The SIRR AND RVRR II

james1787 wrote:Speaking of the RVRR.. I know the SIRR is near completion, has anything started with the RVRR yet? Anytime I drive near the RVRR row I look for any kind of sign that work has started, but I have yet to see anything. That will be exciting when they start!

Apparently the RVRR is on hold right now as they try to finalize the SIRR. They've put all of their construction resources on the SIRR.

The work that has been done on the RVRR is in two places: 1. from the north side of Westfield Ave./North Ave./Rt. 28 in Cranford/Roselle Park north toward Michigan Ave. in Kenilworth; and 2. the triangle from the Morris Ave. (Jaeger Lumber) to Rt. 22 (Engine City Tech) and Liberty Ave. (Breeze), plus from Liberty to the bridge over the Rahway River into Springfield. Primarily, the work has consisted of removing brush and old rail and ties, and clearing the ROW for new ballast.

You can see what has been done in the following locations: 1. at the very end of Hudson St., behind the Costco in Union; 2. at the crossing on Liberty Ave. in Union; 3. southeast of the Parkway off of South Michigan Ave. in Kenilworth, around the intersection of Faitoute and Fairfield; 4. in Roselle Park, along Valley Rd. between Westfield Ave. and W. Colfax.

rvrrhs

Hopefully The Leader will publish the letter, however, they tend to favor the NIMBYs...your letter represents the voice of reason, the NIMBYs represent hysteria...hysteria sells more papers.

I plan to try something different with Roselle Park. At the next council meeting where the public can speak (Oct 21), I plan to demand the closure of a new bike path as well as a playground, both located next to the Lehigh Line. The town spent tens of thousands of dollars constructing these politically correct structures. I plan to turn their arguments against them. If they have concern over creosote cancer and trespassing-related train strikes from a industrial track that will see three trains a week, why didn't they have similar concerns locating these structures next to a double track mainline seeing 100+ trains a day. Note that there is significant trespassing of the Lehigh Line from the bike path, which is unfenced. I also plan to demand the removal, or encapsulation from ground-level to 10 feet, of all creosote-coated telephone poles located on or adjacent to school property and all Board of Education structures constructed of CCA lumber. The Leader is usually at the meetings and the meetings are broadcast on local cable. The bottom line will be...either act on my requests or else provide facts why the town feels there are no dangers to the "helpless and innocent children" from these existing structures.

Baran,

I applaud your efforts. Please remember to post a report on how it goes.

I wonder if a public utility, like the phone company, has some sort of immunity that allows them to continue to use creosote-coated poles, and whether a railroad would be categorized similarly regarding its use of creosote-soaked ties.

-Alan

The federal environmental rstrictions on the use of cereosote contain exemptions for railroads and certain other business entities.

rvrrhs -- any word on when a train might actually be rolling through?
Obviously not this year, but maybe sometime next? Has anything been mentioned?
I wonder if there might be something running from Cranford toward SI?
BigDell

Is Cranford all finished yet?
I thought they were still just finishing up over there and the bridge over by the NEC was not reinforced yet.
I would like an update too.

Sorry, guys. I pay attention primarily to the former RVRR. There's still a lot of work to do there, obviously, so I figure it will be at least next fall before we see enough progress to start anticipating trains.

As to the SIRR, CNJFAN is right: we have to wait for the bridge over NEC to be reinforced. Plus, the state is responsible for the crossing signals/gates/etc., so who knows? If M&E was responsible, we probably would have already seen the first runs.

I did have a chance to drive past the Cranford Yard today and there are new huge piles of ballast sitting there.
I don't know if it is for the SIRR or the RVRR though.

The ballast has been there a couple weeks now, I think. Doesn't look like any has been used yet. It may well be for use to the north.

As of yesterday, Wednesday, 14 October, some new bundles of ties were delivered and sitting next to the new ballast piles. And the old, rotted tie "mountain" that blocks a good view of all the work has begun to get carted off.

As my USDA Reccomended Daily Allowance of creosote has been lacking lately, I might help myself to some of them before they're gone.

Seriously though, I can't imagine where those new ties will be installed, as all the track work at the junction, and the new siding seem to be complete. Could a portion of the old yard be rebuilt?

ChooChooHead2 wrote:
As my USDA Reccomended Daily Allowance of creosote has been lacking lately, I might help myself to some of them before they're gone.

And the old, rotted tie "mountain" that blocks a good view of all the work has begun to get carted off.

Nothing like aged creosote, I like mine with a little A1!

Do they plan on working through the winter on the SIRR/RVRR, or is it more of a spring/summer/fall thing?

james1787 wrote:Do they plan on working through the winter on the SIRR/RVRR, or is it more of a spring/summer/fall thing?

Like last winter, I suppose they will work up until the freeze and then wait until the spring thaw.

My take is as long as there is no snow on the ground they can work. It might make it a little harder but this is a business and any ways you see it time is money. It's in their best interest to finish as soon as possible but maybe with all this pending lititgation they are taking their time.

The RVRR could be up and running in a few months if they are only looking to reactivate through Union. Springfield-Summit is going to take a whole lot more.

The NIMBYs are planning another "block the road" protest on October 24 against the RVRR re-activation. Police promise fines or arrests if traffic is blocked.

The story appears in The Star Ledger, link below...

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/union/ind ... 135270.xml

These NIMBYs are not living in the real world. Do they really believe their actions are going to reverse the court decisions? Then again, I guess they don't respect the law, because blocking the street IS against the law. I just hope they don't receive any media attention, unless it displays their foolishness.

It's nice to know that the township of Union is not involved in the continuing litigation but looking at the benefits of the return of short line service.