the Greendell section of Green said she recognizes the project could go through but she’s worried about safety and noise if a gate crossing is close to her property.
No information was available Tuesday as to when construction will begin on the rail project.
NJ Transit is studying an environmental assessment as part of a multi-phased development process.
If completed, 2,800 passengers could ride the train eastbound each day by 2025. This breaks down to 2,700 people boarding the train at the Pennsylvania stations. In New Jersey, 100 people will board the train each day.
With these figures, NJ Transit estimates that 800 less vehicles will travel on the roads.

The project proposes eight train stations. In Sussex County, the stations will be in Blairstown, along Route 521 and in Andover Township, along Roseville Road.
From Andover, it could take a commuter about one hour and 20 minutes to ride to Hoboken.

Each station will provide parking facilities for the commuters.
The entire trip from Scranton to Hoboken could take about three hours.
Byram resident Raymond Bonker, who lives nearby the dismantled Lackawanna Cut-Off wonders if the construction costs are worth it since the rail service would only remove 800 vehicles from the roadway.
“Spending that much money but only a few people will benefit,” said Bonker. “That’s not a good usage of government funds. Will the project contribute enough to justify the cost?”

John McDonough, of Andover Township also lives near the proposed railroad. As a member of the Forest Lakes Water Co., he is concerned about the proximity of the Andover station to their nearby water source. “I’m looking forward to starting dialogue with NJ Transit and I appreciate the opportunity. We want this to be an inclusive process.”
Another meeting will be held Thursday at the Hilton Scranton Hotel and Conference Center on Adams Avenue in Scranton, Pa., from 3-8 p.m.
NJ Transit aims to have the preliminary planning and environmental assessments completed by this fall.

The Federal Transit Administration will rate the project — as either highly recommended, recommended or not recommended — to determine if the project will move forward.
For further information, contact Wendy Kuser Molner, regional manger for NJ Transit, in Newark at 973-491-8073 or e-mail at [email protected]

http://www.njherald.com/news/newspro/vi ... 1257,57950,

railtrailbiker wrote:If completed, 2,800 passengers could ride the train eastbound each day by 2025.

2025 eh? 20 years to lay the track and signal work on a ROW that exists?? Wow..

james1787 wrote:

railtrailbiker wrote:If completed, 2,800 passengers could ride the train eastbound each day by 2025.

2025 eh? 20 years to lay the track and signal work on a ROW that exists?? Wow..

2025. I'll be 39 then. That is a scary thought!! I hope things move a LOT quicker than that.

james / nick -

I think you misread/misunderstood that. Believe it means ridership could be at that level BY 2025....assuming the Cut-Off reopens in 2010.

Even so, that's not a whole lotta patrons in exchange for $350 million to build and $22 million to operate annually.

And unfortunately I have to agree with the local resident....800 vehicles being removed from I-80 is a drop in the bucket daily.

Not an impressive sell job here thus far....disappointing.

I'm hoping it will be ready by 2011, which is the Cutoff's 100th Anniversary!! I guess they have to get to Phase 7 or 8 in the next 3 years for that to happen! They will only be up to phase 3 by the end of the summer.....

I still laugh when I think of reading in '94 that the whole route would be running by 1997. That's from a railpace, mentioning money from PA governor (now deceased) Casey, and the Clinton admin.

How, how ,HOW can rebuilding the cutoff cost 350 million? I thought a good scale was 1 million/mile. That's for a good freight line. Passenger is faster, but lower tonnage. I guess that's counting the cost of stations and crossings. Still, HOW???

Mike

Here's a good rule of thumb--the River Line. 34 miles of rebuilt track, 20 new stations, new vehicles and maintenance yard cost $800 million. $350 million for at least 26 miles of new track and structures (probably more), 8 heavy rail stations and a new maintenance yard seems too low to me.

That's 350 mil for getting the entire line up and running for pax. Port Morris to Scranton. Plus the stations and everything else. It's not 350 mil for the cut off alone.

Over on the EL list there are guy's who were at the meeting and said there were locals screaming and generally making asses of themselves. Did anyone else see this? I was there about 7 pm or so and all was quiet.

Tri-State Tom wrote:And unfortunately I have to agree with the local resident....800 vehicles being removed from I-80 is a drop in the bucket daily.

Not an impressive sell job here thus far....disappointing.

I agree but it still is a step in the right direction. Hopefully,more companies will allow their employers to telecommute or work virtual office. Th cut-off coupled with VO *could* really make a difference.

Scrap The U34CH wrote:That's 350 mil for getting the entire line up and running for pax. Port Morris to Scranton. Plus the stations and everything else. It's not 350 mil for the cut off alone.

Over on the EL list there are guy's who were at the meeting and said there were locals screaming and generally making asses of themselves. Did anyone else see this? I was there about 7 pm or so and all was quiet.

If you referring to the meeting that took place in Byram, the answer would be no. I was there from 6:30 - 7:30 and everyone there was pleasant.