When do trains run on the Northern Branch??

Trains run M-F.

Northbound in Tenafly !0-11Am.

Crew lunch stops in Closter north of Dock Road.

Southbound about 2:30pm.

Sometimes it skips days.

Last Thursday July 15 South Bound 2nd Engine derailed.

Was rerailed on Friday about 2P.

Alert.

Coming in September;

Opening of a Cafe in the Tenafly Station.

Interior completely renovated with Waiting Roon being restored to original appearence

I live in Englewood and work in a building that is next to the tracks in Northvale. This line occasionally runs up through Northvale usually in the late morning or early afternoon. Runs are at best a couple of times a week. In Englewood is Admiration Oils (supplier of restaurant vegatable oils) which receives many tank cars of bulk vega oils almost on a daily basis. I used to catch the train running south somewhere between Tenafly and Englewood about 5:45 - 6:00 pm many times a week. Lately for the past few weeks, I haven't seen it. This is a line that is quite erratic, you just have to spend a day and hope they have a large consist and just chase it. Good Luck.

The local up to Northvale derailed on Wednesday. This is at the last customer on the line. Two SD40-2's and an NS boxcar ripped up a bit. Saw a post on the YahooGroups for CSX Riverline. Drove by yesterday around 2:45 PM and they were still working on it.

If you go to the Paris Avenue crossing up in Northvale and look to the north, you can see it.

Train is symbolled by CSX as LC 777, on duty Mon-Fri at North Bergen at 0530. Sign up used to be later, but was pushed back to ensure all the switching at Admiration Foods(better known as Supreme Oil) doesn't tie up down town Englewood in the middle of the day. the crew goes at least this far every day, with Weyerhauser and Cove(where the derailment occured) being north of town by a couple of miles. Rason for the derailment is still being investigated. The tracks are so-so at best up to Englewood, and then really suffer from there north. Why CSX unses 6 axle power is anyone's guess... Train used to be called "WPNB-51" under CR, and for those with memories also used be known as the "first northern", as yeard ago there was more thna one drill jon/travelling switcher that worked the branch. Conrail did soome significant rackwork about 20 years back, but that was the last significant investment in the line. Having operated over the line several times, I can attest its somewhat picturesque, but it needs a LOT of work! 10 MPH is considered too fast in several spots....

WPNB-51, forgot about that symbol.

It's really a testament to the decline in Bergen county's industrial base when you realize that there used to be two Northern switchers five days a week plus two Pascack switchers five days and one on Saturday. There was enough work to keep all those jobs busy.

Passaic County: A switcher out of Suffern covering the Main and BCL, a guy working out of Getty yard, plus the NYSW working the big lumberyard, the beverage guy, a dedicated switcher at Marcal for a few years, Sears used to get a dozen in and out a few times a week for Maywood. Coupla loads every day for the Record.

That makes the second derailment, on the Northern, in July.

A loco hit the ground in Tenafly on the second or third Thursday in July. Just north of Riveredge Road. They retrackted it the next day a Friday.

There have been 3 derailments, on the line, this year. The first was also in Tenafly, north of Central Ave. That happened in January or February just before the big snow storm.

The line was out for nearly a week.

Diminishing service, worn track, high taxes(?), prime suburban real estate.

The future doesn't look bright for the Northern.

Anyone care to lay odds on abandonment (at least north of Englewood)?

xXwelderXx wrote:I dont know why no buisnesses take advantage of the warehouse space in Northvale along the Northern ROW.

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Truck access in that area is quite difficult. Many streets are limited to local or lighter trucks, 9-W and the GSP are not available. And, I don't think that part of Bergen County is especially welcoming to trucks, industry, etc.

Anyone care to lay odds on abandonment (at least north of Englewood)?

If abandonment occurs, look for acceleration of efforts to convert the Northern into light rail. With no freight service, it would mean no time restrictions for passenger ops...