Waverly Loop

Conrail seems to be on track to wrap up their Waverly Loop project soon, which will allow continuous traffic flow between the Upper Bay Draw and the P&H line. It was sold as a flexibility improvement for the North Jersey terminals + an investment which would facilitate northbound moves of traffic out of Greenville. Can any on here speak to whether we should expect any changes to the train plan in the terminal area following this project? Or will its use be entirely bespoke?

A presentation on it for those not familiar:

https://www.njtpa.org/NJTPA/media/Docum ... 041921.pdf

Both tracks are built and usable. Currently C&S is upgrading three switches as radio controlled DTMF style operation. Also wayside automatic signals are being built between CP-Stock and CP-Pike.

As of now it looks like the Loop will supplement the National Docks in moving North/South traffic out of Port Newark/ Port Reading.

Looking at Google maps (where the new connectors to the P&H are not yet complete, but you can make out the ROW), it looks like the existing connector (coming from the Newark Bay bridge) heading to what is now the Amtrak/NJ Transit corridor in a westbound direction will be removed, as the new northbound connector to the P&H will cross it, and the westbound connector be replaced with a new track further compass south. Do I have it right?
JS

Before the project. Both P&H tracks went to Lane, Track #1 turned into the Stock Siding and #2 into the Lane Running Track at " WA-5". The Island Running track ran from where the West End of the Bayline yard, Oak Island Track and Oak Island Running track came together to " Island" where it connected with the Lane Running Track and Stock Siding.

After the project. Near where "WA-5" was a switch was installed on P&H #1 where the Stock Running Track ( Old Stock Siding) runs to to Lane. At the West end of the Bayline Yard where the Oak Island Runaround came together two switches were installed on new P&H #1 ( old Oak Island RT) Bayline yard to #1 and then #1 to Lane Running Track ( old Island Rt) to Lane. The new construction was from near WA-5 to the west end of the Bayline. Aty CP-Pike the Oak Island Running Track is now P&H #1, Oak Island Track is now P&H #2. The switches at " Island" have been removed

For Trains going to/from Metuchen the options are 1.Stock Siding for P&H #1 at CP-Stock, 2. CP-Pike P&H #1 or Bayline Yard for Island Running track.

Hope this helps.

Thanks. I had to dig up a few maps online to understand all (well, most of) what you wrote.
A recent Trains.com news article: https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... vice-area/
A map from the PRR days: https://www.redoveryellow.com/position- ... jersey.gif

I can't imagine there was much if traffic using the old connector to go westbound on the NEC, maybe a daily Conrail round trip to Metuchen Yard? Was there any regular traffic using the old connector to go from the ex-PRR Greenville branch (Bayside yard, Greenville, the port area, ....) to get on the P&H westbound, and then reversing to go north (east?) on the P&H to the Point no Point bridge and beyond (or in the reverse direction)?

Jim S

The only traffic to the NEC is a daily turn from Oak Island to Metuchen.

On occasion, there is some NS traffic from Croxton to E-Rail. That traffic would either run via the National Docks, or down the P&H to the Lehigh Line and either run around the train, or shove from Valley.

Operationally the new routing is probably much more reliable than having to deal with the draw bridge just east of Oak Island. Moreover, a maintenance problem with the many bridges in Jersey City or the long tunnel would no longer be a major risk.

I’m guessing this will be used 99% by CSX?

I guess someone wants to be able to go north from OI without using the upper hack draw/nat docks sec/bergen tunnel......

We have been using them for storage.

So what’s been going on with this line? Any trains using it? If so, what percentage of trains have been using the loop vs previous routes?

We're using it every day.