Back in the early to mid 90's the WPSA-35 would make 2 round trips per week on the Southern, often with 30 cars. Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday. In Shrewsbury, Standard Roofing would get a car occasionally. They had an unloading dock that was closest to the main, and Asbury Park Press rented space on that same siding at the bumping post and get up to 2 cars of newsprint. In the Collingswood area there was Earle, 84 Lumber, which very rarely got a car, and the plastics plant, some french sounding company name. They got loads of resin in and shipped out loaded plastic pellets. Farmingdale had Gold Lumber on the Freehold Secondary and a place called Compounders on the Southern, I'm pretty sure they got tank cars of tar. In Howell, there was a Weyerhauser Distribution Center and Clover Department Stores had a warehouse that occasionally got a boxcar or two. In Lakewood the team track had 3 customers. Woodhaven, prior to them opening their current location, Diener Brick would get a car or two, and I can't remember the third customer, but they got flat cars of telephone poles or pier pilings. In South Lakewood there was a building products company near Woodhaven's current location that got centerbeam flats of drywall. Then on the Toms River Industrial, there was Ace Gas with propane tank cars and Builder's General.
GSC wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:37 pm Looking at it from a "maybe what if" point of view, several possible customers exist on the FIT. Nestle/Nescafe and Clayton right in Freehold,Looking at Google maps, it appears that you can estimate where Nestle used to have trains come in. https://imgur.com/a/Qtb54eC
In 1979, the tracks still were there. Today, the spot where the trains used to come in is still there, albeit you would have to move some of the many trailers they store there off of the ROW, highlighted in yellow in both pictures.
As for Clayton in Freehold, I doubt they would get any service - per this picture, it seems like they are just a parking area for the cement trucks: https://imgur.com/a/cFJMCvE
The scrap metal place next door to it, however, I could see getting some sort of service. I am not sure if they would get a siding into their facility, since they would have to put a crossing in on that street (which would involve a lot of logistical effort between DRRR, Beacon Scrap Metal, and the county/town government), but, if they got a siding parallel to Builders' General's siding (the hypothetical siding being in yellow), I think it would be very possible that they would just cross the street to load up/empty railcars.
GSC wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:37 pm the paper recycling facility that used to be the glass factory (siding still there but switch removed),Per Google maps, the old glass factory does not have a siding on its property. https://imgur.com/a/FMwO6S2
I also believe it is not mainly a paper recycling facility, it's owned by a company called Iron Mountain, which focuses more on IT/datastore stuff. They do shred paper as part of their services, but I don't think the amount they shred would justify getting it delivered by rail - I have never heard of paper waste being shipped by rail, come to think of it.
GSC wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:37 pm the old Asbury Park Press building, and Stavola and L&L in Howell.Where is the old Asbury Park Press building? The only one I am familiar with is the one that used to be in Tinton Falls/Neptune on 66 by the Outlets, and that has been long gone.
Stavola and L&L are pretty good contenders for potential rail service, but that won't happen until the tracks are fixed up until where they currently sit.
GSC wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:37 pm An upturn in business and improved rail service just might pan out someday. A big "if" for sure, but nice to dream.I think improved and more frequent rail service will come, but not for a while. The FIT and SOUS need a lot of work, and the FIT-SOUS reconnection has not been started yet. I give it 3-5 years before we see things in full swing. Hopefully less than that, though.
GSC wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:37 pm While I'm still in dream mode, on the Southern, Clayton in JacksonIs it that giant quarry in Jackson? Its address being Cranberry Bog, Jackson Township, NJ 08527?
Doesn't look like they are doing a whole lot there these days. The quarry no longer has tracks, but the ROW of the siding is still there. https://imgur.com/a/zVP8HZ9
I could see them getting rail service again, but putting that siding in again would be VERY expensive, with how long it was from the mainline
GSC wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 2:37 pm and the old Standard Roofing in Tinton Falls both still have sidings, with switches removed, with Stavola right next to the ROW.I believe Standard Roofing is now called Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply. https://imgur.com/a/LcrvPli
The siding is still very much in tact, but no switch. The business looks like it deals with enough freight that using the railroad could be beneficial. The siding, one you into the property, looks like its pretty dense with vegetation, however.
Not sure why Stavola doesn't get rail shipments, I'd imagine the 263K weight limit on the Coastline doesn't allow for much aggregate materials to be brought in, combined with CR not being a huge fan of traversing the Coastline for that long multiple times a week. Also doesn't help the sand pits in Ocean County don't have direct rail access to the national network at this time.
I'm sure once FIT-SOUS is reconnected, and DRRR can offer carloads of 286K and even daily service, you will see a lot of old (and new) customers come back.