Metuchen Yard Operations and Vicinity

Would anyone happen to know what this new facility is along the NEC in New Brunswick? It is right next to the large customer that receives many covered hoppers. Looks like they already installed two tracks and are planning on installing a diamond to accommodate the new spurs.

Link to the site: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.470542, ... a=!3m1!1e3

It appears to be the Transfer Station for municipal garbage.

That is Solterra Recycling. They typically deal with high top gondolas full of whatever waste they deal with. Not sure how many cars they typically get.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 2:06 pm Update:

ME-2 is on the General Tire siding. Derail is completely jammed and they lock or unlock it. They have notified Amtrak and are asking for a maintenance truck to fix the derail.

I thought they got rid of the piperun and derail. No split point derail?

@OportRailfan Gonna be honest with you I have no idea how that track is set up. I was listening to a radio broadcast that had several frequencies audible whilst listening for another train. I overheard all that on the scanner and posted it for anyone who may have been interested.

While I’m here I may as well post this for anyone curious.

It’s my understanding that some area railfans have at one point or another have expressed interest in catching OI-32, the transfer run to Metuchen Yard. However information on the train seems to be very scarce.

I’ve recently found out that the train runs as OI-32 Monday through Friday, running as JR-08 on weekends. The train typically shows up at a random point during the night as sometimes Conrail has trouble putting their train together. (Oak Island is very congested) Amtrak also doesn’t always let the train on the NEC at the same time either. Due to this, the train typically shows up at Metuchen Station anywhere between 10 PM and 3 AM. I do not know when it goes back.

A huge thanks to YouTuber zdoryan95 to providing this information!

Anywhere from 3-6AM they come back west from Lane to Lincoln, pull west to clear the switch on the "O" track, clear up on the west leg of the wye, shove back into Conrail's Metuchen yard by Whitman Ave., repeat.

...or at least that's how they used to do it when I was around.

Another (or same) crew usually crosses Route 1 and Woodbridge Avenue into Raritan Center after 7AM

(I would get stuck on Woodbridge Ave, while trying to get my coffee at Wawa)

@OPortRailfan Not sure if they do that now. Raritan Central has taken over all operations out of Metuchen Yard with the exception of Conrails Northeast Corridor local ME-2. OI-32 has replaced ME-47. Not sure if ME-84s symbol got abolished.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 02, 2021 11:41 am @OPortRailfan Not sure if they do that now. Raritan Central has taken over all operations out of Metuchen Yard with the exception of Conrails Northeast Corridor local ME-2. OI-32 has replaced ME-47. Not sure if ME-84s symbol got abolished.

Not all. Conrail still serves Super Stud on the other side of Route 1.

Heard ME-2 with 76 axles (Dragging equipment near axle 24) go through a detector on Amtrak yesterday.

Conrail ME-2 working Solterra Recycling in Jersey Ave at 2:46 PM

Does Raritan Central have any sort of schedule? Like do they always run on a certain day? And if so, at what times??

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 11:12 am Heard ME-2 with 76 axles (Dragging equipment near axle 24) go through a detector on Amtrak yesterday.

Glad to see Edison HBD/DED functioning as intended.

Would anyone happen to know if Raritan Central plans on running their Christmas train this year? And if so, on what day?