The Freehold Secondary Mystery

So what are your guys thoughts on the out of service section? Great idea? Waste of time?

Two empty centerbeams at BG as of 4PM. Not sure what the status of the boxcars were. Maybe this evening or tomorrow?

Tonight would seem like they are on a normal schedule of sorts Mon or Wed nights with a sometimes daylight apperance on a tuesday.

How do I feel about the OOS? Its not needed but it would be a nice link to still have.

Eric Mezzo wrote:So what are your guys thoughts on the out of service section? Great idea? Waste of time?

This is what I know.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 27&t=45618

I have not heard the train horn all week, the only chance for them to becoming this way this week is tomorrow morning unless they are coming down tomorrow and working the Southern Secondary on Sunday like last week.

Just went by builders a few minutes ago on the way home same cars as you said Andrew.

I didnt hear a train all week also. I thought I had lost my hearing. As far as the OOS section to Farmingdale, bring it back . Im sure NJT would love to get freight off the Coast Line. It seems to make more sense to go to Farmingdale through Freehold than Browns to South Amboy, to Red Bank then Farmingdale. I would be wild to see a 20 car train coming through Freehold!
Jim H

I don't know it seems that COSA is just going to keep defering maintence on this line. If it keeps up SA-31 will be running at walking speed. The last maintence of any kind I saw on the Freehold secondary was in 2004 when they cut back all the brush from the grade crossings. Oh and they did replace the crossing at Agway in Englishtown, but I don't remember when that happened. I guess all of the money is going to Port Reading Junction.

I agree with Jim about reactivating the OOS section. It seems logical to keep freight lines and passenger lines seperate. We should write a petition to CSAO! About the crossing at Agway, it was completed in summer 2005. I also saw a buried rail spur in the grass behind Agway. What used to be there?

Agway used to recieve rail shipments, they had an elevator at that site. In the mid eighties ( I believe 1984, Englishtown Fire Department website used to have pictures) the elevator caught fire and burnt. If you look at the building you can see the discolorations on the roof where it used to be. After the fire Agway did not do enough "bulk" business at that site and discontinued rail service. Here is some of my pictures to help.

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff17 ... MG1238.jpg

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff17 ... MG1229.jpg

SA31 went back to Browns from the Southern today. Maybe expect it tonight or tomorrow would be my guess.

On the way to my fathers in Englishtown, from work, spotted what I believe to be SA-31 sitting on the wye facing eastbound. CSX 4412 (long hood forward) with 1-Boxcar. The reason I'm unsure is because the boxcar doesn't have an EOT on it, so I'm wondering if that train is the local which works the Dayton Branch (SA-33?). That was at 2:55pm.

Reopening the OOS section would make sense, keeping freight off the Coast Line (for what freight there is), and the line reopened could be a further push for MOM service.

Ok that was SA-31, just blew for the crossing at Mt. Vernon Road.

Well that means train today and Saturday for Santa...