Questions about Port Morris, Cutoff and Lake Hopatcong

Today, I finally found an excuse to take a train up the whole 19 zones on the M&E/Boonton to Hackettstown- my aunt who is a carmelite nun and is residing at Villa Maddona was having computer problems and called upon me to fix it. First of all, Port Morris is a great place. Really enjoyed riding through it. They had no engines in the yard (around 3:30), but they did have two strings of cars. One was a mixed NJT train set and the other was a solid MTA C5 set. Anyway, just wanted to say I really enjoyed riding through that.

I tried to see if I could find the cutoff. Can you see it from the tracks? Where does it or would it connect to the M&E?

Also, at Lake Hopatcong, we moved over to the other track (facing towards Hackettstown, it be the left track) to let off and take on passengers. I presume then that only trains terminating at Lake Hopatcong actually let passengers off from the track on the rightside (facing towards Hacketts.)

And I really enjoyed the ride. Lots of fun. I'll do it more often now.

When your at Hopatcong station heading west, The track starts to turn left to run along side the yard. You will see a BIG signal cabnet with I think "Morris Jct. sign. The cut off went straight here. You can clearly see the Tower with the cut off ROW to the left of it.

I don't know if you care but. The Morris Canal once ran right next to the Lackawanna at Hopatcong Station. You might notice the road bridge near the station has two arches, One goes over the tracks, the second goes over the parking lot. This is where the canal ran. Just to the east of the station parking lot, There was a small basin and then an inclined plane.

Also, If you look you can see the grade where the track came up to the old Hopactong freight house. The freight house was across the road from the station, right next to the bridge. There is a real estate building there now. I'm not sure but I have a feeling the real estate building may have been built on the freight house foundation. To see this grade, look left just west of the bridge at the station.

One more thing, There is a home made "railfan bench" up on a hill right behing Port Morris tower. There is trash cans there too. It has a pretty good view of the east end of the yard. To find it just walk up the trail behind the tower. You can't miss it.

Nick, the cars you saw at 3:30PM were the ALSTOM warranty work cars. They've leased tracks 1 and 2 for this purpose. Mostly the new MNCR cars these days. The first train doesn't arrive in the yard until 6:30PM.

And yes, w/b trains destined for the East end of the yard run on "A" track through Lake Hopatcong station while trains for points West, or a move going into the West end of the yard at Roxbury, use the single main track at Lake Hopatcong.

OK, thanks for the answers all. I did notice the bridge Scrap. And, next time, I'll get off there and try to find the railfan bench.

nick11a wrote: my aunt who is a carmelite nun and is residing at Villa Maddona was having computer problems ...

Isn't the 21st century a great place?

^I assume you are referring to the computer problems she was having.
And yes, the 21st century is a DEBUG ERROR: 69347204976543.

nick11a wrote:^I assume you are referring to the computer problems she was having.
And yes, the 21st century is a DEBUG ERROR: 69347204976543.

Actually I find the image of nuns using computers a bit incongruous. But perhaps I am just old.

Hey Nick,
Was that picture 0of #5031 at the siding at Murry Hill?

Yeah, they use computers now. My aunt used to be a hermit nun, but even though she Most sisters who aren't hermits even have e-mail. Times do change.

EDIT: Hey 4207, yep its Murray Hill. Not the siding though. That photo was taken from the Spring Street Pedestrian crossing about a quarter mile west of Murray Hill Station. The photo was taken at around 7:33 in the morning. It is a Hoboken train. That train makes its return trip as the 5:02 Gladstone from Hoboken. Currently, it has 4417, a Comet IIM, a Comet IV, a Comet III and Comet IV cab 5031.