CR on the Southern Secondary

So much for a Saturday extra.

Turns out Conrail decided not to run OI16 to browns due to the Coast Line derailment. As a result, Woodhavens full shipment didn't arrive until early this morning. Expect an SA93 tomorrow.

They have got to get this transfer off the Coast Line. No wonder why Browns Yard is dying. All it takes is one incident for everything to grind to a halt.

There was an OI-16 yesterday (Friday) afternoon with 50 for Browns.

@RailsEast I know, but the rest of Woodhavens shipment only came in today. I still say get the transfer off the Coast Line, as it's nothing but problems for Conrail to use this route.

As per a friend, SA93 will get on duty at 8:30 AM tomorrow and will run to Lakewood with NS 5286 and CSX 6160.

Bracdude181 wrote:As per a friend, SA93 will get on duty at 8:30 AM tomorrow and will run to Lakewood with NS 5286 and CSX 6160.

Where do you get your info from? Because this isn't true at all.

@jdh823 They had an SA93 scheduled but couldn't find a crew.

Does anyone know what's going on with that gas pipeline that was supposed to be installed under Conrails ROW just north of Route 70? The construction markings for it are still out there but they haven't built it yet.

The short answer is the gas portion of the pipe line was struct down in the courts. The gas company proceed with the install with a huge push back from homeowners. The courts ruled they pipe isn't at issue but the gas was, if they want to run milk thought it its there choice. Judge's words!
They are doing it in sections and are nearly complete. The track section requires them to dig 40 feet under the rails to make the connection. I'm sure this is a big event so its most likely being done last. The section near shoprite on 70th is near but not through the woods. The other side is done to the roadway.
steve

Tanker1497 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 5:45 pm They are doing it in sections and are nearly complete. The track section requires them to dig 40 feet under the rails to make the connection.

I worked on some pipelines. It shouldn't disrupt the tracks at all. They'll dig a pit on both sides and they will have a boring machine jack a casing pipe underneath with an auger inside to remove the dirt. Once the casing is in place they can thread pipe through the casing. Probably the boring crew has been busy going under all the roads along the route and hasn't gotten there yet.

@Tanker1497 I remember hearing something about that. Very unusual that they approve a pipeline but not whatever is gonna run through it. Welcome to NJ lol.

@Hear my train a coming Thanks for the insight on how they would likely do it. I had been hearing that the construction company would have to rip out the tracks to put the pipe in, which led to a supposed argument between them and Conrail.

Basically, the rumor was that they'd have to rip the tracks and roadbed out to put the pipeline in. Conrail said they could do this but would have to rebuild any tracks that were removed. The construction company tried to tell off Conrail, and things just went downhill from there.

That's only what I've heard though.

Also, wasn't this pipeline supposed to go into Joint Base McGuire Dix? If so, what's the purpose of the pipeline?

The purpose was to meet the supply demands of gas to Ocean And Momouth counties and south. Durring Hurricane Sandy it became apparent that a second pipe line could provide the needed gas in the event of a failure of the first.
The NIMBY group fought this in court and won, but the gas company continued it as a back up with no intentions to put gas through it. If something were to happen the courts would allow the use evry one happy!
The pipe line runs down 539 to the ANG base at Lakehurst and then cuts accross that portion of the Base popping out right at the tracks on Lakehurst.
The NIMBY's that apposed the pipe line were up on Province Line Rd near BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
As a side note: Pipeline construction will have a crew beginning the week of Monday, November 30th in the area of 501 Province Line Road. The construction will be heading north towards Chesterfield-Arneytown Road. This is just outside of the Cemetery’s Maintenance entrance on Province Line Road.

I doubt they would have to remove the tracks or the roadbed, they bore under tracks all the time. As to the purpose of the line, you would have to ask the gas company. I would think it has something to do with the joint base, that is the biggest thing in the area.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:19 pm @Hear my train a coming Thanks for the insight on how they would likely do it. I had been hearing that the construction company would have to rip out the tracks to put the pipe in, which led to a supposed argument between them and Conrail.

Basically, the rumor was that they'd have to rip the tracks and roadbed out to put the pipeline in. Conrail said they could do this but would have to rebuild any tracks that were removed. The construction company tried to tell off Conrail, and things just went downhill from there.

That's only what I've heard though.

Also, wasn't this pipeline supposed to go into Joint Base McGuire Dix? If so, what's the purpose of the pipeline?

So follow me through this what if scenario?
Just going out on the limb of wishful thinking.
So we talked about the gas pipe line. The gas
company avoided the NIMBY's by miles, giving them
nearly a year before they knew it was being done.
Fast fwd. to today they are just now started digging
in front of those opposed.
So let me relate this to the Southern all this
seemingly wastesful spending of grands to Clayton
rebuilding of crossings on the southern. Gates
going where gates have never been. Now the
Farmingdale via the Freehold route
get a crossing rebuit off the southern that
hasn't seen a train forever? A strange concrete
foundation has been built next to the abandoned
Farmingdale to Freehold ROW on Route 524 shows up.
I drove by and its earily located when a RR control
box would go for gates??? Next we see track reinstalled
accross Rt 524 another watse!
Just suppose for a second they get all these things
in place years in advance, million of million spend.
One day a MOW train appearing on the southern parked.
Oh boy working on the Southern finally. But a day
later brush hogs clear 4.5 miles
Farmingdale to Freehold ROW, it would only take a
day.The MOW turns onto the Farmingdale to Freehold ROW
and starts a track rehab. By the time MIMBY's could react
the connection would be complete. Mission acomplished.
This has been a fiction story by the author but still
plausible.

@Tanker1497 That seems plausible. I'm not sure if there would be any NIMBY complaints about Farmingdale to Freehold being reopened as the line mainly runs through farmlands. Farmingdale doesn't mind the trains at least.

It's very strange what's been going on with the ROW. First they rebuild part of the track that leads to it after 10 years of inactivity, then they spray construction markings along where the line used to be, then a foundation for what looks like a crossing relay case is built. On top of all this, I hear rumors that they want the line reopened. Very strange indeed.

Just on Clayton spending money on new crossings, this is indeed true but they didn't pay for every crossing.

Turns out the one being built on Union Ave in Lakehurst was paid for out of pocket by Seashore Lines. The DOT paid for the new crossing surface and did that work themselves.

Going back and looking through what little info there is, I've found that Conrail, NJ Transit, the NJDOT, Clayton, and Seashore Lines have all put at least some form of money into repairs on the line between South Lakewood and Woodmansie. Seashore Lines did their work (track and roadbed repairs) with grant money. Clayton paid for at least two crossing rebuilds. Transit paid for the two bridges between South Lakewood and Lakehurst, and Conrail spent their money on various projects like the crossing on 571, clearing the tracks in 2015, and repairing the bridge under Route 70. (which they ROYALLY screwed up)

The future of this line is uncertain. Especially since North Jersey Management wants nothing to do with it. The bright side is I have been hearing good things about what next year might bring. What I've been hearing is still a bit all over the place, but I can say for sure that the future of this line is a bright one. Even if we have to wait a bit longer to get there.

From page 2 of this thread:

#2642 by wolfboy8171981
Wed Mar 17, 2004 9:50 am
Well i think i figured this new site out. I'm still hearing the same things, mid April start up. I also heard 20,000 loads of sand. Two jobs would be created one most likely out of Browns to taxi down to Manchester, the other would sign up in Bayonne Two sets of power and three sets of 50 cars. I also heard that our track dept says it can rehab the 4 miles of track in a weeks time.

So here we are, 16 years later and NO SAND TRAINS have rolled.