INFO. The Boonton Line is barricaded (two ties across the rails) at MP 8.4, allowing service to Hartz Mountain but no farther east. http://www.nj-arp.org/hot496.html NS Requests 'Discontinuance' on Ex-Boonton, Newark Lines Class I railroad Norfolk Southern Corp. (NS) has filed with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to formally discontinue all service on two rail lines in Essex and Hudson counties, totaling approximately 10 miles. The request, which falls short of a request to abandon the two lines, was filed Dec. 29, 2004. The rights-of-way include the Newark Industrial Track between Milepost 4.3 and 8.1, spanning the Meadowlands up to the Passaic River Drawbridge (just short of Newark), and the ex-Boonton Line, between Milepost 2.2 (West End, in the Meadowlands) and Milepost 8.4, or Forest Hill, in Newark proper. Because the two lines join(ed) in the Meadowlands (at Milepost 4.3, "DB Junction") and were used for NS' last freight customer, NS is treating the two lines as one in its filing. NJ-ARP closely monitors the status of the ex-Boonton Line east of Montclair, since the line offers numerous passenger rail possibilities. Not least of those is an extension of the Newark City Subway west to Montclair and northeast to Belleville -- a possibility even New Jersey Transit continues to acknowledge as desirable. To that end, NJT holds the right of first refusal should Norfolk Southern move to officially abandon the line, a position NJT nailed down even as it ceased using the ex-Boonton Line when the Montclair Connection debuted in late September 2001. (NJT was the last major customer of any kind on much of the line.) NJT informed NJ-ARP Jan. 3 that NJ Transit is aware of the NS action, and is watching the situation closely. But an NJT official noted that since the move by NS is not a formal request for abandonment, no action by NJT is possible (nor required) at present, since NS retains ownership of the rights-of-way. NJ-ARP reiterated to NJT its oft-stated wish for the transit corporation to remain alert on this matter. NJ-ARP's Board of Directors meets Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Café Beethoven, Main Street (Route 124), Chatham, N.J., one block north of the Chatham train station. Contact NJ-ARP at 201-798-6137 at least three days prior to the meeting if you plan to attend. All are welcome. ===== Gary R. Kazin DL&W Milepost R35.7 Rockaway, New Jersey http://www.geocities.com/gkazin/index.html __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone. http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo ------------------------------
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