Delaware and Raritan River Railroad-General Discussion

Aside from moving recyclable materials from waste transfer stations, the only way we will see trains of outbound garbage from any county landfills along the SOUS is if they completely fill up and become unusable. I’ve heard the Ocean County landfill might be close to that point but no confirmation. Unsure about Tinton Falls. I know Freehold Cartage brings garbage from their own transfer station to there.

Haven’t seen any updates on the Freehold Secondary since C&D did their first run a couple weeks ago. Has their been any movement over on that side?

bk77 wrote:Haven’t seen any updates on the Freehold Secondary since C&D did their first run a couple weeks ago. Has their been any movement over on that side?

To be honest many of the area railfans, myself included, don’t care much for that line operations wise. Hence the general lack of updates.

It should be business as usual there. Only real difference is the schedule and that JB-1 does Builders General before going to Prestone, whereas Conrail did it on the way back. They run Monday and Thursday early in the morning. I’d go see it but I’ve been extremely busy as of late and will be for the next several weeks. Maybe when things calm down on my end I’ll go out there.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 8:54 am

bk77 wrote:Haven’t seen any updates on the Freehold Secondary since C&D did their first run a couple weeks ago. Has their been any movement over on that side?

To be honest many of the area railfans, myself included, don’t care much for that line operations wise. Hence the general lack of updates.

It should be business as usual there. Only real difference is the schedule and that JB-1 does Builders General before going to Prestone, whereas Conrail did it on the way back. They run Monday and Thursday early in the morning. I’d go see it but I’ve been extremely busy as of late and will be for the next several weeks. Maybe when things calm down on my end I’ll go out there.

Cool, I was just curious as I might sneak down there on my vaca as that ex-CP GP9 would be cool to catch. Good to know that Mon-Thurs are the usual days. Thanks for the reply!

Your welcome. Their sign on time is 7 AM. If not then you can stop by Jamesburg and you should be able to see the engine sitting there on the wye from the main road.

Be very careful at that intersection by the Wye if it is your first time there. It's five lanes with some having stop signs and others not. Can get very confusing. I would park first and then go look at engine from sidewalk.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 10:45 am Your welcome. Their sign on time is 7 AM. If not then you can stop by Jamesburg and you should be able to see the engine sitting there on the wye from the main road.

I always liked chasing on the FIT. Some different scenery, mostly rural, away from busy towns (not counting traffic in Jamesburg and Freehold). Kind of like the Southern through Howell as far as rural operations. Three or four active customers gave the FIT some action. A little change of pace for me, especially through Jamesburg down the middle of the road, and all the open areas, great for just watching and maybe some pics. A train going over the low-clearance Wemrock Road bridge is always a great view. Once Farmingdale and Freehold are reconnected, should make for some great action with some long(er) trains.

#1602751 by GSC
Wed Jul 20, 2022 1:59 pm

Gary,
I agree about the terrain. But I still miss Farmingdale to Manasquan for the open fields. Ripped out in 1963.

I feel like if Farmingdale-Manasquan was never ripped up, MoM or a similar project would've already happened by now - you could just expand Coastline service and have something

JohnFromJersey wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:13 pm I feel like if Farmingdale-Manasquan was never ripped up, MoM or a similar project would've already happened by now - you could just expand Coastline service and have something

The best use today would be a cross-state line from Monmouth to Mercer Counties. Nothing to do with MOM which was concieved to take traffic off the Rte 9 corridor.

As per a friend, all active railroad crossings on the Southern are being inspected by a company called Osmosis.

Look for black pickups with this company name trackside…

R&DB wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 8:56 pm Gary,
I agree about the terrain. But I still miss Farmingdale to Manasquan for the open fields. Ripped out in 1963.

I agree, Harry. My first experiences in "chasing" was along the Sea Girt to F'dale stretch. I was little, and Dad enjoyed those "let's go for a ride" jaunts. Seeing the Doodlebug or following slow freights are still fresh in my mind. I'm looking forward to F'dale to Freehold being restored. Just waxing nostalgic...

My early recolections of that stretch are when the Monmouth Council Boy Scouts had a campground on Hurley Pond Road just east of the tracks. We would walk down the tracks to visit Allaire Village. Doodlebug daytime, freight at night then. Great memories.

R&DB wrote: ↑Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:53 am The best use today would be a cross-state line from Monmouth to Mercer Counties. Nothing to do with MOM which was concieved to take traffic off the Rte 9 corridor.

It would have given a great foundation for commuter service down to Lakewood and Toms River, perhaps even further, as well as would have covered the Western portions that MOM was supposed to cover (Freehold, Manalapan, Jamesburg, etc).

However, we are, unfortunately, nearly 60 years past when Manasquan-Farmingdale was ripped up, and it's pretty unlikely that stretch of rail will ever come back. Up until where the bike trail crosses under 34, the ROW is pretty in tact, but getting into Manasquan, there's a good amount of the old ROW that is completely gone and developed now.

752 by itself today. Just left Red Bank now.