Middlebrook / Chimney Rock branch: NY corruption story?

It's late October, and still the tracks haven't been laid, nor the roadbed prepared, to extend the track the remaining 1/10th of a mile into the quarry. I just drove by the end of tracks last weekend, when taking my kid ice-skating.

In the mean time, a new retail center is getting built next to the tracks.

What a waste of state money.

March 8 2017: still no activity at the end of track to complete it into the quarry. I did see a NS crew on the branch apparently surveying the gauge of the line, but could only guess that's preventative maintenance.

ANything new on the quarry connection?
Last August 20 (back in 2018) there was a post the Freehold Secondary thread by ccutler that said

the track to chimney rock looks like it may finally be going in

viewtopic.php?f=127&t=52499&start=1095

I was there today for work. There is a small 2 track yard with a cross over track. No cars staged

Nothing has Main St...the first RR crossing on the branch...in more than a year. It looks like Somerville Lumber is no longer a customer, or the line is embargoed, and the quarry isn't using the RR. What a waste of taxpayer money!

Thanks guys. It sounds like a good news (the track is in) / bad news (nothing running on the line at all) story, with the bad news dominating on a high level.
JS

The new rail bridge over route 22 cost millions!

There was at least one run to the quarry with 5 cars last year. When construction season begins, hopefully they will start to use the line. Somerville Lumber is out of business so the quarry is the only potential customer, unless a shipper moves into the old Somerville Lumber facility.

I was pleased to see a cut of 9 NJT gravel cars at the beginning of the Chimney Rock branch today. Maybe there will be more business to come on this very rarely used branch.

Are those cars loaded? If not, it’s possible that NS MA-20 might run there tonight.