Beesley Again

[ReadingAve]

Yesterday, the morning (automobile) rush through Haddon Heights (and the other towns along the route I'm sure) was interrupted by a rare train (at that hour) heading East. I myself had just missed it but my wife and kids were caught on the wrong side of Station Ave trying to get to school. My wife described it as a long train of CSX gondolas.

Probably wishful thinking here but is there any chance they may be firing up the plant in Beesley's Point to cover the one in Deepwater that has been cut off due to the accident in Paulsboro?

[nomis]

As reported on the SJRA group, it was a Ballast train that has been making the rounds on Shared Assets these past few weeks.
The ballast train made it's way towards PAL and back on the BEES ...

MP 11 Stratford-
http://manatree.rrpicturearchives.net/s ... id=3296910

Crossing New Freedom Road in Williamstown-
http://manatree.rrpicturearchives.net/s ... id=3296912

From the platform-
http://manatree.rrpicturearchives.net/s ... id=3296913

Crummy going away shot of the 2622-
http://manatree.rrpicturearchives.net/s ... id=3296915

Rear units NS 9589 & 9661-
http://manatree.rrpicturearchives.net/s ... id=3296916

The entire train just about halfway across New Brooklyn Road-
http://manatree.rrpicturearchives.net/s ... id=3296919

(all images credited)

[ReadingAve]

I was afraid someone would say that. I miss the old coal trains. I live a block and a half from the tracks and "in the old days" there were some nights I could feel the slight vibrations of the trains passing as I lay there in bed.

[Ken W2KB]

Yesterday, the morning (automobile) rush through Haddon Heights (and the other towns along the route I'm sure) was interrupted by a rare train (at that hour) heading East. I myself had just missed it but my wife and kids were caught on the wrong side of Station Ave trying to get to school. My wife described it as a long train of CSX gondolas.

Probably wishful thinking here but is there any chance they may be firing up the plant in Beesley's Point to cover the one in Deepwater that has been cut off due to the accident in Paulsboro?

Deepwater was converted to natural gas a couple years ago. That fuel comes via pipeline, not rail, so no impact from the derailment.

Beesley's Point is also slated to be converted to natural gas in the near future, one coal unit not later than next year, and the other not later than 2015.

I believe that there are only 4 coal fired electric generating stations left in NJ. Two of them are PSEG Fossil LLC's Hudson and Mercer stations; both receive coal by barge.

[wolfboy8171981]

Probably wishful thinking here but is there any chance they may be firing up the plant in Beesley's Point to cover the one in Deepwater that has been cut off due to the accident in Paulsboro?

Beesley's Point still gets coal trains. While they hadn't gotten any for a long time in late 2010 to mid to late 2011, since late 2011 they have gotten a coal train a few times, maybe one every two months or sooner.

[Ken W2KB]

Probably wishful thinking here but is there any chance they may be firing up the plant in Beesley's Point to cover the one in Deepwater that has been cut off due to the accident in Paulsboro?

Beesley's Point still gets coal trains. While they hadn't gotten any for a long time in late 2010 to mid to late 2011, since late 2011 they have gotten a coal train a few times, maybe one every two months or sooner.

For the last year or two, since natural gas got so cheap, it would not have been economic to burn coal. But there are considerable electric transmission reliability constraints in south NJ which effectively prohibited the import of cheaper generation from the west. So the station has unexpectedly been running a lot more than expected, even though at higher cost, for reliability. There are approved transmission reinforcement projects in the area, in part driving the conversion from coal to gas. The other part is the expiration of emissions waivers for coal.

I remember well the long coal trains passing through Bayonne on the CNJ in the 60's, and seeing the coal dumper operate from the deck of the CNJ ferries. One could ride back and forth for as long as one wanted as fares were only collected on the trains and those exiting on foot the Jersey City Terminal. Was an impressive sight.