Perth Amboy Branch Service Reactivation

Well, they were fixing up part of The Perth Amboy Branch recently- they replaced the bridge over New Brunswick Ave. in Perth Amboy as mentioned in a previous thread.

Has anyone heard anything when they plan on starting service again on this line? And where would the service come from?

I've been doing a little research on what is/was in this area in terms of rails.

-Trains could serve this from Port Reading Yard (come down the Chemical Coast to NJCL to Perth Amboy Branch)

-Trains could also serve this line from Metuchen Yard (From Metuchen Yard, head south accross Route 1)

-And they can't do this anymore because the ROW is not there in its entirety anymore (and it be a bit out of the way for Manville Locals), but trains used to be able to come down off of the Lehigh at Metuchen/Front Street in South Plainfield (where the Shared Assets MOW yard is) and come south and get to it from there.

I will be in PA tomorrow. I don't think I will be in the vicinity of that line. I didn't even know that service was starting up on it again. However, I will keep an eye out for freights on transit.

Remember that the Lehigh Valley from South Plainfield to Perth Amboy was the original LV mainline. Perth Amboy was its original destination - its tidewater coal terminal.

The recent work, including the replacement of the New Brunswick Ave. bridge and the re-alignment of track to allow for the building of the new police and administrative headquarters goes along Fayette St., then the 440 extension and just past Convery Bl./Rt. 35. That is new heavy rail with new ties.

Past that, at the junction in Keasby where the tracks split between the old route to Metuchen (parallel to New Brunswick Ave.) and Raritan Center, I don't think anything has been done. Certainly not enough to serve Raritan Center - instead of Edison Yard via the NEC.

If you see anything happening there, then you can look forward to seeing a major traffic increase. Also, a better connection would be needed (or the old restored) with the NY&LB/Chem Coast junction along outer State St. The current one would require too many reverse moves for serious traffic.

Take a look - type this into Google maps and then switch to satellite view "State St & Hall Ave, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861" and zoom in.

E-44 wrote:Remember that the Lehigh Valley from South Plainfield to Perth Amboy was the original LV mainline. Perth Amboy was its original destination - its tidewater coal terminal.

The recent work, including the replacement of the New Brunswick Ave. bridge and the re-alignment of track to allow for the building of the new police and administrative headquarters goes along Fayette St., then the 440 extension and just past Convery Bl./Rt. 35. That is new heavy rail with new ties.

Past that, at the junction in Keasby where the tracks split between the old route to Metuchen (parallel to New Brunswick Ave.) and Raritan Center, I don't think anything has been done. Certainly not enough to serve Raritan Center - instead of Edison Yard via the NEC.

If you see anything happening there, then you can look forward to seeing a major traffic increase. Also, a better connection would be needed (or the old restored) with the NY&LB/Chem Coast junction along outer State St. The current one would require too many reverse moves for serious traffic.

Take a look - type this into Google maps and then switch to satellite view "State St & Hall Ave, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861" and zoom in.

Yeah, I know it would require too many reverese moves. I actually have been using Google Earth in the past weeks to construct a virtual map of labyrinth tracks in my head.

I didn't think they'd be restoring the track segment that connects to Metuchen or to South Plainfield. So it seems if and when this line gets service, they may have a Port Reading Local come down onto the Perth Amboy Branch to serve any industries. Reverse moves would still be required, but it wouldn't be too bad.

It's pretty exciting as I grew up not too far from there in Perth Amboy.

a little confused.... Do you know what part of the service is going to be restored? I mean, will they be sending additional trains down the Chemical Coast or is this something strictly local? Not too familiar with that branch...
BigDell

What happens will probably depend on a couple of factors - and maybe some not mentipned here. It is my understanding that Raritan Center Railway http://www.raritancentralrr.com/ is also now servicing the Kinder Morgan http://www.kindermorgan.com/business/te ... heast.cfm/ terminal in Perth Amboy. So I'm guessing that there may have to be movements between Raritan Center and KM, which is on the Chem Coast. Now if they also get the KM terminal in Carteret, well, it could be interesting.

I was speculating that Amtrak would continue to keep freight off the NEC as much as possible and with the closing of Ford in Edison, perhaps Edison yard would be de-emphasized and Raritan Center traffic might start coming off the Lehigh line to the Reading Sec and the Chem Coast. Of course if Amtrak is forced to surrender control of the NEC, then NS and CSX will probably jump right in and instead of scheduling around 100mph Metroliners and Acelas, NJT will be scheduling around 40mph drags crossing over at Hunter and Lane and messing everything up.

If the NL property in Sayreville gets redeveloped as a terminal, theree would be a need to move stuff down the Chem Coast and then the NJCL. Then there would be a real need to restore the original connection (LV, PRR and CNJ) beneath the Outerbridge. Little of that ROW has been stepped on at this point so it would be possible.

RCRY is not operating the Kinder Morgan tank farm in Perth Amboy, CR SAA is still the operatior, and i've not heard any rumors otherwise. There was two seperate rumors going around that Carborundim was/wants service again, I'm not too good on the layout of the rail up there since we stoped doing them before i hired out so maybe some of that track work is to get to them. The other was to re-route the Metuchen traffic off the NEC from Oak Island and onto the Chemical Coast to Wood up the Perth Amboy running track, re installing the other leg of the wye and going west to Metuchen on the Bohamtown Ind.

C A R B O R U N D I U M CARBORUNDIUM CARBORUNDIUM
C A R B O R U N D I U M CARBORUNDIUM CARBORUNDIUM

seeing that big Neon sign, and the big "Newport - ALIVE with Pleasure" billboard and Razz-Ma-Tazz and the Amboy Cinema's always meant - "yea!!!! we are almost home" from whatever long boring roadtrip the family dragged me on!!!

Off topic, I know, but hey - that was the "almost home" landmark!!!

Jtgshu wrote:Off topic, I know, but hey - that was the "almost home" landmark!!!

That was the "I am home" land mark for me.

But using that alternative route for the ME10 along with others would be pretty cool indeed.

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:22 am Post subject:

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C A R B O R U N D I U M CARBORUNDIUM CARBORUNDIUM
C A R B O R U N D I U M CARBORUNDIUM CARBORUNDIUM

seeing that big Neon sign, and the big "Newport - ALIVE with Pleasure" billboard and Razz-Ma-Tazz and the Amboy Cinema's always meant - "yea!!!! we are almost home" from whatever long boring roadtrip the family dragged me on!!!

Off topic, I know, but hey - that was the "almost home" landmark!!!

I predate you a little, JT. The old Dutch Boy Paint sign meant half-way home from "North Jersey" after visiting the grandparents.

Somewhat related, but older in nature, was two plans that Conrail looked into regarding the Amboy Branch and the NEC. Talk was that the original connection between the LV and PRR at Metuchen would be rebuilt. This was the elevated section that LV passenger trains used to go onto the PRR in Metuchen. The bridge abuttments are still there by where Oakite/Celotex was/is. The connection was torn up during the 1950's and the last movement was a circus train. There was also thought given, believe it or not, to making a ramp down off the PRR and onto the Port Reading branch to take eastbound traffic off the NEC and onto the Port Reading.

OK, so I was by Raritan Center this past Sunday, and saw that the grade crossing replacement(s) across the Raritan Center Parkway (from the yard to the customers in the western section) are moving along very nicely, and look quite good. Not sure why they are digging up and replacing the median strips in that area of the parkway, but still it looks cool.
Now for somewhat of a dissappointment, but no real surprize - the huge distribution center they are building (on-spec, I suppose) along Industrial Ave. in 'Keasby' apparently will not be rail-served, even though the Perth Amboy branch passed directly next to it (the construction access road crosses over it) - at first I though I saw a freight car access door, but a drawing on a sign next to the center shows it simply as an architectural device to enclose a large (22+ ft) window at the corners.

Sir Ray wrote:Now for somewhat of a dissappointment, but no real surprize - the huge distribution center they are building (on-spec, I suppose) along Industrial Ave. in 'Keasby' apparently will not be rail-served, even though the Perth Amboy branch passed directly next to it (the construction access road crosses over it) - at first I though I saw a freight car access door, but a drawing on a sign next to the center shows it simply as an architectural device to enclose a large (22+ ft) window at the corners.

I will ask the mayor and get the word on that. I'm kinda surprised that it won't be.

E-44 wrote:

Sir Ray wrote:Now for somewhat of a dissappointment, but no real surprize - the huge distribution center they are building (on-spec, I suppose) along Industrial Ave. in 'Keasby' apparently will not be rail-served, even though the Perth Amboy branch passed directly next to it (the construction access road crosses over it) - at first I though I saw a freight car access door, but a drawing on a sign next to the center shows it simply as an architectural device to enclose a large (22+ ft) window at the corners.

I will ask the mayor and get the word on that. I'm kinda surprised that it won't be.

He's a good mayor who seems genuinely interested in the town as he grew up in it (actully, Voss was in my uncle's same high school class.) As far as politicians go, he ain't bad.

I am told "unofficially" by another source that nothing is being done or planned to preclude rail service along Industrial Ave. for any of the new or rehabilitated properties. Continuation and even expansion of rail service is in the master area plan. What I can't determine is how far or how soon this "inch-by-inch" reconstruction is going to move forward (if at all) towards Raritan Center or around it.

I have asked friends at Carborundum about the possibilty of the return of rail service there and hopefully will learn something soon.