Trash Trains

Yes, we're talking trash.

Saw the daily NYSW train about 8:15PM going WB through Midland Park (fun to watch the engines chug up the hill from Ridgewood) which ran 40-50 cars, most of which contained what looked like commercial/industrial trash.

Where is the railroad getting this stuff and, more interestingly, where is it going?

North Bergen is where they get it from. Where it goes, I don't know but its someplace out west.

It goes to Ohio.

The point source is all the various construction, demolition and remodeling projects across NJ and perhaps NY. There are several loading facilities run by different waste companies in North Bergen and one additional facility in the City of Paterson.

Chris

everytime i've watched it go up thru midland park im still amazed at how much construction debris is generated every single day. And there's on some nights still cars sitting down at the mc tracks and in north bergen.

Just imagine how many trucks are delivering the stuff to the North Bergen transfer facilities...then perhaps some (not all) of the concern expressed by North Bergen politicos is justified.

The trucks deliver the stuff 7 days per week, but the RR hauls it out only about 5 times per week.

Love this quote from the Orange County Executive in early March for his State of the County address. Either he's oblivious to the trash that already runs through his county from NJ on the NYSW starting in Florida/Warwick or he's totally pandering to the crowd.

In recent weeks we have heard a lot about plans to open a transfer station in Middletown and run a garbage train through Orange County. Our communities must not be subjected to this kind of activity from railroads who think they are above the law and we will fight it all the way. [/b]

A lot of the small railroads are using the federal loophole that allows trash facilities on railroad property to duck extensive and strict regulations.

Soon, however, the feds are going to close a lot of those loopholes (Sen. Lautenberg is particularly hot over this issue) and this cash cow is going to dry up to some extent.

While new regulations may be put in place that will hinder and limit "new" transfer facilities, I doubt that the politicians will be able to keep the existing ones from continuing operations. One of the biggest reasons for the garbage/demolition companies to start using rail service was because the regulations on trucks hauling the waste became more and more restrictive and the costs kept rising until it pushed the companies to the breaking point. Unless the polititions can come up with a feasable excuse to put more and more trucks on the already overcrowded roads, where they are much more visible to voting citizens, I would guess that the rail service is going to continue as is. The rail shipments are generally invisable to the masses, and "out of sight, out of mind" to the majority of people will continue to be the guiding force.