Article regarding the Chester Branch

mikedc3 wrote:So much for shovel ready.
Chris, A few things.
A, I read on here once that Ben Friedland purchased a short section of track around LK Jct so that even if the MnE lost the contract, who ever got it had to pay him. I don't believe this but do you know?
B, I saw a bunch of hard hats walking the line East from Berkshire Valley Rd this past week. Was one of them you?
C, How much in both time and money did the shakedown by Roxbury Township add to this project? I know you won't answer this one but....
Thanks.

The project was 'shovel ready' by June, but the NJDEP took this long to agree to a pre-application meeting date to discuss the project.....that meeting was held yesterday. In their wisdom they thought this was a restoration of an abandoned line. They had never looked at the plans or description of the project so they were throwing the book at it and wanted oodles of permits. Once they realized its in service and the project is a replacement in kind, with larger rail and new ties, they came to the realization that we don't need permits.

Answers to your questions;
A. I know that NS still owns the yard at Lake Junction, and M&E leases it, but I don't know if M&E owns any track in that area.
B. Yes, I was in the crowd at Berkshire Valley Road on Monday but only one person was wearing a hard hat
C. I will answer...Roxbury's cage rattling added nothing to the cost of the project and did not delay it. We had always planned on adding a fence between the tracks and their walking trail along Horseshoe Lake as that is required for safety. The NJDOT Rail Bureau has been a huge supporter of this project.

The County will be working separately with Roxbury on re-aligning their trail to be further away from the tracks. That work will be done with Township / County staff and equipment, but Roxbury is required to provide the design and get DEP permits.

We have also begun to suggest that Roxbury finally pass a resolution of support so State funding can be released to re-hab Lake Junction yard. This money has been sitting for a few years. Once Morris County takes ownership of the Chester Branch we will have more leverage to hopefully move that project along.

As the article in the paper today states, funding has been approved for the rehab project;

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/1 ... deral.html

Now we have to place the project out to bid.....

Did the DLW Chester Branch connect with the CNJ Chester Branch? Just wondering.

It's nice to see that the Mayor of Roxbury - despite getting essentially everything she wanted other than the railroad magically disappearing - is still not really on board.

RS115 wrote:It's nice to see that the Mayor of Roxbury - despite getting essentially everything she wanted other than the railroad magically disappearing - is still not really on board.

When the economy recovers and the former Hercules site is developed into 500+ condos the good mayor of Roxbury will wish the worst problem she had was a railroad.

firthorfifth06 wrote:Did the DLW Chester Branch connect with the CNJ Chester Branch? Just wondering.

No, the CNJ Chester Branch was a stub spur off the high Bridge Branch.

Also of note, the DL&W Chester Branch once crossed with the CNJ High Bridge Branch at diamond... It wasn't until 1983-84 that a new switch replaced the diamond giving access from the DL&W Chester to the High Bridge.

firthorfifth06 wrote:Did the DLW Chester Branch connect with the CNJ Chester Branch? Just wondering.

I would have to check my references but off hand I believe there was a connection between the two lines at one of the furnaces Iron in Chester. It was not a connection used to transfer cars, but I believe it was more a common siding / spur so both railroads could access various parts of the furnace on Furnace Road.

blockline4180 wrote:Also of note, the DL&W Chester Branch once crossed with the CNJ High Bridge Branch at diamond... It wasn't until 1983-84 that a new switch replaced the diamond giving access from the DL&W Chester to the High Bridge.

This is Ferromonte Junction in Kenvil. The new switch was installed when M&E began serving the Chester and High Bridge Branches.

The CNJ and DLnW absolutely connected in Chester. The ROW is clear as day on Maps.live.com.

cjvrr wrote:

firthorfifth06 wrote:Did the DLW Chester Branch connect with the CNJ Chester Branch? Just wondering.

I would have to check my references but off hand I believe there was a connection between the two lines at one of the furnaces Iron in Chester. It was not a connection used to transfer cars, but I believe it was more a common siding / spur so both railroads could access various parts of the furnace on Furnace Road.

THat is my recollection as well. I think the furnace area they both served was on the north side of Furnace Rd. JS

did the branch terminate in Chester or did it go a bit further? Also would it be possible to re extend back into Chester for future rail service?

As far as the mayor goes..she should be in jail. She is a hypocrite for saying that "We'd rather not have this project happen." When it was her Soprano like township that BUILT AN ILLEGAL PATH SO CLOSE TO THE ROW!!! Hard to beleive that excursions trains once ran out of that area a few times for the enjoyment and now the MN&E is treated worse then Jon Corzine. A classic case of a "Joisey Mayor" screwing things up. She doesn't mind filling her town with traffic from all those new condos and strip malls all over that town but gives a "Hell No" to the railroad for taking trucks off the road.

FRankly I say bring more service. Less trucks on the road and more jobs for the township.

NJTRailfan wrote:did the branch terminate in Chester or did it go a bit further? Also would it be possible to re extend back into Chester for future rail service?

The CNJ Chester Branch itself ran SW from the Furnace Rd area to get to the end of the branch which was near the center of town (near corner of Rte 206 and W. Main St).
Most of it still shows up in maps.google.com, depending how far you zoom in. The branch itself came off the CNJ High Bridge branch, which ran from the main at High Bridge north to the Wharton Area. Since the High Bridge branch is gone (except the section from the DLW Chester branch crossing down to ToysR Us in Flanders), and because of rail/trail and a new pipe line under part of the High Bridge branch, I'd say odds of restoring anything to Chester are about zero.

Except for maybe a few years in its early days well over 100 years ago (does someone know?), I don't the DLW branch ever went to the town itself, staying about a mile north to the iron furnace area.
JS

Some good news in the paper today regarding the Chester Branch:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/0 ... to_un.html

james1787 wrote:Some good news in the paper today regarding the Chester Branch:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/0 ... to_un.html

I like the picture chosen for the article - a NJT Multilevel train in Newark Penn station.......