Pain in the NEC

This evening's rush hour, had us (on train 2305, a westbound on the coast line) c-r-a-w-l-i-n-g in parts of the NEC, around Linden. I could swear we were under restricting signals, but of course, I could not verify that. It just seemed Restricted Speed. Any clue why? (Trains running in parallel to us, in both directions, seemed slow too. Something to do with the rain?)

NJTrider wrote:This evening's rush hour, had us (on train 2305, a westbound on the coast line) c-r-a-w-l-i-n-g in parts of the NEC, around Linden. I could swear we were under restricting signals, but of course, I could not verify that. It just seemed Restricted Speed. Any clue why? (Trains running in parallel to us, in both directions, seemed slow too. Something to do with the rain?)

I don't know but there were some really severe thunderstorms in the area of Carteret, Linden, Rahway and Highalnd Park this evening. The restrictions might have something to due with that.

The lightning could have knocked out the signal system. Therefore all the signals in whatever area, go to restricting or to a stop signal (and then the dispatcher has to give permission to every individual train to pass a stop signal). Or, it could have just knocked out an individual signal, and then a signal maintainer has to get out to there to fix it, while the dispatcher still has to give permission past that signal. I've seen this happen before in bad storms, so maybe that's what happened. And yes, some very very bad storms passed through today.

Sounds like some sort of temporary speed restriction. Perhaps a bridge strike at Wood Avenue? (IE truck strikes the railroad bridge, until it is inspected trains must travel at relatively slow speeds)

Oh yes! I forgot. While listening to my scanner today, there was a bridge strike at Wood Ave. I'll bet thats what it was.

Yep. I was on the 4:40p from NYP and the conductor announced when we stopped before ELMORA that a truck struck a bridge in Linden and we were at Restricted for a precaution, I think. Overall we were 8 minutes late to Met-PK.

Well, sounds to me that these minor delays beat being stuck on the highway for three hours motionless while a tractor-trailer accident gets cleared up. Blessings ought to be counted...