CMSL in the news

The theft of the spikes and rail plates will undoubtedly set things back for the CMSL but the trackage, ROW and the complete Cape May line (and point line) are owned by New Jersey Transit. CMSL runs the line and owns its own equipment but I am not sure who pays for the lines maintenance and repair. The line is probably insured against theft and if so the cost of repairs should be covered. As for the thieves; the state and feds should throw the book at these people. I would ask the FRA to charge these people under the railroad theft act. I would report this to the Department of Homeland security and charge these thieves with an act of terrorism. Vandalism has been an ongoing problem on this line and the portion where the theft took place may have been on a section that was refurbished several years back. if there ever was a ahrd luck operation it would have to be the CMSL.

Can you imagine what a great deterrant it would be for those thinking about stealing from the CMSL or any other RR, if these folks went to a federal prison for a while? How sweet would that be?

Later!
Mr. Ed

There's something that I don't understand about the theft of the track, tie plates, etc; I operate a construction and demolition management firm, when we go to the scrapyard to sell old water heaters, junk metal from construction, etc, there is a sign at every scrap yard that says they will not accept railraod track or other railroad metal without proper paperwork. So the line was vandalised for these materials in bulk, what scrapyard would have taken the metal? If they accepted it in bulk they, as best as I understand, are just as liable as the vandals.

dlagrua wrote:The theft of the spikes and rail plates will undoubtedly set things back for the CMSL but the trackage, ROW and the complete Cape May line (and point line) are owned by New Jersey Transit. CMSL runs the line and owns its own equipment but I am not sure who pays for the lines maintenance and repair. The line is probably insured against theft and if so the cost of repairs should be covered. As for the thieves; the state and feds should throw the book at these people. I would ask the FRA to charge these people under the railroad theft act. I would report this to the Department of Homeland security and charge these thieves with an act of terrorism. Vandalism has been an ongoing problem on this line and the portion where the theft took place may have been on a section that was refurbished several years back. if there ever was a ahrd luck operation it would have to be the CMSL.

I suspect that NJT as owner of the tracks is not insured for theft, or if it is, that there is a very high self-retention level.

Weren't several thieves, kids pushing a super market cart and were caught with plates?

The 'kids' with the shopping cart were almost in Cape May, right along Rt. 9. IIRC, it was a 19 year old girl, with a fair amount of ink, and her 15 year old boyfriend; speaks volumes, doesn't it? The latest was a quite a bit to the north, up in Dennis Twp.

EDM5970 wrote:The 'kids' with the shopping cart were almost in Cape May, right along Rt. 9. IIRC, it was a 19 year old girl, with a fair amount of ink, and her 15 year old boyfriend; speaks volumes, doesn't it?

Yes, "wonderful, heart warming" society we live in today, isn't it???

If the State can pay over a million dollars to replace a birdge that got broke by people that stupidl overfilled sand cars (that has never seen a real train why cant' thjey fix the track that got stollen on a line that is going to carry passengrs and make the crooks pay for it? So what if they loose thier houses cars trucks and boats he state has to give an example here. Or else more crooks will think the CML is abbandoned and keep on scraping the tracks, if these guys get away with it.

bystander wrote:If the State can pay over a million dollars to replace a birdge that got broke by people that stupidl overfilled sand cars (that has never seen a real train why cant' thjey fix the track that got stollen on a line that is going to carry passengrs and make the crooks pay for it? So what if they loose thier houses cars trucks and boats he state has to give an example here. Or else more crooks will think the CML is abbandoned and keep on scraping the tracks, if these guys get away with it.

Restitution is often part of criminal case plea bargains. That said, my educated guess is that thieves at this level do not have any assets to pay for restitution.

EDM5970 wrote: it was a 19 year old girl, with a fair amount of ink, and her 15 year old boyfriend; speaks volumes, doesn't it?

and what does that have to do with it? i have a "fair amount of ink", and i fix track for a living, and one weekend a month for free?

jtaeffner wrote:

EDM5970 wrote: it was a 19 year old girl, with a fair amount of ink, and her 15 year old boyfriend; speaks volumes, doesn't it?

and what does that have to do with it? i have a "fair amount of ink", and i fix track for a living, and one weekend a month for free?

I took that to mean she had a record....

So its mid-April this coming weekend. If I were running a tourist railroad, I would be be getting things ready for Memorial Day 2012 and the summer season! Lets hope Mr. Macrie is doing this!

northjerseybuff wrote:So its mid-April this coming weekend. If I were running a tourist railroad, I would be be getting things ready for Memorial Day 2012 and the summer season! Lets hope Mr. Macrie is doing this!

Judging by what was (or wasn't) run in prior years during the summer seasons, I wouldn't hold my breath.....

Jtgshu wrote:Judging by what was (or wasn't) run in prior years during the summer seasons, I wouldn't hold my breath.....

I've pretty much given up hope of riding this line. We are in Cape May for all the major summer holidays every year and there has been no trains scheduled for these dates in the previous several years.

Macrie should follow a schedule like the New Hope and Ivyland or NYSWTHS in P-Burg. No reason why a tourism based city like Cape May can't make a train ride work(seasonal)