CMSL Cape May (NJ) Seashore Lines Non-Passenger Operations

This thread is for the discussion of CMSL Freight and Car Storage operations, and it's physical plant.

Please note that while honest critique of the operation is welcome, this is not the place to settle scores. This is a private organization, and not a Yelp! review site. Railroad.net is NOT liable for what's posted here, but if it's inflammatory or libelous we will delete it and investigate. CMSL is a private operation, not a not-for-profit.

We'd like please to keep it constructive and honest.

Does this forum include the proposed NJSL operations up north in Woodmansie? I know it's not CMSL but it is a proposed freight operation by the same owner.

Yes. We had a separate thread for that before, but based on my observation of the web-site, I decided to put that type of post in this thread. Of course, I defer to David.

This might have been answered long ago, but can someone explain to me why the NJSL is a separate body from the CMSL? And, in addition to that, if the tracks up at Woodmansie ever get reopened, what equipment might power it and how might it get there? I might be reaching, but wondering if anyone knows.

Does any of the "old gang" see any activity on the Southern Secondary between Lakewood and Woodmansie? Looking forward to any updates. I read that the crossings from Squankum Road to Route 9 will be gate protected and work is in progress. A good sign for future increased traffic on these rails. Harv (Teeman1770)

I drove around Whiting three weeks ago and had not seen any changes. Could the crossing upgrades be related to any updates to rail safety laws?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTYuCymqrro" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

An article from about two years ago on the Seashore Lines.
http://m.shorenewstoday.com/cape_may/ne ... l?mode=jqm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
By the way, I drove around Whiting between rt.539 and Wranglebrook rd. and passed through Lakehurst on Union Ave. last night (along the Southern Secondary) and have seen nothing new. Too bad the crossing on Rt. 539 is still not bolted to the rest of the tracks.

Just wanted to contribute this attached link and text about the cleanup and redevelopment of the former Heritage Mineral site in Manchester Twp. I hate to contribute speculation, but could there be some kind of possible connection here with the transfer of dirty sand out, or clean sand in with the railroad? I've read through all the former posts about the sand shipping through this area on here, but this is the first I've heard of anything about sand shipping involving this site. Sorry, I lurk more than I post.

http://micromediapubs.com/radiation-cle ... rals-site/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Radiation Cleanup Comes To Heritage Minerals Site

By Jennifer Peacock

MANCHESTER – Remediation of 45 contaminated acres within the Heritage Minerals site begins this month.

Manchester Township Mayor Kenneth Palmer announced the work.

“In June, Hovsons Corp. will commence remediation of the Heritage Minerals site and large earth-moving equipment will be in operation. I am requesting that motorcyclists and ATV riders not ride on the tract of land. In addition to being a trespass violation, with the heavy earth-moving equipment at the site, any dirt bike riding on the site can be a significant safety issue,” he said. “Please be mindful.”

Those acres are contaminated with radioactive tailings from the site’s mining days.

Council president Brendan Weiner stated earlier this year that all parties involved were looking at three ways to remediate the land: remove the contaminated soil from the site, which would require many heavy-duty vehicles traversing township roads for many months; dump the soil in the property’s lake, which is deemed safe but unpopular; or, mix the soil with sand to bring the radioactive levels down to a level acceptable by local and state entities, then cap off the land. No homes would be built on that land.

The developer hopes to switch out that 45 acres with an equal amount of acreage elsewhere on the 7,000-acre site. After years of legal wrangling, a settlement in 2005 allowed for 1,000 to be developed. The agreement allows Hovsons to build 2,205 age-restricted homes on 728 net-acres. Losing 45 acres causes them to lose about 150 units.

As of press time, the location of the 45-acre swap has not been determined.

However, with the downturn in the market for age-restricted homes, the developer and township are looking for other ways to develop that land. A May 1 story in The Manchester Times details the vision for Manchester—a downtown area with big box stores, single-family dwellings, apartments and condominiums similar to Robbinsville’s Washington Town Center.

Change of plans has been met with resistance.

“They can change the development design and the type of housing of the project, but they can’t change the development area of approximately 1,000 acres that was designated by the 2004 Settlement Agreement. The footprint of the developable area of the settlement agreement is part of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) and the DEP Coastal Regulations. Very careful analysis of the impacts to the natural resources and the threatened and endangered species went into the designation of the developable area,” Theresa Lettman of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance said in The Manchester Times May 1.

I got a better Idea... how about leave the whole place the hell alone and not build anything there?!?!?!?! I know this is not the place for this debate but this is one of the principle reasons I took my family and left New Jersey. It's like an unwritten rule that every square inch of NJ eventually needs to be developed. Any besides - put in 1000 homes and you'll have 750 people standing next to those track protesting a train going by disturbing their peace.

I guess I'll post here since there was some talk awhile back of the CMSL looking to add (Purchase) the Barnegat branch to their trackage with Clayton's 13.1 miles. I drove by the Builders General/Ciba Geigy siding. I saw that someone (state?) cleaned up that little creek that follows the track off Rt. 37 They took all the abandoned RR ties thrown in around that creek and stacked them nicely on the tracks right at Rt.37 These probably came from when they re-did that section back in 1978?

I was told today from an unofficial source that NJSL's portion of the Southern Division has apparently been sold back to Clayton. I really do not know the truth of the matter and wish I could shed some more light on this. Has anyone else heard anything about that?

Sold back to Clayton? I was under the impression that Clayton always owned the line and just hired CMSL or NJSL to operate the line.

I really don't want to cause any speculation, not what I was trying to do! I was told this yesterday along the Southern Secondary from another "rail fan." That's why I said I really don't know the truth of the matter. I actually didn't know that Clayton still owned the line until now

Yeah to my knowledge (And I know there are more skilled data miners on here than I) Clayton has owned the line (13 miles) since 1983-ish and contracted Ashland to run it. That fell apart (quite literally) when some hoppers derailed due to poor track conditions. A couple of years ago Clayton increased our heart rates when they contracted with NJSL to run the trains if they ever got it running. So there may be some element of truth to what you heard in that its possible Clayton relieved NJSL of their duties - most likely because they don't plan to run a train on the line for the foreseeable future.