PVL passing sidings/off-peak trains

Yesterday while going over the Main Line on Route 3 westbound, I noticed that there was a double siding turnoff coming off of the Main Line/PVL. It's on the westbound side track and originally had one siding off it, but now there's two tracks. I can't find a place along the tracks to see it unless you decide to walk the tracks. Does anyone know if there are customers that still use a siding down in that industrial park?

Also, does anyone know where the sports complex switch would be located when its built?

I believe that this is the eastern end of the E. Rutherford Passing Siding on the PVL. The second switch as of Friday has not been installed, but the ties are down and rails are begining to be laid.

Yea i drove past it today checking things out. What i saw is the turn off for the pvl from the main. But they have it all dug up from pretty much the turn off along lowes to paterson plank road. Not sure if they're just getting the ground prepped for track or not. Kinda confusing as to whats going on along that portion. But the double track is down from paterson plk road with new crossings north towards woodridge. This is where its quite confusing. I drove down that side street just south of woodridge station and they have new ties/track down with a spike machine on the tracks but its hard to see whats the new siding and whats the old siding. They have all these switches in place but its very confusing for me. Will it be double tracked from woodridge station southward to the main/pvl connection?

Checked out the work today, alot has been made since i last saw it. The second turn off from the main line is in place but no switch work. The second siding looks to be 80% done from woodridge station all the way to the main line, with some gaps here and there. Hackensack and Hasbrouck heights haven't changed.

One thing i noticed at paterson plk rd is the rails are alot thinner and smaller then the regular rails. Why is this?

i noticed today when looking for the circus train that at the union street crossing near BJ's that they have installed a 3rd siding/passing track. Its on the west side of the main track. Its only about maybe 100ft long and looks like it was done today.

I'd imagine the rails are smaller to save money. Steel ain't cheap. Since it's just a passing siding, the rails don't need to have the same durability, etc. Just a guess, though.

2005Vdub wrote:i noticed today when looking for the circus train that at the union street crossing near BJ's that they have installed a 3rd siding/passing track. Its on the west side of the main track. Its only about maybe 100ft long and looks like it was done today.

Most likely its just a pannel of track waiting to be installed.

Sirsonic wrote:

2005Vdub wrote:i noticed today when looking for the circus train that at the union street crossing near BJ's that they have installed a 3rd siding/passing track. Its on the west side of the main track. Its only about maybe 100ft long and looks like it was done today.

Most likely its just a pannel of track waiting to be installed.

I'll check again today, but this was pretty long and it looked set to me. But i'll double check.

and the crews were out today at the franklin ave crossing doing some work on the passing track.

I down union ave again the other day, its just track waiting to go in. They had it stacked 3 rows high. Top row was wooden ties, rest concrete. Would those be used for the crossing?

ok..i'm still confused..how will this tie in with the new meadowlands station? i thought the entire line was going to go through the new sports complex? I asked this question a few months ago..it looked on the plans like the very south end of the PVL would be eliminated to swing through the stadium and come back in somewhere near rt3??

The entire PVL is not being rerouted via the Meadowlands/Xanadu at all.

As mentioned in other posts, the spur is but part of a (stillborn?) proposal to link the West Shore Line with Secaucus/Hoboken.

the sports complex station is just a spur correct IC? Not all trains would be going to it.

Oh ok..this makes more sense now..so the spur will diverge off the PVL or main/bergen and end at the meadowlands. This will be a shuttle train type service.
So with the intense work on the sidings on the PVL..I still say they'll be done by July 31 st..the latest.

northjerseybuff wrote:Oh ok..this makes more sense now..so the spur will diverge off the PVL or main/bergen and end at the meadowlands. This will be a shuttle train type service.
So with the intense work on the sidings on the PVL..I still say they'll be done by July 31 st..the latest.

Plus, you got to allow time for automating the interlocking, installing the new signal systems, testing and all of that jazz.

northjerseybuff wrote:Oh ok..this makes more sense now..so the spur will diverge off the PVL or main/bergen and end at the meadowlands. This will be a shuttle train type service.
So with the intense work on the sidings on the PVL..I still say they'll be done by July 31 st..the latest.

From what I've heard "local" PVL trains will run the spur but MN expresses won't. IMO a Hoboken to Meadowlands DMU shuttle would make the most sense. NJT wants to buy from DMU's this would be a perfect test bed (not the Northern Branch).