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  • Winchester Western So. Jersey

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New Jersey
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New Jersey

Moderator: David

 #1576175  by CNJ Fan 4evr
 
I am trying to capture some W&W action on the former CNJ in south Jersey. I am a north Jersey guy that would have to travel 2+ hours one way. I am particularly interested in the Vineland to Bridgeton section and the Newfield branch. I am on vacation in late August and want to dedicate a day to this project. What days/times are the best ? From You Tube videos I have seen ,it appears the action is late afternoon/evening. Is this the norm ? Any help is GREATLY APPRECIATED. :-)
 #1576185  by Rustygunz60
 
I'd be interested as well. I'm just starting to railfan this area and stumbled on the old equipment stored along Railroad Ave, between Millville and Dividing Creek, near the Hanson sand pit. There were a few W&W hoppers on the track, but the old Alcos were what caught my eye! Anyone know the story with them? Being used, waiting for restoration or (gasp) scrapping?
 #1613799  by Bracdude181
 
I’ve heard they run very early in the morning on weekdays. Around 7 AM but I don’t know where and what exactly they do.

Only advice I can give is to try this.

Have a scanner tuned their frequency and listen for them. If you hear them running, look for a nearby train. Broken up transmissions mean your getting colder, clear transmissions mean your getting closer.

I use this trick to find Raritan Central when they are running. Works ok.

Only other trains in the area are MI-61 and MI-21. Both are run by Conrail. MI-61 runs Sunday through Thursday and typically leaves Millville going north around 4:15 PM. MI-21 runs in the morning between Millville and Vineland but idk what they do or what days they run.
 #1614715  by rrbluesman
 
While not the CNJ portion, I have encountered the W&W on the former WJ&S/PRR Cape May Branch south of Millville Yard but before Manumuskin Junction, where they store cars on and leading to the Leesburg Secondary Track from Manumuskin Junction to end of track at Port Elizabeth and, of course, on the the former WJ&S/PRR Cape May Branch between Menantico Wildlife Management Area/Wolf Crossing to end of track about a half mile south of Manumuskin Junction between 7:00am and 8:00am. I do not think they have a regular schedule south of Millville Yard at this time as there were no online customers. That said, the last time I dropped into Menantico WMA for a hike the W&W had pulled the WJ&S/PRSL era jointed rail and was installing new rail. I've never gotten a clear explanation as to why the W&W would do this for a branch with no on-line customers, but I did get speculation they were preparing for an online customer at or about Manumuskin Junction on the Cape May Branch or the Leesburg Secondary Track. I haven't been back down that way since early fall so I don't know where things stand at this point.

I know it's not on the CNJ, but if you dig photography of sand hoppers and tanker cars, or industrial relics once served by the PRSL and WJ&S, the hike south from Menantico WMA parking lot to Wolf Crossing isn't terrible and there are several nature paths that run parallel to the ROW. Just northeast of Wold Crossing is a variety of relics, foundations, etc parallel to the ROW that are walkable along existing roads and paths.

Interesting note, on the north side of the ROW is a stone obelisk which marks the Millville city border. It's a 19th century relic, but it looks complete.
 #1615120  by Bracdude181
 
Isn’t the Cape May Branch under CMSL and not Winchester and Western?

And yes I’ve heard the sand pits out there have dried up but I’m not sure how true that is as I’m still seeing sand hoppers on the Millville transfer. Unless those are empties coming out of somewhere else.
 #1615147  by Railcar1
 
Hi new member here. The way via Vineland and Millville was the PRR way to Cape May prior to the creation of the PRSL. The CMSL is on the former Reading way. Both lines met up at Woodbine and went south from there. This is covered in the PRSL history books.
 #1615172  by Return to Reading Company Olney Sta
 
Bracdude181 wrote:Isn’t the Cape May Branch under CMSL and not Winchester and Western?
You’re thinking of the line from Winslow thru Tuckahoe to Cape May, which pre PRSL was the ACRR (RDG) line to Cape May.

The line referred to here is a remaining segment of the pre PRSL WJ&S (PRR) line to Cape May, which was abandoned in favor of the ACRR route in the PRSL merger.
 #1615250  by Bracdude181
 
Ahhh I gotcha. Forgot about that track.

Supposedly Winchester and Western has a train that comes out of Bridgeton which then runs south on the Vineland Secondary to Millville Monday to Friday. Sign on time is 6 am I believe.
 #1615905  by Railcar1
 
JohnFromJersey wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:13 pm Would be nice if someone could get a video of those sand trains running!
I’ll second that! I remember the grain trains that ran years ago. Never saw any videos of them running those trains either and that would be neat also.
Last edited by Railcar1 on Mon Feb 13, 2023 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
 #1622441  by Bracdude181
 
From yesterday.Image
Image
Image
This was the train that runs from Bridgeton to Millville and back. Don’t know what symbol it was.

If anyone is curious this train runs very early in the morning. To catch it you need to be in Vineland by 8:30 am for the run south and go from there.