upturn in freight on RV line?

[necrails]

What if any freight activity is there on the RVL between Cranford and Bound Brook?

[ccutler]

Almost none. There is one active customer that receives plastic pellet cars between Plainfield and Dunellen. Everything else is inactive or gone between Aldene/Cranford and Bound Brook.

[ccutler]

I saw two gondolas spotted in the finderne siding again. One was GNBC 4194. If anyone can figure out what they are shipping I'd be interested to hear.

[NYSW2300]

Rebar

[ccutler]

Thanks NYSW2300. That would make sense because a large warehouse is being built within 1000 yards of the siding. They'll need plenty of rebar to build the high capacity flooring.

[ccutler]

I saw a TBOX 60' # 666180 being unloaded at the same Finderne siding today. It was plywood this time, for a local lumber company I believe. One flatbed ~20 ton truck was almost loaded, and a second waiting to be loaded. So I am inferring that they are using this siding for local transloads.

[BigDell]

It's been pretty much forever since I've seen any freight on the RVL. Who delivered the recent cars? NS? CSX? Is this Conrail Shared Assets? Conrail still "owns" the ROW from Elizabeth to E'Port yes? Just curious...

[ccutler]

It is NS territory. Yes it will be forever before you see a real freight train on the RV line that is not a local switcher.

[ccutler]

A few notes: The Chimney Rock branch tracks to Somerville lumber haven't been used in at least 6 months.
What is still active:
Gondolas continue to be delivered at the siding near Finderne avenue, next to the fleet of covered hoppers, which thankfully still provide traffic.
The old Fisher Scientific continues to receive tank cars.
The customer just west of Plainfield still gets covered hoppers, as does the transload at Bound Brook.
But that's it. Everything else is inactive.

[riffian]

So all traffic is now confined to Bound Brook/Rahway area. Where is the former Fisher Scientific?

[ccutler]

Fisher is a mile or two West of Raritan yard.

[riffian]

Thanks - I meant Raritan not Rahway.

[ccutler]

I am very pleased to see grading work has been done on the last 1/2 mile of track for the Chimney Rock branch into the quarry. Also, NS track crews were busy upgrading the remainder of the branch with a significant tie replacement program and the replacement of at least one RR crossing. So we may finally see NJT gravel MOW trains make it all the way to the quarry, instead of having gravel trucks shuttle the 2 or 3 miles from the gravel pit to the RV line.
I don't think Somerville lumber on this branch has received any loads in at least 6 months. Hopefully that consignee will return when the tracks are upgraded.

[ccutler]

Within the last month track has been laid, not yet ballasted, into the quarry area. Perhaps this work will be done this spring once and for all. I think the lumber yard may have closed, so the only customer left would be NJ Transit buying stone from the quarry.

[pumpers]

thanks for the update - it has been a long time in coming . I personally had given it up for dead. (O yee of little faith!) JS