NS to retain Lower Boonton line??

[many19]

All these talks are really going out on weird tangents.

My real question would be:
Is it worth it for them to keep it for future rail service when they know for a fact that both DB Draw needs some mayor work?
Also the bridge that crosses Kearny into Bellville I believe where NA tower used to be is also in very very bad shape.
The foundations of those piers are eroding away with time.
I think the right of way is the easy job for them but those bridges will be a mayor undertaking if they really think they can put the money to it.
I hope I can see it in my lifetime.

Comments are always welcome
Many

[SecaucusJunction]

The article doesn't really say that the possible traffic in the future would have to be through freight trains. It is possible that NS is eying some online customers along that route for possible future use.

But, with rail trails, isn't it supposed to be a rule that the railroad could take the route back later if traffic warranted?

I'm sure NS wouldn't want a trail right next to their track for liability reasons.

[Roadgeek Adam]

All these talks are really going out on weird tangents.

My real question would be:
Is it worth it for them to keep it for future rail service when they know for a fact that both DB Draw needs some mayor work?
Also the bridge that crosses Kearny into Bellville I believe where NA tower used to be is also in very very bad shape.
The foundations of those piers are eroding away with time.
I think the right of way is the easy job for them but those bridges will be a mayor undertaking if they really think they can put the money to it.
I hope I can see it in my lifetime.

Comments are always welcome
Many

Its WR Drawbridge by the way . WR was given minor repairs by NJ Transit, but not much during usage. Yes right-of-way is easy, but a major part of getting at least to Arlington for anything means probably millions in studies for the structural design of WR Drawbridge. If there are ways to let WR have a standing life of 25 - 30 years without total replacement, I could go for light rail cars crossing the bridge to prevent extra weight compared to heavy rail.

[Jtgshu]

There are huge, massive capacity expansion projects that take place all over the country, and dealing with two questionable drawbridges isn't that big of a deal. Again, the head honchos look at a bigger picture, replacing a drawbridge is not much different than boring out a tunnel for double stacks, or a double track expansion on a track that never had one. Yes, its going to cost money, but they look at the potental revenue compared to the cost, and thats how things are justified.

How many millions do you think it took to rebuild the Newark Branch? That wasn't a "quick adn dirty" job, there was a lot of equipment, and a lot of guys and they were there for a good period of time, not a day or two. They spent the large sum of money because they feel they can recoup the investment. if they feel they could return the investment on the costs of rebuilding the lower boonton line (the existing track isn't in bad shape at all, and would require minor work to get back up to main line speeds) they wouldn't bat an eye at spending the needed cash to rebuild the drawbridges, and get things running.

As for NJT, sure they are a hinderence, but there is only so much they can do to prevent freight. And that method of operation of eliminating all freight could change at the drop of the hat, especially if state or fed cash is used to fund part of the freight rebuilding

[SecaucusJunction]

I think it can safely be said that it would take a heck of a big traffic increase to get NS to ever consider using the lower end of the Boonton Line again. The Boonton Line has never been a good route for routing heavy trains as the EL found out and Conrail didn't want to try.

IF (and that's a BIG if) the traffic on NS ever gets too much for the Lehigh Line, NS's next option would be to utilize the Southern Tier route out of NJ to Binghamton and points west. After that, if they still needed more room, I'd say the NJT RVL would probably be a better option and more cost effective... though it does not necessarily help from Roselle Park east.

Neither the Boonton Line route or the RVL route would solve any congestion issues west of Phillipsburg, through Allentown to Harrisburg though. If the Lehigh Line gets over congested in NJ, you better believe that the Harrisburg Line will be even worse.

[many19]

How many millions do you think it took to rebuild the Newark Branch? That wasn't a "quick adn dirty" job, there was a lot of equipment, and a lot of guys and they were there for a good period of time, not a day or two. They spent the large sum of money because they feel they can recoup the investment. if they feel they could return the investment on the costs of rebuilding the lower boonton line (the existing track isn't in bad shape at all, and would require minor work to get back up to main line speeds) they wouldn't bat an eye at spending the needed cash to rebuild the drawbridges, and get things running.

Quick and dirty you are right but worth every minutes of it. The West End of the Newark Branch had a sign seal contract with WAS terminal for 300 tanks a year more or less.
Once that was settle NS had no choice but to do the work.
The Lower Boonton is dead and those bridges and no easy task to deal with. Engineering wise. They are beautiful but old.
Many

[Jonathan R McCann]

Innovation Fuels signed a deal with NS for 200 cars a year and other than Van Ness, there is still one abandoned siding in tact in case of freight use. WR now has missing pieces of rail on the remaining track.

[sullivan1985]

WR now has missing pieces of rail on the remaining track.

No suprise there. Thats 132LB main line rail. NS is not going to let that go to waste on a dead railroad.

[Jonathan R McCann]

I know that WR might be torn down this weekend thanks to Earl along with a few other things....

[SecaucusJunction]

Oh don't believe all the media hype about this storm. It's all there to scare you into reading their stories and buying their newspapers. We'll be lucky to see a few showers from the storm. It's going out to sea

[blockline4180]

Oh don't believe all the media hype about this storm. It's all there to scare you into reading their stories and buying their newspapers. We'll be lucky to see a few showers from the storm. It's going out to sea

Haha okay there Frank Field!

[sullivan1985]

I know that WR might be torn down this weekend thanks to Earl along with a few other things....

Bridges just don't get torn down in a weekend. Especially one like WR.

[Jonathan R McCann]

I know that WR might be torn down this weekend thanks to Earl along with a few other things....

Bridges just don't get torn down in a weekend. Especially one like WR.

with this so called Hurricane "Earl" you never know....especially cause that bridge is crap; ive seen it from a bunch of angles, its crap.

[Roadgeek Adam]

I know that WR might be torn down this weekend thanks to Earl along with a few other things....

Bridges just don't get torn down in a weekend. Especially one like WR.

with this so called Hurricane "Earl" you never know....especially cause that bridge is crap; ive seen it from a bunch of angles, its crap.

WR is probably in better shape than DB is. Takes a lot to take out a bridge standing down that also has room to let water through. WR isn't a normal bridge reality. The deck needs a lot more than just heavy downpours to take it out. NX could probably get a lot of wind damage compared to WR.

[n01jd1]

I think when the Panama Canal expansion opens up, a LOT of what we know was "normal" traffic patterns for freight in the region and the country has the potential to be VASTLY different. And it would be silly to obliterate ANY ROW that goes ANYWHERE near NYC or even through or around the port of NY/NJ and the region as a whole. The RRs have been caught with their pants down a few times, and to do something like that so soon before a possible major change like the Panamax ships (or whatever the new, bigger ones are called) would be silly.

There are basically 2 unused ROWs (and 1 underutilized in the Southern Tier) that go into the heart of the region, the Boonton Line and the CNJ. Just having that flexibility is priceless. Even if they aren't used, they still COULD be. Would the CNJ be NS? I konw it goes into their Eport Yard...would htey have the rights to operate the rest of the line?

there are problems with both lines, but nothing that would be impossible. We might think of them as big problems, but in the big picture to the corporate railroader, they are minor. Money can solve lots of problems wiht these "major issues"

I too think that that map with the Cresent Corridor is NOT a mistake. the Cresent Corridor is being promoted and touted too much to have a major, glaring mistake like that.

Why would anyone need to UPGRADE physical plant when the Panama expansion opens? The result of that would be less intermodal freight for the railroads and more crap going by truck. I see the loss of a good chunk of intermodal traffic unless the railroads can somehow move containers faster or cheaper than ships. Keep in mind Railroads do NOT like hauling stuff short distances. If its not long haul and profitable, they would let trucks take it in a heartbeat.