Freehold Secondary OOS Section

[ChrisU]

Passed the railroad crossing again, snow still broke through and the brush is clear heading away from gold lumber down towards yellow brook rd. anyone know whats up with this?

I don't know,can you post pictures? I know SA31 hasn't run in a while, where any crossings clear on the Southern too?

[GSC]

Went by there this morning. Those tracks might be snowmobile tracks. Need more investigating, didn't have a chance to look closely. "Something" was through there. The rutted tire tracks alongside the rails heading to Freehold have seen use too.

[Blackseal Jim]

While investigating the circular concrete thing last week ( not sure what it is) I also saw the OOS portion headed to the old diamond really cleared. Those poles run from Farmingdale all the way to Freehold between substations.
Jim H

[hajelliott]

I seem to remember that the OSS section (Freehold to Farmingdale) has got to remain because Earl ND has to have a second means of entry.
I was told this on more than one occasion.

I can remember in the late 90s seeing maintenance equipment run down the OSS section from Freehold to the siding in Farmingdale.
Also there use to be flange marks cut into the accumulated mud from time to time where the line crosses Yellowbrook Rd.
If I recall correctly they did a few "brush cuts" on the OSS.

[gravelyfan]

I seem to remember that the OSS section (Freehold to Farmingdale) has got to remain because Earl ND has to have a second means of entry.
I was told this on more than one occasion.

Al, probably the biggest reason that this segment of the line remains intact is that it is owned by NJ TRANSIT. It was acquired in late 1970's (actually by NJDOT before NJT was formed). NJT also owns the Southern Secondary from Red Bank to MP 63.
Rich

[GSC]

Rich;

Where is MP 63? I can never quite remember the mileage of the Southern.

A few years ago, I saw flanged-wheel track maintenance machines by the Howell Station Road crossing. Not in a while tho.

Gary

[gravelyfan]

Rich;

Where is MP 63? I can never quite remember the mileage of the Southern.

A few years ago, I saw flanged-wheel track maintenance machines by the Howell Station Road crossing. Not in a while tho.

Gary

Gary,
Going from memory here, don't have any maps in front of me, but my recollection is that MP 63 is a little south of where the Glidden spur left the Southern. For reference, Union Ave in Lakehurst is about MP 65.9.
Conrail owns the section between MP 63 and 65.9.

[Blackseal Jim]

Hello fellow "Creekers" From what I have seen , nothing has been down south of Okerson Rd in a long time. There are trees 2 inches in diameter.
Im still surprised Rich, that since NJT owns this OOS section, wouldnt it benefit them to rehab this section , have Conrail run from Browns to Lakewood via Freehold ?
Jim H

[gravelyfan]

Wow, this is like a on-line "UFG" reunion.

[GSC]

When the OOS section is reopened, we can lobby for it to be called the UFG industrial track.

U F G I T (Uff-git)

There are a truss factory, a concrete pipe place, and one of Stavola's plants online. Maybe we can sway them to look into some rail service?

Wow. How much did I save on studies just then?

[TSTOM]

Pardon if this is in the wrong thread or wrong locale but was told one of the surviving ex-ERIE-LACKAWANNA now NS SD-45 behemoths was spotted going thru Freehold proper last Friday. Since it reportedly sports a plow, the speculation was it was clearing ice/snow at grade crossings on this line.

Is this Freehold Secondary trackage ?

[CTL10D]

Hey Bottles, just think we can operate our UFG-IT trains with your t-shirts on, and not get yelled at for it haha By the way, tenatatively March 26th and 27th we`re ripping out and relaying that section of track on curve 3 at Pine Creek if you are available, beer is on me sunday nite lol. As far as the OOS section, I never understood why they wouldnt open it up and have SA31drill both lines in one shot, guess that makes too much sense. catch ya later -Chris

[Blackseal Jim]

When the OOS section is reopened, we can lobby for it to be called the UFG industrial track.

U F G I T (Uff-git)

There are a truss factory, a concrete pipe place, and one of Stavola's plants online. Maybe we can sway them to look into some rail service?

Wow. How much did I save on studies just then?

Gary, I think someone owes you about $25,000.000. for your engineering study !!!! Chris , Ill see what I can do for you . Kinda ironic, the 3rd curve is next to the long gone PRR Farmingdale to Sea girt line . Dont know about the SD 45 coming through. That would be something to see . Im pretty sure they come into Browns.
Jim H

[southern sec. kid]

Where 524 crosses the OOS section of the FIT There is now a Big Street cone inbetween the rails going toward Freehold probably acting as a stop marker for whatever has been using the row. More brush looks cleared, you can see all the way down the row

[GSC]

Except for snow build-up, this is an excellent time to mow down brush. We got so much done in the cemetery during this time of year, almost caught up before everything started to grow again.

I'm sure there are business and tax and insurance advantages to not using the OOS section. If it were worth it to rehab and open the whole F&JA, I'm sure it would've gone farther than the MOM plans already. (Then again, if it was all open and in service for freight, would the MOM route have been established without all the nonsense we've witnessed for all these years?)

A little more freight traffic would help too. A train every two weeks down the Southern isn't much incentive to rebuild the OOS section. Seems the Freehold route, as far as Prestone, gets more traffic than the Southern anymore.