Tiemtables & Schedules

I've checked Conrail's website, but it doesn't show anything in the way of Shared Assets operating schedules or timetables, specifically for the former CNJ Southern Division. The trains I do see appear to be on a need-be basis, running this Friday but not the next, and so forth.

Anyone know the scheduling, or where I can find it?

An occasional need to chase and photograph, might be nice to know when there is something running.

Many thanks!

GSC:You should check the "New Jersey Railfan"forum."CR on the Southern Secondary'thread.You'll learn that the CSAO train which serves industries on the Southern Secondary is the WPSA31 which also serves the Freehold Secondary.You'll not find a schedule for the WPSA31 but over the past year it has been running,on the average,every other week on the Southern,usually between Friday and Monday.It was last seen in Lakehurst on Sunday 1/27/08;I last saw it on Sunday 1/13/08.I hope this was helpful.
VJH

Thanks, clamdigger.

I see hi-railers more often than trains, I saw a set of headlights heading south this morning, looking north from the Rt 33/34 bridge at Collingwood.

I live within hearing distance of the Southern, sometimes I catch a horn. When I work at Freehold sometimes I hear a horn, but not very often anymore.

Used to be a weekly tank car delivery of antifreeze to a plant by Halls Mills Road east of Freehold, but that is no more, which was the farthest (compass) east the Freehold & Jamesburg still had rail service.

Freight trains do not operate on set schedules, railroads do not print timetables with freight train schedules in them. You can find out what day a particular train runs, when the crew goes on duty, but as for times of operation, that's up to many factors.

Try the New Jersey Railfan Forum for more information...

-otto-

Otto Vondrak wrote:Freight trains do not operate on set schedules, railroads do not print timetables with freight train schedules in them. You can find out what day a particular train runs, when the crew goes on duty, but as for times of operation, that's up to many factors.

Try the New Jersey Railfan Forum for more information...

-otto-

Otto and others, that is likely true in New Jersey as in most places but
here in Florida on the freight only Florida East Coast the freight trains do
run on a schedule that is printed in the employee timetable among other
places. Their timekeeping is probably better than Amtrak's timekeeping
here in South Florida.
Usually if I seek out a particular train and I do not happen to see it, the
reason is because it was ahead of time and had gone.
The only trains that occasionally vary slightly from the set times could be
the rock trains and not very often. The regular freight trains with vans,
containers and mixed freight are very dependable. It is very seldom
that they arrive into their final terminal behind schedule.
Noel Weaver

There are and have been rare exceptions to the "No Freight Schedules" rule, which usually disappear with the next management change. "Arranged Freight Schedules (which convey no timetable authority)" is similar to the title used in some PRR, RDG, P-RSL, and CNJ Employees' Timetables. Some, especially piggyback trains, were even published in the "Official Guide of the Railways", available to the public by subscription, etc. I'm sure I remember one of those public freight schedules that only listed the days at particular stations, but not the times!
Labor organizations and government regulators have been pushing for predictable regular freight schedules so that the crews can better regulate their sleep habits, but the railroads have been very good at explaining why that can't be done.
Just before the UP takeover, C&NW instituted some scheduled freight trains with timetable authority. The crews of all the other trains, running extra as normal practice, had to be retaught to stay out of the way of these new trains, that were superior by their timetable (class) rights.

Noel, absolutely correct- FEC is indeed a scheduled railroad (as is most of Norfolk Southern). I think Conrail had a few scheduled intermodal trains in the past (some trains had a specific cut-off time when your trailer had to be in the yard or else it wasn't going on the next train)...

The fellow was looking for current Conrail freight schedules, of which there are none available. Just crew call and on-duty times. The rest is up to Fate.

-otto-

Thanks for the help, guys.

I was looking over the "NJ Railfan" thread concerning exactly this. Looks like SA31 is a "betcha can't find me nyah nyah nyah!" operation.

Looking at the non-scheduling of this train, if I were a shipper/receiver, how would I know if and when I was going to see service?

Some Fridays I find it parked at Collingwood Auction, the locomotive in the "garage", under the Rt 33-34 overpass.

Used to watch those CNJ sand trains run through Collingwood, often with a mismatch of power (RS3 + SD35, among others), and a wobbly string of beat up old LNE and LHR covered hoppers. Miss those days.

About a year ago I caught an eastbound (north) running through Farmingdale, a Wednesday afternoon as I recall, two locos and one empty bulkhead. (Not from Gold Lumber, but from the south) Not the most profitable day on the line.

Otto Vondrak wrote: I think Conrail had a few scheduled intermodal trains in the past (some trains had a specific cut-off time when your trailer had to be in the yard or else it wasn't going on the next train)...
-otto-

All of Conrail's road trains were scheduled and published in an internal timetable by Bill Shephard's service design and planning department. Whether or not these schedules were adhered to on the non-intermodal side was another issue, however.