Official Bel-Del Discussion Thread

[Donko142]

Once again lots of hard work by so many people, paid off. The Thomas event went off with out any problems even with the record heat of last weekend. Like always Gary had the equipment in top shape. This was not an easy task running these trains, there was no room for error. All the trains had to be on time and with-in 1 minute of the posted departures or it would have caused big problems to everything else going on. I can't say enough about the biggest piece of glue holding the whole operation together, CMO Gary Matthews. I was around alittle when the NYSW had the engine and the THS had just got it. People don't realize how much work a steam locomotive needs, even if it is only 10 to15 years old. When the THS made the choice to hire Gary full time to maintain the 142 in 2006, the 142 best days where ahead of her.
Gary has the engine under a preventive maintenence plan where the engine receives major work every winter, if it needs it or not. Over the last few years gary has had all the drivers dropped, all the running gear off a few times, rebuilt the air pumps, injectors, spring rigging, flues and so on. Plus he has improved on much of the factory equipment as far as the lubrication goes and it shows. I had to run the engine harder then most days due to the tight schedule last weekend, during layovers I checked multiple bearing and running gear friction points with my temp gun. The hottest bearing I found on a 85 degree day was 92 degrees. The 142 is a pleasure to operate thanks to Gary and the great bunch of people that help us improve our operation year after year.

Be Safe

[Donko142]

More track work should start soon, yesterday the weed spray crew went from Phillipsburg south to MP 43. Al dropped off the wheels for our new track mower at the shop.
Keith worked on the GE 45 on Sunday and got about 1/3 of the #2 hood down to the metal and primed, it's starting to look like a locomotive.
Thomas has left the property.

Be Safe

[Hawaiitiki]

I was recently in Milford, NJ and was just curious of to when was the last time time a train made it that far. The tracks seem quite disused.

[NYS&W142Fan]

I was recently in Milford, NJ and was just curious of to when was the last time time a train made it that far. The tracks seem quite disused.

I believe Freight ended around 98, WolfBoy can better answer that than I can. Then there was a private excursion with the Turtle in 2004.
Some day trains will return to Milford.

[Donko142]

I could be wrong, but I believe the last freight was just a pick up of empty cars sitting around in 2004. The trip your talking about John was with the turtle in 2005. The only thing since then has been speeders and hi-rail truck. Believe me were hoping to change that. In my opinion Milford is clearly the best destination on the line, people could get off and eat, shop and so on. Plus many of the town people are pulling for us. Keep watching, every year or so were moving South on rebuild track. Just like were doing as we type these posts. By the end of our 2010 season we should be only 1.2 mi out of Riegelsville.

[wolfboy8171981]

The Paper Mill was a customer until the day it closed in 2004. Opdike Lumber of Frenchtown transloaded there lumber from the top of the lead into the plant here as well. When the mill closed Opdike used the Warren Lumber site to transload. Opdike now uses the KB Service site at Ringoes yard. CPG in Reiglesville stoped getting rail service at the end of 2005, this was due to getting a much better rate from the CSX to use PJ Judge of Port Newark to unload and truck it in.

[Donko142]

Wolf would be currect, change my statment to 2005 and the turtle trip was 2006 then.

[tracker]

The Turtle trip was'nt in 2006. I think the Turtle trip was before all that stuff was moved North. I saw the cars being pulled past the quarry. There was a F unit in the mix. It must have been a weekend move or I would not have been there.

[doitwright]

Anyone know where I could find Pictures of the Bel-Del back in the late 1880's? My Gr, Grandfather was Engineer on the Phillipsburg Gravel Train and also the "Buck Rabbit" freight, his name was Lewis T. Brant (Brandt sometimes spelled). Thanks!!!

[pierrerabbit]

Anyone know where I could find Pictures of the Bel-Del back in the late 1880's? My Gr, Grandfather was Engineer on the Phillipsburg Gravel Train and also the "Buck Rabbit" freight, his name was Lewis T. Brant (Brandt sometimes spelled). Thanks!!!

There is a book "Down Along the Old Bel Del" by Warren F Lee, out of print, hard to find, but I know the Hunterdon County Library has a copy. It may some pics from that era.

[NYS&W142Fan]

Anyone know where I could find Pictures of the Bel-Del back in the late 1880's? My Gr, Grandfather was Engineer on the Phillipsburg Gravel Train and also the "Buck Rabbit" freight, his name was Lewis T. Brant (Brandt sometimes spelled). Thanks!!!

There is another book, "A Chronology of the Belvidere Delaware Railroad and the Comunities through which it operated" by Warren F and Catherine T Lee, dated 1989. I have a copy and there are some pictures in it but you would need to look at it to see if any pictures are of your Great Grandfather. There is a mention of a Lewis Brant, pages 154 & 156 as the engineer of the "Buck Rabbit" and then the "Gravel Train", but no pictures on those pages. I believe there may be a copy of the book in the Gift Car on the train in P'burg.

[Donko142]

The little GE has come along way with the help of more then a few people. The next work party for the GE will be Aug 15th, were hoping to get the interior of the cab and rest of unit sanded down primed and ready for paint that day. The track contractor should be back on the railroad in the next week or two.

Were going into the busy season, more help is welcome at any level.

[bigjim4life]

While mapping out the Bel-Del on Google Earth, I came across something interesting on the satellite view - it looks (to me) like the remnants almost of a roundhouse - is this the former site of a roundhouse, or is it something else altogether?

[Ken W2KB]

While mapping out the Bel-Del on Google Earth, I came across something interesting on the satellite view - it looks (to me) like the remnants almost of a roundhouse - is this the former site of a roundhouse, or is it something else altogether?

Roundhouse. See 1956 photo at http://www.historicaerials.com/Default.aspx Search for Phillipsburg, NJ and then poke around. Gone by the 1963 photo.

[bigjim4life]

Amazing! Thanks for the web link - cool!