South Jersey

@JohnFromJersey MI-61 comes out of Millville around 4:15 PM to bring the outbounds to Camden. They return with the inbounds later that night.

Is the Salem track embargoed? There hasn't been a train south of Woodbury in months and the grain, lumber and refrigerator cars all seem to be loaded and unloaded in what's left of Woodbury yard now.

Last I heard it’s done as needed. Was not aware that they had been doing more transloading there.

They may get one train once a month during the warmer months but I’m not sure. I have heard that there’s practically no activity on that line during winter…

Edit: They usually run to Woodstown at least once a year…

Okay, so I’ve been asking around. According to my sources there has not been a train on the Salem Branch this year, or for the past six months…

My sources also tell me that SRNJ is in bad shape financially and may not be around soon. Apparently they’ve cut the Pleasantville run down to once a week and and been moving significantly less cars as well. 5-8 cars a week is what I’ve been hearing.

Doesn’t sound good…

Not shocked, sadly. It seems like the current economic climate of the country isn't very good for the shortlines/small railroads, paired with the issues Class I's are passing on down to them.

New Jersey isn't a very business-friendly environment either

@JohnFromJersey My sources tell me their financial struggles are mostly self inflicted, as in cutting back service and not meeting the needs of the customers. Especially on the Salem Branch.

The Pleasantville Line is supposed to be getting a new customer soon, as discussed several pages back, but it may not be enough to help SRNJs financial woes.

I could see some of the area short lines picking up SRNJs 5 operational engines for cheap if they do go under, but the real question is what happens to the Salem and Pleasantville lines should this happen? Especially if they do file for bankruptcy and the active customers require rail service…

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Thu May 12, 2022 12:28 pm @JohnFromJersey My sources tell me their financial struggles are mostly self inflicted, as in cutting back service and not meeting the needs of the customers. Especially on the Salem Branch.

The Pleasantville Line is supposed to be getting a new customer soon, as discussed several pages back, but it may not be enough to help SRNJs financial woes.

I could see some of the area short lines picking up SRNJs 5 operational engines for cheap if they do go under, but the real question is what happens to the Salem and Pleasantville lines should this happen? Especially if they do file for bankruptcy and the active customers require rail service…

wINchester and western, east division expansion possibility ?

I was thinking CMSL could take it over but I don’t see why W&W can’t do it. Maybe reopen Winslow to Vineland while they are at it lmao.

Only thing is, they’d need PTC equipped engines and I think at least one crew qualified in signaled territory to run to Pleasantville. I’m not sure about the Salem Branch. That line is kinda in limbo right now.

What ever happened to the million dollars Sweeney (the taxpayers) spent to fix up the line in Salem and improve the port due to all the freight that was going to be run to cargo ships there? Remember the big "build it and they will come" ribbon cutting ceremony in 2020? The sand trains? The company that was coming in then backed out at the last minute?

Doesn't SRNJ only run to Woodstown? I believe the line from Woodstown to Salem is leased by somebody else. SMS maybe?

Was that in 2020? I don’t remember. They usually only go to Woodstown like once a year to serve the farmers exchange. The ribbon cutting train was likely the last one to go all the way to Salem.

They do want to rebuild the port and have a new rail connection there, but now I’m not sure if SRNJ will be around long enough for them to build it. They seem unwilling to run on the Salem Branch at all right now…

The Port of Salem will always be overshadowed by Philly's port and the Port of Paulsboro; both are relatively close to the Port of Salem, have far better capacity, much better rail access, and are already in heavy use. Would be nice to see it expanded, but there's not much more you can do with it, especially in terms of where you'd park the boats to load/unload them.

It would be nice to see CMSL get some more trackage and hopefully some consistent customers. The Salem Branch hasn't been used in years, especially around the port, it seems.

The last train on the Salem Branch was 6 or so months ago but no train has actually gone to Salem itself since the line to the port was overhauled, and even then I don’t think there’s actually been a revenue train there since 2014 when the glass plant closed.

Maybe SMS could take it over? It’s not too far from their current place so their crews wouldn’t have to travel very far, and the line itself has been almost completely rebuilt over the last few years so not much else is needed.

Only thing is, there isn’t much potential on that line. Many of the businesses along the Salem Branch are either abandoned or don’t deal with enough material in a given time to justify the cost of a rail siding. Sure, there’s the exports to Bermuda at the port, but not much else…

Can someone please tell me what CA50 and CA52 do? I’m hearing both symbols in Camden right now.

I hear CA15 working in the back on Track 10 as well.

I think CA15 has NS 5310 and 5307. They are the only ones moving at the moment.

There’s supposedly a CSX transfer coming in as well, couldn’t hear a symbol though…

Camden Yardmaster is asking someone to go and pick up CA11…