Re: (erielack) Re: EL List Daily V3 #1955

[Charles_Walsh_@_Berlex.com]

When the EL management made the decision to sell off the Boonton Line
around Garrett Mountain in Paterson there was very little through freight
that was moving over the DL&W side.  That was 1961-62.  So, it was thought
that the decision would have very little impact.  Further justification was
that the impact on commuters would be minimal because there still would be
a station in Paterson, albeit on the other side of town.  Needless to say,
we can now look back on the decision and only shake our heads.  Even if
most of the traffic hadn't been shifted back to the DL&W side (which it
later was), it clearly was a shortsighted move.  Further, when Conrail
embargoed the entire Hoboken to Binghamton route a chief rationale that was
given--whether we choose to believe it or not--was that the removal of the
Garrett Mountain section rendered the entire route useless, particularly
when Conrail had several other routes to choose from.  Obviously, the
Pocono grades, as well as the climb to Clarks Summit, also played a role in
the decision, but the removal of that four mile section was the final nail
in the coffin.

If the EL management hadn't been so desperate for cash, the route might
have remained intact, as Gary points out.  As far as I know, the initial
plan was to include one track, but the DOT commissioner (it was actually
the Highway Department in those days) hatched a plan to avoid having to
condemn additional houses adjacent to the right-of-way by enticing the EL
with money to drop the idea of keeping the one track.  I think a couple of
million dollars was involved, but don't quote me on that.  No matter what
the "enticement" was, it wasn't worth it in the long-run.  When I go
through that section of I-80 I try to imagine how the track would have
run--whether in the center or off to the side of the ROW--and sometimes
fantasize that the track could be put back...but the cost of doing so now
would be astronomical.  This was clearly, in my opinion, at the top of the
list of EL boneheaded moves.

Chuck



                                                                                                                                  
                      "Gary R. Kazin"                                                                                             
                      <gkazin_@_yahoo.com>                                                                                          
                      Sent by:            To:     EL List <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>                                            
                      erielack-owner_@_list cc:                                                                                     
                      s.elhts.org         Subject:                                                                                
                                                  Re: (erielack) Re: EL List Daily V3 #1955                                       
                                                                                                                                  
                      03/15/2006 08:04 AM                                                                                         
                      Please respond to                                                                                           
                      "Gary R. Kazin"                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  



- --- "Bill K." <pontiac_@_dreamscape.com> wrote:
> So were the people who lived along the line, isn't that where they
> dumped a number of trailers when they first started running the trains
> through down there instead of on the Erie side?

Yes, on the NY&GL which became part of the Boonton Line.  They derailed in
Montclair or Bloomfield IIRC.

> At least I remember reading that somewhere, probably in a 1975 issue of
> Railfan ages ago.   Seems like the routing was a little odd because it
> turned out they actually could have used to have kept a portion of DL&W
> that was given up for either I-80 or maybe I-280 -

Roughly four miles of I-80 between Mountain View and Paterson, including
the old Paterson High Bridge over the Passaic River.  NJDoT wanted part of
the route for the highway and offered to provide a single track through
the area, but they would have provided no money to EL.  EL opted to get
money and no track.

Gary R. Kazin
DL&W Milepost R35.7
Rockaway, New Jersey

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