Lower Boonton Line Status

[krapug]

Is there any new news on the Lower Boonton Line??

On my weekly trip to Kearny I saw what looked like an inspection crew of some sort standing on the outbound track ROW just west of the Passaic River Bridge. Needless to say that by now the entire ROW through Kearny is taking on the appearance of a garbage dump.

I know that NS filed an abandonment petition, but have any bidders filed (NYGL, NJ Transit, Hudson County) ??

Frankly it stumps me that NJ Transit did not want to maintain this route as a single track "detour" route if nothing else. I know that they sited costs of the 2 movable bridges (although WX has been welded shut), but NYGL has disputed the condition of the single track Hackensak River swing bridge.

What's the latest??

Ken

[njt4172]

Ken,

NJT and the NY&GL had some sort of settlement in court back in late January! The settlement entailed NJT to hold public hearings for lower boonton line commuters...It also said that NJT has 45 days to respond and make a decision whether or not it will resume service on the lower boonton line....If they decide NOT to resume service then the NY&GL will run the service themselves...It has been past 45 days, but I have heard nothing! NJT claims the 2 bridges on this segment are in poor condition, but NY&GL claims they are in fair condition and can support trains....I'll haveto check up on this....

Steve

[Irish Chieftain]

Frankly it stumps me that NJ Transit did not want to maintain this route as a single track "detour" route if nothing else

Most likely they didn't want to keep paying rent to Norfolk Southern. NJT doesn't own that line after all IIRC...

And as for detour routes, consider that NJT does not maintain tracks that they do own, such as the Elizabeth Industrial Track (former CNJ main line Aldene-Elizabethport).

[JLo]

Just thinking about it from a security perspective, NJT can't police what it is responsible for now. Why add to its burden of having to police two more bridges and 15 miles of little used rail?