The Pascack Valley Line Thread

[airman00]

I happened to catch NS switching Kuiken Bros. lumber in Emerson today, driving past in my work travels. Don’t know if it was a delivery or just picking up an empty car. I saw 2 engines with an empty lumber spine car sandwiched in between. They were sitting on the siding parallel to the main, probably waiting for clearance to leave.

[airman00]

Interesting photo I found on the web from many years ago from the Westwood station. Notice 3 tracks... just an FYI this is obviously not my photo.

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[BVERailer]

I caught NS H81 this afternoon after school, with GP38's 5613 and 5614, and a Southern Pacific Boxcar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWxxu6gHP6M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[airman00]

Nice catch! A couple of weeks back there were 2 empty lumber spines there. It’s nice to see Kuiken bros. get regular service!

[airman00]

I happened to be running a work errand today and passed by the spring valley station. I looked down the tracks and noticed what appeared to be a single piece of track maintenance equipment on the old peirmont branch tracks. I saw it there the last time I went thru spring valley too. Anything going on? As an aside it was yellow colored and from the distance I was from it, I couldn’t tell what it was but it sure looked to be on the tracks.

[EuroStar]

It probably is just a piece of MOW equipment parked there, away from where it will be in the way of regular service. There was work performed on the Pascack Valley line in the area recently. Don't get excited, the NIMBYs will never let the restoration of the Piermont branch happen.

[airman00]

Today I saw what I assume was a test train? I happened to be working near the PVL in Westwood and saw a 2-car train. PL42 #4026 and 2 Comet V’s. First it went in the direction of spring valley cab car end first, just after 10am and then returned to Hoboken around 11:30 going engine end first. In both instances it was in-between other revenue trains that went by shortly before/after.

[TDowling]

I seriously doubt that any rail line will ever follow this route again, but perhaps (not in my lifetime), a new high-speed route will be constructed between Suffern and Tarrytown, following the I-87287 corridor, with junction to the Pascack Valley line at Spring Valley, a new bridge over the Hudson near the TZ, and meeting the Hudson line just south of Tarrytown.
But I seriously doubt that even that route will ever be built. It would be far too expensive for any government to take on, and probably not lucrative enough for private enterprise.

CP

I agree wholeheartedly. Private railroad enterprise I think saw its permanent demise in the 1970s, unfortunately. A rail link over the Hudson river doesn't make any sense geographically or logistically, as a train would waste time heading due east to go south. But who knows? Truth is sometimes stranger or more nonsensical than fiction!

[airman00]

Further degrading of the remnants of the “piermont branch” have taken place and it appears to be very recently. In my work travels I happen to see that the 3-track crossing adjacent to beckerlie lumber is now gone. Ripped up and freshly paved over. There are still tracks in the ground at the lumber yard, so it appears they just ripped up the crossing. On the opposite side of that crossing I believe their are still tracks in place till the next street, where that crossing was also ripped up and paved over within the last few years. Sad...

[SecaucusJunction]

If they ever find a way to fund this new Trans-Hudson tunnel into Penn, there is really no reason to spend all the money for a new route and a new bridge across the Hudson River by the Tappan Zee.

By traversing the width of Rockland County, over the Hudson and down the Hudson Line from Tarrytown, the transit time to NYC would be much longer than it's current route. I believe it is only a 30 minute transit time from Suffern to Secaucus in the current route.

The only advantage is that MTA could consolidate operations into one terminal and they wouldn't have to deal with NJT's constant problems.

[airman00]

I finally got to catch the Kuiken Bros. movement in person. It was just by happenstance that I needed to go to the Kuiken bros lumber yard in Emerson today around lunchtime and NS was switching the lumber yard, with 5613 & 5614. They took out one empty box car and then 2 cars came in. One lumber spine and one box car. Kinda cool to see them switching up close.

[BVERailer]

Nice to hear you caught them, I've seen them many times. Heard H81 leaving when I was in class, and saw the cars it dropped off, which were a TTX Railbox and a TTX centerbeam (lumber spine as you may know it). I'm anticipating another visit within the next few days, hopefully the 20th so I can catch it when I'm off from school.

[blocksignal]

Hi All could someone please tell me when the NS local drills on the NJT Pascack Valley Line these days? Also who are the regular customers and the customer locations for NS along that line. Thanks.

Blocksignal.

[BVERailer]

Hi All could someone please tell me when the NS local drills on the NJT Pascack Valley Line these days? Also who are the regular customers and the customer locations for NS along that line. Thanks.

Blocksignal.

H81 comes once or twice a week on random days, and goes as far as Kuiken Brothers. You can probably catch it at Ford’s Lead at noon on weekdays

[BVERailer]

Does anyone know the state of the siding in Westwood? I’ve never seen anything in it but it seems in fair condition. Was there an industry that closed down?