NYNJ Rail Sightings

Just to touch on this again, I still haven't been able to nail down the date but apparently PRR did operate a test freight train through from New Jersey to Queens via the Hudson River tunnels and Penn Station during the 1960s.

It was said to have been a 90-car coal train with two E-44s for power. One gentleman said he was told by a retired locomotive engineer the train operated through Penn Station on Track 11.

The PRR's Engineering Department was not only on-hand they compiled an extensive booklet with the results of this test. Although the vertical deflection of the tunnel was within tolerances the engineers concluded that the coal train put excessive stress and vibration on the tunnel structure. The test was not repeated.

With the Penn Central merger all but assured, and the inclusion of the New Haven seeming inevitable, PRR could've saved a good deal of money if they could've interchanged freight with NH via the tunnel and the Hell Gate Bridge.

When the NH alcos tied on in HAROLD and started to pull up to Hell Gate they promptly took out a couple drawbars...just goes to show how much the forces were in the roller coaster tunnels on such a long train.

Does anyone know the numbers of the two leased GP-38s and were they came from?

Also I see that PANYNJ/NYNJ Rail has a bid out for two four track car floats.

Joe

PANYNJ preliminary bid results for the new car floats is out.

http://www.panynj.gov/business-opportun ... _32610.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Joe

JoeRailRoad wrote:I see that PANYNJ/NYNJ Rail has a bid out for two four track car floats.

Start at page 57 of the pdf to see the specifications (w/drawings) for the floats.
Save those specs - if these floats actually get built, modelers 50 years down the road will need them for scratchbuilding...

Interesting reading. I like how part of the bid states: bidders may procure an existing barge to retrofit it. MTA AND PA never cease to amaze work will be contracted to lowest bidder which just happens to be in Staten Island.

Sir Ray wrote:

JoeRailRoad wrote:I see that PANYNJ/NYNJ Rail has a bid out for two four track car floats.

Start at page 57 of the pdf to see the specifications (w/drawings) for the floats.
Save those specs - if these floats actually get built, modelers 50 years down the road will need them for scratchbuilding...

PANYNJ/NYNJ Rail is planning to buy a used car float (from whom???) and have refurbished.

It is supposed to be a three track float and be about as long as the 29.

Joe

The car float maybe Weeks Marine #278. I believe it may be in use.

The GP-38 in Greenville is 2220. I have no idea of the reporting marks.

Joe

The NYNJ has indeed begun to use a Weeks Marine float in the interim. The other new floats are way behind schedule to replace the existing fleet...

Looks like the bid for the two 4 track car floats has been cancled.

http://www.panynj.gov/business-opportun ... _32610.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks Paul for the information.

Joe

Is there a picture of the GP 38 in Greenville yard ????

JoeRailRoad wrote:Looks like the bid for the two 4 track car floats has been cancled.
http://www.panynj.gov/business-opportun ... _32610.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So, that mean they are going with the modified 3 track float - was that an old car-float hanging around for awhile, or a converted barge.

Actually, does anyone know what the current roster of the NYNJ carfloat fleet is? Mr. Goldsteins' Industrial and Offline Terminal site seems not to have been updated for a while...

And if they are going to do any serious business in the future, they will really need those 4 track car-floats

Sir Ray wrote:

JoeRailRoad wrote:Looks like the bid for the two 4 track car floats has been cancled.
http://www.panynj.gov/business-opportun ... _32610.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So, that mean they are going with the modified 3 track float - was that an old car-float hanging around for awhile, or a converted barge.

Actually, does anyone know what the current roster of the NYNJ carfloat fleet is? Mr. Goldsteins' Industrial and Offline Terminal site seems not to have been updated for a while...

And if they are going to do any serious business in the future, they will really need those 4 track car-floats

GP-38 #2202 is lettered for NYNJ Rail.

The second locomotive was sent back to the lessor.

The car float was officially transfer from Weeks and is now NYNJ Rail car float #278. This was an original RR car float (unknown RR).

I believe the other car float in use is the 16. The 29 was damaged by “Sandy” at Greenville.

Joe

JoeRailRoad wrote:The car float was officially transfer from Weeks and is now NYNJ Rail car float #278. This was an original RR car float (unknown RR).
I believe the other car float in use is the 16. The 29 was damaged by “Sandy” at Greenville.

So they're reusing an old car-float instead of building new ones

I know this is straying into Railroad Operations and Facilities terrority, but when was the last new rail car-float built for the US East Coast? I know the Alaska RR uses car barges, and this RR.net thread mentions a few other operations (very few), such as the Chemex Railroad in Puerto Rico (which may or may not have shut down), Vancouver island, DelMarVa floating, Quebec Iron Hauling RRs, and so on.

But all that aside, in effect what is the newest carfloat on the East Coast? In North America?

I think they are still used in the Gulf of Mexico from Alabama or Mississippi much larger than the East Coast floats...