NJ announces 2021 rail construction grants

@CharlieL I’m wondering if Conrail is only having C&D do the track maintenance for them. Conrail North Jersey is rather cheap and will often do track maintenance as cheaply as possible.

Therefore if C&D will do it for the cheapest price, then Conrail will pay them to fix up tracks or open Farmingdale to Freehold.

Speaking of which, the ROW between Farmingdale and Freehold now has lots of construction markings on it...

They wouldn't have been putting up or pledging their own money if they were just sub-contracting ROW work for Conrail. Also interesting we found the grant announcement (thank you for finding it @ccutler) about the time some preliminary track clearing was initiated between Cross St. and Lakehurst. Waiting with bated breath for the FOIA results (which I was too lazy to do myself; thank YOU, R&DB).

CharlieL wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:36 am They wouldn't have been putting up or pledging their own money if they were just sub-contracting ROW work for Conrail. Also interesting we found the grant announcement (thank you for finding it @ccutler) about the time some preliminary track clearing was initiated between Cross St. and Lakehurst. Waiting with bated breath for the FOIA results (which I was too lazy to do myself; thank YOU, R&DB).

@CharlieL;
Thanks for the kind words, but it was surprising easy. It took me about 10 min. to find the right webpage (.gov) and maybe 5-6 min. to fill out the form. I did not request a hard copy, only digital so they should have no problem getting it to me soon.
I agree with you about D&D not being a sub-contractor. They are primarily a railroad operating company. If this indeed about opening the FIT to the Southern Secondary, it may be we have a new operator. Where will they interchange with the Class 1s?

Any updates on that FOIA? Still scratching my head trying to figure out the purpose of this Chesapeake and Delaware grant thing.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:04 pm Any updates on that FOIA? Still scratching my head trying to figure out the purpose of this Chesapeake and Delaware grant thing.

The grant is to Dover and Delaware not C&D. I've got no word yet on my FOIA request.

I say Chesapeake and Delaware because they own Dover and Delaware, so for me it’s easier to say.

CharlieL wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 10:20 am PS this will be a good test as to how well the state responds to FOIA requests.

As of 8:40 am March 15th they have not responded after 2 submissions 2 weeks apart.

R&DB wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 7:43 am

CharlieL wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 10:20 am PS this will be a good test as to how well the state responds to FOIA requests.

As of 8:40 am March 15th they have not responded after 2 submissions 2 weeks apart.

"FOIA request just filled. Hopefully we'll get an answer next week." Did you file a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request? If so, FOIA is a federal law and applies only to federal government entities. NJ entities must comply with the NJ law Open Public Records Act ("OPRA"), and the request must be filed using the NJ procedure/forms with the State entity that is the custodian of the records sought.

Ken W2KB
Tue Mar 16, 2021 11:10 am

Ken,
I did indeed use the state procedure (OPRA), I only used the term FOIA so people would understand what I was talking about. Not everyone knows NJ law.
I now have an acknowledgement of my request. Still no info.

UPDATE:
Received an E-mail from the DoT Inspector General's office stating they need an extension to March 30th to find and forward the files requested.

Sounds like we might get an answer as to what’s happening soon. Hopefully this is all for what I think is happening, or at the very least something good is in the works.

OPRA, NJDOT <[email protected]>
Attachments
4:44 PM (5 hours ago)
to me

We apologize for the delay in processing your request but would like to assure you that your request is in progress. We are in the process of searching through records and identifying and reviewing records specifically responsive to your request.



Therefore, the Department of Transportation requires an extension until April 14, 2021.

Please note that we are currently experiencing a period of longer than usual delays but will do our best to provide a response to you as quickly as possible.



We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.

Received from NJDOT /30 2021.

Are they hiding some thing or just being a typical NJ gub'mnit agency? Can you say incompetent?

@R&DB Sounds to me like they don’t want to say anything.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:10 pm @R&DB Sounds to me like they don’t want to say anything.

Could be, but more likely they see the request as an interruption to their normal routine.

I'm more interested in the "Phase 1" part of this grant.
What would Phase 2,3, etc. mean?

Sounds to me more like bureaucratic inertia. We're not a newspaper or politician, so coffee break's more important.