Is the Middlebrook Industrial Track quarry history?

[RailsEast]

A couple of pics from the temporary loading area at the south end of the MIT; looked to be 12-13 cars to be loaded....

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3242731
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3242746

[ccutler]

Good news!

The branch has been heavily rehabbed through at least the first 1/4 mile and Somerville Lumber is back on-line! I was riding my bike today and took some photos:

The second photo shows the siding into Somerville lumber, which obviously could use some leveling but didn't get it'; they did have a boxcar spotted in their facility today.

First, the end of the line as it stands today. Rails for the overpass stand ready for installation, but don't hold your breath, it will take a while.

Note I accidentally reversed the order of the photos.

[Bracdude181]

Old thread bump.

What’s been going on with this line? It seems like it was rebuilt only for like 1-2 trains a year!

[ccutler]

...or no trains per year. NJ Transit is the only likely customer, and they have sourced ballast off of the NYS&W. Somerville Lumber is out of business. Basically NJ Transit wasted over $10 million rehabbing a branch, installing expensive signal upgrades, and building expensive overpasses at Route 22 for a 100% loss.

[JohnFromJersey]

how many miles is this branchline, jeez? wish they pissed away this kind of money for lines like the Southern where it's actually used

[Ken W2KB]

how many miles is this branchline, jeez? wish they pissed away this kind of money for lines like the Southern where it's actually used

The branch is about 7,000 or 8,000 feet long I believe. About 15 years ago when NJT built a 3,500 foot long passing siding in Readington, where the CNJ used to be double tracked, without any need for bridges just ballast, rail, two switches, and two signals, the cost was about $10 million as I recall. Today that siding would likely have cost $15 million or more.

[Bracdude181]

NJ Transit paid to fix the line? Then why do all the crossings say Norfolk Southern on them? I thought they did the work?

Also WOW. NJT will pay 10 million for this line but not fix Farmingdale to Freehold and get the freight trains off the Coast Line? That’s pretty sad. Says a lot about the people running NJT!

[eolesen]

NS owns and dispatches the line so the blue sign calls would need to go to NS.

Not sure why NJT paid for upgrades as a customer, or why they switched ballast suppliers.

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[Bracdude181]

The last recorded train on the line was also an NS symbol. (MA-20) Hmm…

Still though. NJT spent all that money just to decide “Oh were just gonna get ballast from somewhere else.”

Makes zero sense. Seeing as how they had $10 million to spend and they complain about Coast Line freight so much then why on earth didn’t they spend that on Farmingdale to Freehold to eliminate that problem or something else that could benefit NJT? It was only ever used as needed in the first place.

[CharlieL]

Hey, this is Joisey !! I'm sure that money benefitted somebody !! Wink, wink.

[CR7876]

Such a shame. The Conrail Conveyer Train used to go there from the Southern in the late 80's early 90's.

[eolesen]

Did NJT actually source the money or did they attach it to the US-22 project?

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[CR7876]

Did NJT actually source the money or did they attach it to the US-22 project?

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It was part of the US-22 project when they removed the grade crossing.

[eolesen]

It was part of the US-22 project when they removed the grade crossing.

Then NJT didn't really pay for it, they just managed that aspect of the larger project. And rightfully so, tax dollars preserved access to what is still NS's ROW.

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[Bracdude181]

The last recorded train on this line.

https://youtu.be/5yZo2i0QxfE

Question. Since MA-20 is apparently an NS symbol does that mean that mean the quarry is an NS Customer and not a Conrail customer?