R.J. CORMAN Allentown operations

Does anyone know if R.J. Corman Allentown Lines runs up the -ex Lehigh Valley line to West Catasauqua? The track looks really bad, but I wanted a shot coming under Route 22. Any info appreciated.

I may be wrong, but i believe the tracks run under Route 22, all the way up to Race Street, in order to serve The Morning Call plant. I'm not sure when the trains run. Perhaps other people could tell you more.

~Roon

Is there any website on the internet that has alot of information on the Corman in Allentown? I would like to someday go out and chase a train when I'm in the area but I don't know the correct information on the trains in that area. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Take Care.
Jeff

Corman does not run up that far anymore. The Tarkett flooring plant in West Catasauqua closed a few years ago. I have very occasionally seen MOW gons up at the end of track. The Morning Call unloads at the Corman facility at Linden St. in Allentown.

Corman has had proposals to rebuild the track up to the Whitehall Cement plant in Egypt, because they would like to receive coal trains and maybe ship cement out, but the two sides are at odds over who would pay for it. Hey, it would take a LOT of heavy truck traffic off the local roads. I suspect things won't happen until there's pressure to reduce that traffic. I believe the plant is now owned by a French outfit. Need I say more?

Yeah, that'd be nice to see that become reality. I don't know who'd pay for this project though. That would give Corman some business.

Sorry to revive a long dead topic, but I didn't find any more recent info in a quick search of this site... Anyway, I just recently drove through Allentown and the ex-LV rails at the crossing at Hamilton Ave. (and both the main and the branch at crossings on Union Ave.) look pretty well overgrown and unused. Has there been any recent news on this line? Also the portion crossing beneath Route 22 appears to no longer be in use. Just curious what's going on, because it certainly has the appearance of a "future rail trail" (sadly). thanks in advance....

Lafarge is the company which owns the cement plant. I can't imagine what thier being French has to do with anything...

Lafarge is, indeed, interested in rail service and I believe the ROW is intact as well as some rail within the plant site (last time I was there). I'll trust the reports that there is a dispute over who will pay for the rebuilding, but hope that perhaps the state will step in and pony up the cash. The truck traffic into and out of the plant is ridiculous.

(I'm reviving this because there's more info out there now, with the rebuilding of the Barber branch.)

That cement plant you're talking about is long gone now, it's currently a junk yard/car restoration company. The tower for the plant was ripped down a few years ago and all the graffiti was painted over. In the other part of the plant is dirt and construction is going on for something, idk what though..

If they rebuild the Traylor Yard and the Barber lines, it would only serve Allentown Metal works (hills imports) like planned. Further down the line is WENZ memorials which used to have rail service, but they're selling the property, so looks like they're out of the question too.


WENZ Memorial Factory by Cliffson, on Flickr

If somebody wants to see inside photos of the factory let me know :]

The head stone factory was the last customer on the barber branch. They were at the end of the line. The owner said they used to get rock in from Vermont and the shipments were fast. Then came PC and CR and shipments were taking weeks and service got sooooooooooo bad they nixed rail service.

Even if they rebuilt the branch I doubt any RR these days would be interested in serving a stone customer that gets one car every 3 months anyway.

February 2012 issue of Railfan & Railroad has an article about RJC in Allentown.

http://carstensbookstore.com/february20121.html

-otto-

The Lafarge plant is not "long gone", but remains active this very day. Lafarge remains interested in rail service, but it appears as though no progress is being made from what I've read here today.

Perhaps there was another plant further south on the line that is being referred to as having closed and been converted to a junk yard.

http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readin ... enDocument

"By petition filed on August 15, 2011, RJCN ... states it intends to restore rail service over the line [Barber’s Quarry Industrial Track], and that it and Allentown Economic Development Corporation have executed a letter of intent for reactivating rail service, including re-construction of the connection to RJCN’s existing and operational main line."

Does anybody know why the RJCAL doesnt get boxcars of newsprint in anymore for The Morning Call in their Linden St. yard