CMSL Cape May (NJ) Seashore Lines Non-Passenger Operations

[southern sec. kid]

Saw the brush Cutter/ Track broom at Lacey Road Rt. 530 this morning. Don't know if it made it any further than there today as I couldn't stick around for long. Would have snapped a few photos but I showed up with a dead phone!

[pumpers]

Thanks for the update - that is about 6 miles from Lakehurst and halfway to the sand pit already.
Jim S

[southern sec. kid]

Just saw a picture on Facebook with the track broom parked on Conrails side of the Crossing in Lakehurst. The Cape May Seashore Lines truck was down there too.

[martinschulze]

Regarding the abandoned/not abandoned line thru Whiting - assocaited with Claton... I'm seeking some updated information. As of mid April, there has been expensive upgrades to RR crossing warning signs (flashing signs located a few hundred feet on either side of the crossing. at the 539 crossing.) But the rails are disconnected, and bent upwards just north of the roadway. I don't usually pass that way and have no idea of how long this has been there, but the warning signs look very new. I had been doing some photo work a few miles SW about the beautiful abandoned rail amongst the pinelands - when the active appearance at 539 caught my attention. M

[martinschulze]

I'm thrilled to say my post of today led me to a number of recently published notes about the Claton rail topic. Looking forward to more info and progress reports. M

[Ken W2KB]

Regarding the abandoned/not abandoned line thru Whiting - assocaited with Claton... I'm seeking some updated information. As of mid April, there has been expensive upgrades to RR crossing warning signs (flashing signs located a few hundred feet on either side of the crossing. at the 539 crossing.) But the rails are disconnected, and bent upwards just north of the roadway. I don't usually pass that way and have no idea of how long this has been there, but the warning signs look very new. I had been doing some photo work a few miles SW about the beautiful abandoned rail amongst the pinelands - when the active appearance at 539 caught my attention. M

It's my understanding that the disconnected rails is Conrail and would be repaired by that railroad if and when interchange service is requested.

[CJPat]

My wife and I took a ride southwest towards the Clayton sandpit to see what progress was made.

In Lakehurst, we found the track broom on the railroad north side of the Union St crossing downtown looking like they are waiting for it to be picked up. I didn't get a chance to see north up the tracks to look for the removed rail by the bridge relatively under the Rt 70 overpass to see if it was still missing, but I am guessing it is still removed. I am guessing the track broom was delivered by truck and will be picked up the same way. The tracks looking south looked very nice and clear as far as the eye can see.

In Whiting, the Broom made it out to Rt 539 crossing and no further since the rails at the crossing are still disconnected and hanging a couple of feet in the air. Gotta do something about that as well as the missing rail sections immediately south of that crossing that was stolen several years ago.

In Woodmansie, out at the Clayton Sandpit, nothing has been done with the track itself that I could detect, although relatively still clear of vegetation. The curious thing of note was that at the northern truck entrance, Clayton built a nice big concrete apron from the gate to Savoy Blvd. Of particular note was the removal of the huge berm of Sand that lined the old driveway entrance blocking the ROW. It was completely dug out to ground level. In fact they had cleared it about 200 yards north down to the top of the rails and cleared it a good 50-75 feet wide so you can clearly see up the old ROW northwards. Immediately south of the driveway, the ROW is lost in thick pine trees.

[jrzwalker86]

Martins.... please see this link with lots of pages written about Clayton's portion of the old CNJ Southern division.
viewtopic.php?f=127&t=31458&hilit=woodmansie&start=1530" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The 539 crossing was rebuilt in August 2013 in which I posted pics.

[meeks]

Perhaps "CNJ being cleared from woodmansie north" should be reopened??

[NJRAILNUT]

Was thinking the same thing the other day....don't want to jinx it but it may be time...

[scottso699]

My dad went down and check out the action going on down in Lakehurst and he came upon a whole crew replacing ties south of Union Ave! Look out for flying pigs!

Here is a link to the picture he took:
https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/ ... e=57D97C8E

THey also connected the crossing at 539!

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/ ... e=57D81F25

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/ ... e=57C94AA8

[pumpers]

Wow. Now that it is all connected, it's time to get the tracksweeper back down there for the remaining ~6 miles from 539 to the sand operation. JS

[David]

Beautiful!!!! More pictures please. On that first picture, is that the Tom's River secondary to the left?

[rrbluesman]

It is great to see that work is progressing up there, thank you for the pictures! Silly question, is that the old CNJ rail or is it new rail? I know the crossings are new, but unsure about the rest of the rail itself.

[scottso699]

It is great to see that work is progressing up there, thank you for the pictures! Silly question, is that the old CNJ rail or is it new rail? I know the crossings are new, but unsure about the rest of the rail itself.

Hi Ed,

So far as I know it is the original CNJ rail and none of it has been replaced. If my memory serves me, this whole line was upgraded back in the 70's to 136 pound rail - only to be OOS in 1978. What a waste. Hopefully it can come back to life again.