Re: (erielack) Abandoned ROW

[olsenkbce_@_juno.com]

Dear Fellow Enthusiasts,

The have been several replies to the following question:

> I was also wondering who has the responsibility for the Greenwood 
> Lake Branch from Mountain View to Riverdale?  

As someone who has followed the fortunes of that line for several years
allow me to throw in another two cents worth of verbiage.

New Jersey Transit has been lusting after that trackage for some time as
it would allow commuter trains from Sussex County to join the Boonton
Line at Mountain View and connect to New York.  Susquehanna fans will
remember that this railroad never really had a good outlet to the Hudson
River ferry terminals.  

There was a scheme proposed a few years ago where a hiking / biking trail
would connect Mountain View to Riverdale along this line but I am told
that the Susquehanna has its own plans for the track and opposes the
idea.  Those familiar with the railroad know that a footpath exists
alongside it and could serve as the trail provided a fence was erected to
separate it from the tracks.  (This is the arrangement on Morris County's
Traction Line Trail in Madison.)

About a year or two ago a truck ramp was constructed just off Route 23 so
that dump trucks carrying soil contaminated with radioactive thorium from
the former WR Grace plant in Wayne could transfer to gondolas.  NIMBY
Opposition closed this down before it was ever used.  

Finally there is the NIMBY issues generally.  The area is highly
developed as suburban single family housing.  There is a great deal of
local opposition to any plan to use the railway.

Still hoping to hike the line,

Kevin Olsen
Wayne, NJ




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