Then become a Lobbyist in H-burg and get the state critters to cough up the CASH!
The Land of Enchantment is not Flyover country!
Railroad Forums
Moderators: lensovet, Kaback9, nick11a
Pensyfan19 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 10:14 amIf you mean 30 years ago by "a while ago", the answer is yes.photobug56 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 1:00 am Sounds strange but it's a longer distance train, would be worth it.Didn't amtrak propose to go to Scranton a while ago? Or at least somewhere near that area? This was probably years if not decades ago if I'm not mistaken.
JoeG wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 10:45 pm Mr Norman, you break my heart comparing the late, lamented Lackawanna to the Old & Weary.First Mr. Grossman, allow me to add to the captioned quote
Dcell wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 4:00 pm Wow - did we all just come out of winter hibernation? What a flood of new comments. All from Pennsylvania rolling out a new cost study? Anyway, it’s all a theoretical debate as NJT has no plans at all to extend service beyond Andover. My proof? Read the capital spending plans listed on the NJT and NJDOT web sites. Imnot even certain the segment to Andover can be completed because 2 NJDEP permits still have not been secured. That’s why there are missing segments between sections of rails installed in 2012. And no freeholder, Assemblyman or Senator has complained about the lack of progress in getting to Andover.Which permits are you speaking of? I thought all of the necessary permits were secured at this point to complete the Andover segment without further delay.
Dcell wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:53 am There are 2 NJDEP wetlands permits that have not been issued as of Feb. 13, as DEP responded to an OPRA request.Which permits are you speaking of? I thought all of the necessary permits were secured at this point to complete the Andover segment without further delay.
Congressman Gottheimer has not taken a position on whether the LC should be completed. That’s not very encouraging.
CJPat wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:20 pm The cutoff is mostly elevated except where it passes through the Roseville Tunnel and a few land cuts along the route. Because no maintenance has been performed to keep the drainage open, areas began to flood. At some point NJDEP considered these permanent wetted areas which met the definition of Wetland and started applying their Wetland rules.The last I heard all of the environmental issues and permits had been worked out and there was nothing stopping the completion of this MOS. The Indian Bat is the endangered species that prevents clearing from April-November IIRC because the project is federally funded.
I was under the impression that the area around the Roseville Tunnel had been resolved with the NJDEP which is why NJT was in the process of letting out contracts to address refab work with the Tunnel itself (I think we discussed this 1-2 years ago?). Last I heard, the contract could only be executed during certain warm weather months due to migrating birds/bats (?) If it is not about permitting around the Tunnel, I am not sure where they may still have environmental issues to work out.
The only other note I will offer is that I have been watching Chuck Walsh's (of the NJRCA) numerous videos on YouTube regarding history and status of the Cutoff. Purely based on his responses, it would appear that although no significant progress is occurring at this moment, there is some kind of forward movement on both NJ and PA's side.
Regardless, no large sums of money have been committed to move anything along faster than a snail's pace when convenient. I understand Mr. Norman's perspective, but regardless, things have been moving forward over these so many long years and I think that would imply this is not a true Dead Horse. It may not be highly desired by the Politicos or management, but it is not truly ignored either so someone with some kind of political pull feels the cutoff has some kind of potential value.
The work on the new station itself won’t proceed until the tunnel starts. If the station were finished first, it would itself be subject to deterioration and vandalism while awaiting completion of the tunnel. So the two will be built simultaneously, to coordinate the construction finish times.
The general schedule, given all the above, is for design to be completed during 2020 to early 2021, with construction on both tunnel and station commencing shortly thereafter.
lensovet wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 11:28 pm there was also easement issues around the future site of the station, where the property owner would not provide an easement to build a drainage culvert near where the station would be. this is what NJT called out in their response to you that you provided in post 1534881 (yes).Thanks for reiterating. It does seem like a lot of people missed that post of mine. Hopefully NJT keeps to their word and finishes the design by the end of the year and construction starts shortly after. I wont hold my breathe though - the 367 pages of this thread has taught me better.
since people keep talking over each other and have seemingly missed that post, let me just repost the relevant bit:
The work on the new station itself won’t proceed until the tunnel starts. If the station were finished first, it would itself be subject to deterioration and vandalism while awaiting completion of the tunnel. So the two will be built simultaneously, to coordinate the construction finish times.
The general schedule, given all the above, is for design to be completed during 2020 to early 2021, with construction on both tunnel and station commencing shortly thereafter.