CSX River Line (West Shore) Double Tracking?

On the radio, I heard one of the guys saying DCS rules will be in effect during the few days it will take to put CP76 and CP78 in service. I'm somewhat familiar with NORAC rules, does DCS mean the same thing on CSX rules, just using ec1s instead of form Ds? Why does it take so long to get the signals on-line? Do they do lots of testing?

LOTS of testing. CTC circuits are pretty danged complex.

OK, lots of testing makes sense. As for the rules, does DCS in the CSX rulebook mean basically the same thing as in NORAC? I also heard the same guy say CP87 and CP69 would be spiked. Does that mean they are also shutting down both sidings at the same time the CP76/CP78 testing is in progress? That would leave a 50 mile stretch where no trains could pass.

Can I move this discussion a lot farther south? In Harrington Park, NJ, just north of Lafayette Road, there's a green temporary sign stuck into the ballast that I assume is something like "resume normal speed". Anything going on around here, or is this just an indication of normal maintenance activity?

I think there's still a speed restriction over Old Hook Road since the crossing has been rebuilt, theres still an approach sign in Haworth just past mp 14. Not sure why it hasn't been lifted. There's also been a flagman at mp 14 where a new bridge is being built over the tracks, but I doubt that's related.

Yeah, that's got to be it. I hadn't realized that the construction signs on Schraalenburg related to the crossing repair... thanks!

Since the weekend, trains have been using the new siding between CP76 and CP78 with the switches manually tended.

It appears the new siding between CP76 and CP78 is in normal service now. They're still building track on the CP78 to CP80 siding. A new bridge has been installed over the creek next to Old Post Road (just south of CP80).

Old Post Road has been closed over the past few days since they are cutting in the crossing for the 2nd track.

n2xjk wrote:Old Post Road has been closed over the past few days since they are cutting in the crossing for the 2nd track.

More freight is running over this line now than the NYC ever ran. Its pretty exciting seeing the second track put back, even if it is piece by piece.

If they ever restored the double track from cp10 northwards there would probably be even more traffic flowing since there wouldn't be the bottle kneck in the single track.

2005Vdub wrote:If they ever restored the double track from cp10 northwards there would probably be even more traffic flowing since there wouldn't be the bottle kneck in the single track.

The big expense with that would be the grade crossings. There are eight of them between New Bridge Road, just north of CP 10 and New Milford Avenue in Dumont near the old CP 13. Further north, there are an additional nine crossings between Dumont and the State Line. Wiring and maintaining grade crossings is expensive, but so are freight delays.

Does any one know what the lenth of the new siding being built at Fort Montgomery? Where is the northern end going to be?

Here's the scoop on some River line happenings. First off, in relation to the slow speed at Old Hook Road, the "slow order" in the area is actually north of that, at MP 16.3 to 16.4, and is a 25 MPH slow order. had to do wioth the curve and the small bridge just north of the crossing. so all trains have to get their speed down in time, some get to the 25 MPH mark sooner than others.
As for the siding construction work, a footnote to the West Park Project. The northbound home signal at CP 78, just north of the Rte 9W overpass9 in a brillaint piece of planning) will be relocated to the south side of the bridge where it should have been placed intitially.
In regards to the Fort Montgomery siding, there are several aspects to note here. not having been on the forum for a while, i ask your indulgence if I am repeating something already out there....
North to south, here's whats being installed: New signal 38, replacing the one at the north end of the Tompkins Cove power plant siding; to be located adjacent to the Stoney Point detector, next to the boat achors along side of 9W. Single face northbound, dual face south, as this is the distant signal for CP-35.
Automatic signal 40N/S to be retired.
New Signal at MP 41 to replace this as well as signal 41N/S. located at the Iona Island crossing. Southbound single face, northbound dual face, as this is the distant signal for CP 43.
Home signals in both directions associated with CP 43, at MP QR 42.9.
New Grade Corssing signals with gates at the Marina Crossing, just south of CP 43.
Automatic signal 44N/S to be retired
New Home signals in both directions associated with CP 45, MP QR 45.8.
Automatic Signal 46N/S to be retired
New signal at MP 47.2 . Northbound sigle face, southbound dual face, as this is the distant signal for CP 45.
Automatic signal 49N/S retired and replaced with a new signal at the dame location. single face southbound, dual face northbound, as this is the distant signal for CP 52.

Track installation is complete at this time, but tamping and alignment is still needed, as well as the testing of the signals. Probably won't be up and running before Mid february, weather and conditions permitting.

Hope this helps.

Interesting stuff here, I have lots of great memories (and a few that were
not so great too) of working this line in the mid to late 70's and early 80's,
guess I will need to "requalify" at least in spirit.
Noel Weaver