Lackawanna Cutoff Passenger Service Restoration

From NJ Transit Customer Service.

Tommy Meehan wrote:From NJ Transit Customer Service.

Cool. Thanks.

Tommy Meehan wrote:From NJ Transit Customer Service.

Haha. Enough said........

SecaucusJunction wrote:Haha. Enough said........

Okay next time I'll email you.

Tommy Meehan wrote:

SecaucusJunction wrote:Haha. Enough said........

Okay next time I'll email you.

You should look forward to an interesting response.

I'll preface this by saying I have no idea what is going on at all... but if the choices are going only to Andover and no further, or not building at all, the latter is probably the best choice. The former seems to be a logistical nightmare for NJT. If they were going to rebuild down the rest of the line, and build a yard at the end, it would make some sense. But since PA has shown no signs of interest and money was not included in the recent federal transportation bill, maybe NJT is reevaluating their options regarding the line.

WO! All these negative comments. Thank God none of you existed when America was going west, The Empire State Building was being built or when multiple bridges and tunnels were built or even when the NYC subway was taking root. NONE of these things would've ever happened. As is our transportation in this country along with infrastructure is a DAMN JOKE!!! This project should go forward as it will be an improvement to how one gets as far west as Western NJ and Northeastern, PA. 80, RT 46 and the back roads aren't cutting it. NJT needs just as much money as the NJ Turnpikes widening project and this thing will take off. Do none of you think any problems occurred with the widening of the NJ Turnpike? Time to roll up these sleeves and get the red tape out of the way and get it done.

SecaucusJunction wrote:I'll preface this by saying I have no idea what is going on at all... but if the choices are going only to Andover and no further, or not building at all, the latter is probably the best choice. The former seems to be a logistical nightmare for NJT. If they were going to rebuild down the rest of the line, and build a yard at the end, it would make some sense. But since PA has shown no signs of interest and money was not included in the recent federal transportation bill, maybe NJT is reevaluating their options regarding the line.

Once Corbett is out of office you will see the PA side of this move forward. Everyone wants this to be built except the corbett administration and a small group of tea party republicans in Harrisburg.

25Hz wrote:

SecaucusJunction wrote:I'll preface this by saying I have no idea what is going on at all... but if the choices are going only to Andover and no further, or not building at all, the latter is probably the best choice. The former seems to be a logistical nightmare for NJT. If they were going to rebuild down the rest of the line, and build a yard at the end, it would make some sense. But since PA has shown no signs of interest and money was not included in the recent federal transportation bill, maybe NJT is reevaluating their options regarding the line.

Once Corbett is out of office you will see the PA side of this move forward. Everyone wants this to be built except the corbett administration and a small group of tea party republicans in Harrisburg.

That's nonsensical partisan rhetoric. No Harrisburg administration, no matter what political party, is capable of seeing passenger rail within the state of PA beyond the currently-served territories of Amtrak and SEPTA.

Pennsylvania Northeast Railroad Authority wrote:The authority continues to face a challenge in establishing a through route to Hoboken and the New York market because previous rail officials sold the right-of-way in a key section in New Jersey known as the Lackawanna Cutoff. The cost of reacquiring that section was deemed prohibitive for decades, but work is now under way to restore the tracks there.

Global instability and ever-rising oil prices are making rail a more attractive option again, so it's encouraging to see the Northeast Regional Railroad Authority making steady, if incremental, progress here.

It's easy to be negative about something like this because it's going to take many years before it happens. Yet that doesn't mean that someday we won't see Scranton-Hoboken rail passenger service because we probably will.

http://pnrra.org/

Has ANYTHING AT ALL been done here?--I guess there are weeds now and no equipment.

David wrote:Has ANYTHING AT ALL been done here?--I guess there are weeds now and no equipment.

Dave, this is the answer received from NJ Transit last month:

**NJ TRANSIT began pre-construction activity last February on the
7.3-mile segment between Port Morris and Andover Township. This work
consists of the removal of vegetation and debris to prepare the track bed
for construction. The track bed restoration work is being completed in two
phases—the first phase, from Port Morris to Lake Lackawanna, was completed
in the fall.

**• At this time, we’re continuing to work through the
environmental process for the second phase of track bed restoration, which
will be from Lake Lackawanna to Andover. As such, we are unable to
estimate or offer a timeline.

**• Following completion of the track bed restoration, we would
install the rails, ties and signal system. Again, there is no estimated
timeline.

**• In the interim, we are continuing with the design and
environmental permitting for the planned station, which would be located
off Roseville Road in Andover, NJ and include a 65-space parking lot. The
estimated total cost for this segment is $37 million.

Thank you Tommy for the information---If I was to drive by there (I walked the portion at Port Morris almost two years ago)--would I find additional track laid or any construction equipment along the line to Lake Lackawanna? In other words, any work done since two months ago? Has it come to a complete stand still? I was told that the wye was cleared. Has there been any other work done there?--Thanks

Any additional work done in the past two months? David I don't know, I haven't been there either.

Question: before the Delaware–Lackawanna Railroad took over operations of the Pocono line in 1993, where is the exact point where Conrail severed the line?