Trains and operations in Browns Yard

>>What about heightstown? Heard that got flooded too.
I think the Camden & Amboy track is gone south of Jamesburg.

@nkloudon only up to a certain point. Conrail runs about 2-3 miles south of Jamesburg on Monday and Wednesday to serve the two remaining customers in the area. (Tyler Distribution and Berry Plastics) I have heard that the floods damaged this section of track as well but have yet to confirm it. I’d go myself to look but roads were still closed as of last night and I’ve been working on my car for a few days.

SA31 has been in Heightstown for over three hours now and they are trying to run around the train...

Train will be going through Jamesburg towards Freehold after a quick break.

>>Conrail runs about 2-3 miles south of Jamesburg on Monday and Wednesday

According to a 1960 Official Guide, Hightstown is 8.2 miles from Jamesburg., after Prospect Plains (3.0) and Cranbury (4.4).

Track gets to within about a mile of Hightstown, with a missing section just south of and adjacent to the turnpike along Cranbury Station rd. Track continues from there for a ways but is obviously in bad shape. It looks like there were plans to put in a spur at that point to serve a nearby industry.

It’s kinda funny that the line is called the Hightstown Industrial Track when it only goes as far as Cranbury lol. I say Hightstown because it’s easier to say when the line has that name.

Regardless they spent a long time working Berry Plastics. They had 10 cars for the line which I believe is the biggest in quite some time. Then they ran around the train which I don’t get as they could’ve just as easily shoved back to Jamesburg. Only two crossings to worry about.

Also, I’m surprised they didn’t derail at Mount Vernon Rd on the way to Freehold. The tracks are horrible right there! All bent and out of gauge.

Apparently SA22 ran to Port Reading last night! Anyone know what that’s about?

I just moved to Monroe near Applegarth Rd. Yesterday, I heard a job signaling for a crossing (thought I saw an "X" block on the track north of the Applegarth crossing and that nothing was moving to or from Brown's from Monroe). Thought I read earlier in the thread that the track was severed in Hightstown (by the bypass) so I didn't expect anything coming north. Anyone know the current status of that segment of track and what jobs work in that area?

@E-44 The Hightstown Industrial Track is now out of service between Applegarth Road and Interstate 95 due to a lack of customers. Chamberlain and Barclay was the last active customer and they went out of business in 2019.

Berry Plastics and Tyler Distribution are the last two remaining customers. SA31 works the line at least once a week.

Got it. Thanks!

@E-44 No problem.

What are the speed limits on the Amboy? From both ends of Browns Yard.

GSC wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:30 am What are the speed limits on the Amboy? From both ends of Browns Yard.

Browns to Jamesburg I believe is 25. Beyond Jamesburg is 10. Browns to South Amboy was 25, now 10 after Ida.

R&DB, thanks for the info.

Being a map-o-holic, I love looking at old and current maps.

I often wonder why PRR didn't keep that once-huge yard encased in the wide curve west of South Amboy instead of Brown's. The big curved yard was loaded with coal gons and hoppers when South Amboy had that coal terminal and had quite a few tracks. It seems to me that this yard would be more convenient for freights coming in from the north over the Raritan River bridge and the C&A in general. Brown's seems out of the way. Just a thought.