MOM Rail Service

In regards to the Freehold Township branch off the Coast line at Red Bank, does this mean in order to get to Freehold Township, it would have to travel down the Coast Line to Red Bank, then branch off at Farmingdale to get to Freehold Township.

braves wrote:In regards to the Freehold Township branch off the Coast line at Red Bank, does this mean in order to get to Freehold Township, it would have to travel down the Coast Line to Red Bank, then branch off at Farmingdale to get to Freehold Township.

Yes. The Freehold Branch(CNJ)(Matawan alignment) now the Henry Hudson Trail seems to be a non option not to mention that if it was built that would be MOM so coming up through Farmingdale is the plan. This is foolish extend to Downtown Freehold at least. IMHO this is dumb anyway just build the Monmouth Junction route if thats the case or bring back the Freehold Branch alternative.

RWERN wrote:That data is a tad out of date considering the fact they rehashed everything. By the numbers in their little table, the Red Bank route does seem best; however, given the revision with the Freehold branch and the near-saturation of the NJCL, either the travel time or the service level would have to suffer.

The NJCL, without an additional track, could not support the desired MOM service level, even with newer high capacity signals. The MOM trains would have to take slots from future (ARC time frame) NJCL trains.

jb9152 wrote:The NJCL, without an additional track, could not support the desired MOM service level, even with newer high capacity signals. The MOM trains would have to take slots from future (ARC time frame) NJCL trains.

That's why I think a DMU service with a cross platform connection would be ideal for MOM. I could picture something like this rolling through Jamesburg, Freehold, and Lakewood.

jb9152 wrote:

RWERN wrote:That data is a tad out of date considering the fact they rehashed everything. By the numbers in their little table, the Red Bank route does seem best; however, given the revision with the Freehold branch and the near-saturation of the NJCL, either the travel time or the service level would have to suffer.

The NJCL, without an additional track, could not support the desired MOM service level, even with newer high capacity signals. The MOM trains would have to take slots from future (ARC time frame) NJCL trains.

I had a feeling..........

So are we going to be thinking about transfers in Red Bank possibly then?

It could be done, there is plenty of room in teh station area to make the current platforms "island" platforms and build tracks on the outside of them. A train of about 6 cars would fit no problem inbetween Monmouth and Chestnut Sts, and wouldn't cause the gates to stay down and block traffic.

I seriously think that the Coast Line needs to be "double tracked with passing sidings" in some areas. It can't be triple tracked but there are plenty of streches were they could add a "passing siding" where express trains could overtake locals (say eastbound) while keeping the other track for westbounds. Alternate which side the "siding" track is on so its a litlte balanced.

Build both Monmouth Jct and Red Bank with transfers there, so MOM can't be a direct one seat ride. Saved millions of dollars there. Make it single track with passing sidings - some more millions - use refrubished Comet 1s and the locos out on lease to Montreal, make a dedicated "MOM fleet", and bam, another hundred million or so in equipment costs saved. Take some of that money saved to build a proper station in Red Bank (should really be WEST of Chestnut street if MOM is going to be built)

OR better yet, rehash that plan to electrify part of the MOM line (where the power poles are over the tracks) and build a MUCH needed larger yard for electric trains, and reduce Long Branch yard and move it to Eatontown or Tinton Falls. Have a proper transfer station there for the diesel serivce west of that location and make Red Bank the connection for the Bay Head Shuttles. Some electric trains would still run to LB and be stored there, but most come off the MOM line, and that would solve most of the traffic problems in Red Bank. build the stub tracks on either side of the station platforms and thats where the "bay head shuttle" would be parked, and not blocking traffic.

Matt Johnson wrote:

jb9152 wrote:The NJCL, without an additional track, could not support the desired MOM service level, even with newer high capacity signals. The MOM trains would have to take slots from future (ARC time frame) NJCL trains.

That's why I think a DMU service with a cross platform connection would be ideal for MOM. I could picture something like this rolling through Jamesburg, Freehold, and Lakewood.

Delete that picture out of your head. Colorado railcar closed their doors last december. I agree with JT, rebuilt/redone comet 1s and the spare diesels off lease should be used for exclusive mom shuttling service with transfers at red bank and possably monmouth junction. The equiptment is there, the tracks are there, just do it!

Until and unless pressure can be brought to bear on southern Middlesex politicians and most specifically the Freeholders - or perhaps more effectively, find a way to remove their leverage in Trenton - the Monmouth Jct. route goes nowhere. The Monmouth Battlefield issue is a red herring and should be ignored.

I keep saying that New Brunswick is the key MOM intrastate destination and I get a lot of agreement from the boarding numbers - in both directions at both rush hour periods. But New Brunswick, or more correctly DEVCO (City of New Brunswick, Johnson & Johnson, Rutgers & UMDNJ), has become a tool of the Freeholders. Here's an example of how its reach has expanded beyond the borders of the city and beyond its charter. And here's another facet of that knot of special interests. What the *&%# is New Brunswick DEVCO doing putting up buildings in Old Bridge anyway?

This is DEVCO's charter from its website: "New Brunswick Development Corporation (Devco) is a tax-exempt urban real estate development company created in the mid-1970's to initiate redevelopment projects and to serve as the vehicle for public and private investment in the City of New Brunswick. Since its inception, Devco has overseen more than $1.6 billion in investment to aid in New Brunswick's economic revitalization. Currently, Devco has under development approximately 2.5 million square feet of redevelopment projects, representing more than $450 million of new investment."

The core blocking issue for MOM lies with the power of the Freeholders and their control of the county budgets, which includes the ability to create jobs and infrastructure improvements in the municipalities. It is such a tightly-woven knot that it's almost impossible to pull apart in order to drive a single issue, even one as important as MOM. Let's face it - MOM will not directly create a lot of Freeholder-driven (vote-getting) jobs in its construction. Building new highway lanes will. MOM will help support overall job growth in Middlesex indirectly, but one would need to be far-sighted to see it. Something that these cheap politicians are not.

So you see the repeating pattern: Freeholders in Middlesex opposing the Monmouth Jct. route but voicing no opposition to a proposal to add bus lanes to impossibly congested Rt. 9 and to widen Rt. 1 through South Brunswick. Freeholders backing away from supporting MOM into Red Bank.

Sorry for the political rant, but when politicians get in the way of important projects like this, it's borderline criminality.

ApproachMedium wrote:Delete that picture out of your head. Colorado railcar closed their doors last december.

That's why I said "something like" as I'm sure a builder could be found if NJT wanted heavy rail DMU's. Or, they could go this route instead.

Im sorry but we wont go there. Thats a sore subject in itself. Moving along!

From the local paper... with the usual negative twist:

MOM Line Dead?

Here's a winning quote:

"I, for one, since running for office, have been a strong opponent about running the rail line through Marlboro. I believe it would have to run through too many environmentally sensitive areas. I believe it is a very dangerous situation and would only create more traffic in our area where our roads and corridors can't handle it," Hornik said.

Isn't the point of passenger rail to alleviate traffic where our roads and corridors can't handle it? Ugh.

transit383 wrote:From the local paper... with the usual negative twist:

MOM Line Dead?

Here's a winning quote:

"I, for one, since running for office, have been a strong opponent about running the rail line through Marlboro. I believe it would have to run through too many environmentally sensitive areas. I believe it is a very dangerous situation and would only create more traffic in our area where our roads and corridors can't handle it," Hornik said.

Isn't the point of passenger rail to alleviate traffic where our roads and corridors can't handle it? Ugh.

I LOVE HYPOCRITICAL LOGIC FROM POLITICIANS...Adding more trains will mean more cars on the road...DUHHH!

"I, for one, since running for office, have been a strong opponent about running the rail line through Marlboro. I believe it would have to run through too many environmentally sensitive areas. I believe it is a very dangerous situation and would only create more traffic in our area where our roads and corridors can't handle it," Hornik said.

Why do you have to lie and argue there are 'environmentally sensitive areas'? Couldn't he just say that he is fighting the line as a NIMBY? His constituents would be just as happy - because to them it's true .

But in all reality, I don't think the Matawan-Freehold alignment ever had any chance. The trackage was pulled a long time ago, and the route really does cut right through residential areas. Admittedly, residents who bought homes along the 'trail' knew that there is a chance rail would resume some day, but I never thought that route had a chance whatsoever in political terms.

mlc482 wrote:

"I, for one, since running for office, have been a strong opponent about running the rail line through Marlboro. I believe it would have to run through too many environmentally sensitive areas. I believe it is a very dangerous situation and would only create more traffic in our area where our roads and corridors can't handle it," Hornik said.

Why do you have to lie and argue there are 'environmentally sensitive areas'? Couldn't he just say that he is fighting the line as a NIMBY? His constituents would be just as happy - because to them it's true .

But in all reality, I don't think the Matawan-Freehold alignment ever had any chance. The trackage was pulled a long time ago, and the route really does cut right through residential areas. Admittedly, residents who bought homes along the 'trail' knew that there is a chance rail would resume some day, but I never thought that route had a chance whatsoever in political terms.

He must be talking about the prestine Imperial Oil Superfund Site that the line runs next to in Morganville......

And users of the Henry Hudson Trail would do much more damage to the environment by the discarding of trash all along the trail.

November is coming, fire 'em all!

We need rail service, we don't need politicians.

GRIP

Sure looks like someone ran a stop signal, but it's getting harder to figure out who - the Freeholders or NJT

Red Bank officials say MOM line link derailed
NJ Transit: Other options still being considered
BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer
A controversial rail line proposed through Red Bank had borough officials up in arms early last week, but they now feel that they scored a victory.

"Apparently it is off the table," Red Bank Councilman Michael DuPont said Friday. "The freeholders are not pushing it anymore. We won round one."

More laughs here.