RE: (erielack) NY Trip

["Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul)" <paultup_@_lucent.com>]

Ed Montgomery wrote:

> Last week I had to make a trip up to the homeland of Wayne, NJ.  I 
> did make a trip into New York over the EL -- Yeah, I still 
> call it that.  
> Just to give you and idea that I am from the dark ages, the $7.50 
> ticket is a bit steep for my memories.  I remember when EL got the 
> approval to move the round-trip to $2.04 and I thought that was a lot.

Dover-Hoboken (peak time) is $12.80. Ouch!  But it's SO convenient! (plus I
enjoy riding on the EL!)

 
> A couple things I noticed:  The team track sideing has been rebuilt 
> at Little Falls.  This is the track where Beattie used to 
> load carpets 
> at.  It has not been used for decades and now it is rebuilt.  I'm 
> wondering what NJT's Plans are for it.  I doubt there is any freight 
> client coming along.

The team track was rebuilt to store MOW equipment (!!!) - they also rebuilt
the west end of the "old yard" lead at Boonton a few years back as well,
also to store MOW equipment.

 
> The siding just east of the Peckman River bridge -- is that the only 
> freight customer between Little Falls and Hoboken left?

Well, there's also Hartz Mountain on the Orange Branch, and a customer on
the east end of the Newark Branch (both reached by the Boonton Line), but
beyond that, most of the sidings are shorn of their switches... :(

 
> Rolling through Great Notch, I was amazed to see how much work 
> has taken place.  I noticed a lot of parking places at the 
> Notch curve 
> and east of it along with a substantial building.  Is NJT moving the 
> Great Notch station?  If so, it will be rather close to Montclair 
> Heights.  

I had heard the substantial building is a crew office (and the parking
spaces are for NJT crew members)

 
> I suppose that will be my last trip on the line east of 
> Walnut street.  
> NJT seems to like the concrete ties at the new connection.  I didn't 
> realize such a significant cut had to be made to connect the two 
> lines.

The cut is misleading - it's fairly small, but I think a large part of the
walls is to keep the locals away from the tracks in this confined area.

 
> What is going to happen to the existing Greenwood Lake line from 
> Walnut Street to Hoboken?  There's not a whole lot of need for it 
> aside from some passengers.  The tracks leading to the Orange 
> Branch were shiny.  There must be some freight activity there.  
> Crossing the Passaic River, I was wondering if there is any more 
> river traffic requiring that bridge to be swung open?  The wood 
> racks are in terrible shape, rotted away.  The Hackensack River 
> bridge seems to have more river activity around it.  Is there any 
> freight traffic on the east end of the Newark Branch 
> requiring that to 
> remain in place?

The Greenwood Lake east of Walnut Street is to be single tracked, and will
be operated by NS to reach the Orange Branch and the Newark Branch east end.
I don't think that WR (West Arlington bridge over the Passaic River) has
been turned in decades. Nothing big enough to warrant its rotation comes up
the river anymore. DB (Hackensack River span) is fairly active, however, and
barges do go up the Hackensack to Hackensack itself...


> The ferry building still needs a lot of help.  Are there any plans to 
> start running New York Waterway in to that location.

There were plans on getting the NY Waterway ferry into there as opposed to
their "temporary" loading station, but I'm not sure where plans are on that
- - anyone know?

	- Paul

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