NS H-02 - sightings and reports

Morris County and Warren County are working on a project now with the NJTPA as the lead to once again look at solutions to the clearance issue in Phillipsburg. it is a necessary step to get state/federal funding to construct an improvement. Additionally there are historic site issues and some contaminated soil issues in Pburg that need to be avoided or addressed for any change in the connection to the Lehigh Line.

H02 returned from Washington with another slug set today (GP40-2 3039 & RP-E4C 736).

Thanks Matt,
Any insights into cargo/how many cars in the train?

From what I recall of the area, the Old Road to Hackettstown climbs away from the CNJ/LVRR grades rather quickly. Wouldn't moving the switch further east along the active rail line cause the grade to be too steep, just as would my idea of undercutting?

We could always just reinstall the High Bridge Branch and solve this whole problem. That'd be easy and ideal...

ccutler wrote:Thanks Matt,
Any insights into cargo/how many cars in the train?

I believe they had 10ish cars...maybe less

Washington line and the CNJ main parallel each other for 1/4 mi+, across from Phillipsburg RR historians. connex is doable wo too much effort.

btw..the washington-phillipsburg line is not the old road. U prob knew that, but forgot.

LOL. I would love to reinstall the HBB but the gas line was placed where the tracks had been. You would have to relocate it prior to any track installation.

Yes, the grade may be steeper in Phillipsburg. All that needs to be vetted yet.

SemperFidelis wrote:From what I recall of the area, the Old Road to Hackettstown climbs away from the CNJ/LVRR grades rather quickly. Wouldn't moving the switch further east along the active rail line cause the grade to be too steep, just as would my idea of undercutting?

We could always just reinstall the High Bridge Branch and solve this whole problem. That'd be easy and ideal...

The thing about HBB was just a joke considering it would be all bust impossible to do through affluent sections of New Jersey and with some of the right of way occupied by gas lines and housing.

Honestly, I just didn't know what to call the section from Phillipsburg to Washington and my mind defaulted to "Old Road" for some reason, even though I knew better.

Vodka and sleep deprivation are a bitch.

Here is a google streetview, looking down Stockton St in PHillipsburg, with the DLW in front and CNJ behind it. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Phill ... 61!6m1!1e1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This is about 3000 feet east of the existing junction, and the DLW is about 15-20 feet higher I would guess. If they moved the connection to the east side of the Main Street bridge, they would have to climb that 15-20 feet in ~2000 feet at most, which could be getting close to a 1% grade. I don't know what the existing grade is east of Stockton St, but my guess is that it is already about that. JS

The underpass clearance is apparently only about one foot too short for plate F cars. It would probably be better to put the track out of service for a month, undercut the roadbed, install drainage, and reinstall tracks. It might make a very short and nasty grade at the interchange but they could power a short train through it. With the newish plate C interchange with CSX, that might be less disruptive than before....or NS could also move interchange to Harrison temporarily.

Not confirmed yet,.....BASF, Washington,N.J. may be finished with rail at the end of April or beginning of May,plant will still be open for a period after that. I heard this information third hand and it has to be checked.

Does basf get switched out in specific days or as needed? I'd like to try and catch it before they're done.

Conrail Blue wrote:Does basf get switched out in specific days or as needed? I'd like to try and catch it before they're done.

H65 usually does it on the days they run to Washington but H02 has done that work before too

The washington train (H65 or H74, depending what day of week) has been switching BASF 6 days week , unless it has changed recently. Usually 1-2 hours of work, with a 2 man crew. I think there are 4 tracks in the plant (i cud be wrong), but there have always been a lot of cars there, and H65 had 5-10 cars a day for them, at least 6 months ago..

It's​ a shame how many industries that the state of NJ is losing or has already been lost.