Status of CMSL to Cape May?

[themallard]

WEST CAPE MAY - County Road No. 626 (Broadway) will be closed Oct. 11-12 while repairs are made to the railroad grade crossing, according to County Engineer Dale Foster.
Cape May Seashore Lines and its contractor will be working on the grade crossing weather permitting.
Broadway will be closed to all traffic between Stimpson Lane and Central Avenue while this work is being performed.
Detour route for the closure will be New England Road to Bayshore Road to Fourth Avenue.
County crews are in the process of installing detour signs.
"The improvements to the railroad crossing are necessary and long overdue," Foster said.
For information contact the County Engineer's office at 465-1035.

http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/arti ... 0.06.2006) Cape May County Herald

This is on the Cape May Point branch. What's CMSL planning?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cape+May, ... 5&t=h&om=1

[themallard]

This explains it

New Jersey Department of Transportation Projects
Rail Highway Grade Crossing Program, Cape May X35D1
Seashore Lines
MILEPOSTS: Seashore Line 53.3 - 80.0
This program will provide funding for the elimination of hazards at rail-highway grade crossings and the installation of protective warning devices for the entire 26.7-mile length of the Cape May Seashore Lines (Tuckahoe to Cape May City). $500,000

According to the budget it's $500,000 each year fo the next 4 or 5 years.

[PRSL1972]

So my question is this. It is a good idea to have warning devicies at the roads that have cross bucks, but why spend the money on this project if there was very limited rail service from cape may to cold spring village?

[glennk419]

The CMSL website has been updated to show that the Santa Expresses will be running on Sundays from Thanksgiving to Christmas between CMCH and Cape May City. I guess this answers any questions on equipment utilization but does anyone know if the bridge is back in service?

[chuchubob]

The bridge repair was completed in October.

[glennk419]

Excellent! Thanks Bob

Hopefully no one will run into it again.

[PRSLFAN]

I hope that the CMSL operates to Cape May this year. It would be nice to ride between Richland and Cape May. That would be a great trip!

[blockline4180]

I hope that the CMSL operates to Cape May this year. It would be nice to ride between Richland and Cape May. That would be a great trip!

Well I heard they still haven't secured the funding for track upgrades between Tuckahoe and Woodbine so you might be waiting awhile for that to happen..

How much would it cost Tony Marcie to secure private funds to upgrade the tracks on his own?

[chuchubob]

Well I heard they still haven't secured the funding for track upgrades between Tuckahoe and Woodbine so you might be waiting awhile for that to happen..

The track between Tuckahoe and Woodbine has been upgraded; it's the track between Woodbine and Cape May Court House that needs upgrading.
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=248245
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... ?id=248246

Bob

[PRSLFAN]

Maybe NJ Transit will put some money into the upgrades. Its their tracks anyway. Or they just will not care. I read that some people wan't to see NJ Transit operate into Cape May but, would anyone ride into Cape May? Would it last?

[JJMDiMunno]

Well, I believe the deal with the CMSL / NJT agreement for lease was that CMSL would handle maintainance on the tracks, in exchange for the lease. Certain funds have come from the state in the past, however, to perform track upgrades as well as crossing signal maintainance and upgrades.

Like in any situation, there are people on both sides of the road...some are supportive of direct service to Cape May (myself included), but there are some who aren't supportive, and every one of us are entitled to support what we want. There are a lot of folks who don't believe something will work until they see if for themselves...and a lot of people aren't willing to take the risk involved with a move like that...seeing as how much money is involved...

I personally feel there will come a time when railroad service to Cape May from points north such as Philadelphia will become much more attractive to the general population than it is today...but that's yet to come...and a lot needs to be done before direct, profitable passenger service to Cape May City is an option.

Mike DiMunno

[lv414]

If this line had any chance to make money NJT would be running down there and not the CMSL. Just isn't the same market as it was 50 years ago when people rode trains to the shore. The state shouldn't have to pay everytime something has to be fixed and the CMSL should spend some of it's money to get the trains back running.
Roger D.

[Douglas John Bowen]

Seems to us that if the state of New Jersey (and/or NJ Transit) wants its property to retain its value for future use, it should provide at least some minimal upkeep of same. That's prudent, responsible fiscal management.

To the degree that landlord New Jersey Transit has done so for its Cape May Branch, NJ-ARP applauds such action.

To the degree that landlord NJT leases its property to tenants, that's NJT's business and, NJ-ARP would hope, ultimately beneficial to the same property. Should tenants (please note plural) benefit as well, NJ-ARP has no objection and, indeed, finds it curious why others would single out tenant(s) as culpable.

Certainly a (presumed rail) tenant ought to provide for its own "above the rails," and we concur with lv414 on this score.

[lv414]

Rode the Cape May Lewes Ferry yesterday and talking with the information people and they no longer have a deal with CMSL because of the spotty service provided. Said they had a train take people the Cold Spring Village in the morning but are now using the trolley buses to move the passengers..

[chuchubob]

The NJ-Association of Railroad Passengers Patrons lunch was held on Sunday May 20 at Tuckahoe, hosted by CMSL. A question was asked concerning the current status of the Cape May Canal bridge, and a Cape May resident reported that repair work was being done on the bridge last week.