Trains and operations in Browns Yard

#1585683 by Bracdude181
Sat Nov 27, 2021 11:42 am
@R&DB Conrail no longer runs the Freehold Santa Train.

When and why did they stop? My last trip to see it was 4-5 years ago with a grandson and he totally enjoyed it. He asked me about it about a week ago.(He's 9 yo now)

Most likely Conrail didn’t want to pay for the train. (Shocking I know)

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 12:17 pm Most likely Conrail didn’t want to pay for the train. (Shocking I know)

It was good PR for them. Great advertising for a little extra effort once a year. Perhaps the new operators will create something similar.

If C&D does any Christmas trains down here it will be the same Toys For Tots train they are hosting next weekend.

Seashore Lines would be a better choice for this sort of thing IMO.

Harry,
The driving force behind the Santa Trains, at least in the later years, was CSAO Superintendent of Operations Joe Garofolo. When he retired from the railroad in 2019, there was either no one willing to pick up the reins & continue, or, Conrail pulled the plug with Joe's retirement. I never got a concrete reason. Joe was a good man, very receptive to railfans during the Santa runs, and he will be missed every December in these parts.

Chris

This is pretty much 100% accurate. Although by the time Joe retired most of the older mangers who were from the area also were retired too. The train crew was willing, new management was not. The original Santa train was done in conjunction with the Jamesburg Fire Department. When Joe became the Superintendent he, for a lack of a better term, hijacked it and brought in the Freehold PD. It was fun to be apart of the few years I was picked to do it.

@CR7876 What years did you work on it?

OI-16 will be leaving for Browns once NS 294 goes past Port Reading.

They have CSX 1712 (SD40E3) leading with CSX 8136 (SD40-2) trailing.

OI-16 approaching CP RON southbound 6:33 PM

Southbound through Perth Amboy Station 7:15 PM

OI-16 got into Browns around 8 PM

They parked the train towards the north end of the yard.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 28, 2021 7:17 pm Southbound through Perth Amboy Station 7:15 PM

How many cars did they have?

I think I counted 46 or so cars.

Browns currently has CSX 6159, 6160, and 6210 assigned to it. 6159 is a GP38-2S (downgraded GP40-2

SA31 hit a pedestrian in Spotswood yesterday.