CSX Northern Branch

[rscott417]

C777 spotting cars at Delta Corrugated https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H5YEefjXAe4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I tried getting them switching admiration/supreme also, I waited at the Englewood Ave crossing for at least an hour and could see them moving back and forth on the southern portion of the run around. I went over by the the Englewood dpw to see what they were up to and it seems they didn't assemble their train properly. In the video the covered hopper is at the end of the train, when I saw them in Englewood the engine was sandwiched between cars with the covered hopper and 1 tank car coupled to the nose end and they were doing a lot of shuffling. I wish I was able to stay longer but had to be somewhere.

[airman00]

Well at least there is some life left in this old line. Now if only some frieght went further north up to Closter. I used to see them serving wheyerhauser and the lumber company and later Cove on a regular basis.

[rscott417]

I'd really like to catch them working Colorite and WR Grace one day. Unfortunetly I don't think anything will run north of Englewood again. Between the track being cut just north of the Englewood station and Tenafly residents putting a petition together for a rail trail I don't see any return of freight traffic happening.

[granton junction]

I think that it is really finis for the Northern Branch north of Englewood. I am surprised tho that CSX has not pulled up the trackage north of Englewood since the track is cut and blocked at the Englewood station. The light rail plan to Englewood is dead in the water unless there is some miracle. From Tenafly north folks are now interested in a rail trail. Several years ago I went to the light rail meeting in Tenafly. The hostility to the project was incredible, and I had never seen such rude and boorish behavior on the part of adults at the meeting.

[ccutler]

That line north on Englewood would probably values as a "call option" meaning that they see a small chance of a big payoff in the event that NJ Transit wants to buy the ROW for a transit project. From that perspective they are smart to hang on to the line. It may also have value as a utility ROW for power lines or gas pipelines.

[rscott417]

I caught C777 heading north to supreme oil to switch out cars then head back towards north bergen.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tlUW9omUHdM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[airman00]

Great video! That's a nice long string of tanker cars!

[rscott417]

Thanks and yea, it shows how long that Supreme siding is, it fits at least 19 cars plus 3 in the spur closest to their facility plus 2 or 3 covered hoppers for plastic pellets in the second spur. I don't know the details of their operation but it seemed like the crew did a bit of shuffling of cars to retrieve the empties, maybe different grades of oils get used quicker than others? I'd be curious to know how many different grades they use and where they get spotted for unloading. Either way, it doesn't seem like the job gets done the same way every time.

[rscott417]

Does anyone know why NS would be on the NB? The user that posted the video has it as csx w985 and the description says they spotted 3 transformers and then a CSX gp38-2 at Colorite, any ideas?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8tOr61TEgrc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Backshophoss]

Could have been a Conrail "Shared Assets" move or just a case of using what handy in the yard.

[rscott417]

Yea that's more what I was thinking, someone commented on the video that maybe NS was looking to fix up the branch but really don't know why they would have interest in that.

[ccutler]

Had anyone heard any updates on CSX's plan to ship trash from Closter?

[airman00]

No, but there is a grassroots effort to turn the Northern Branch (from Tenafly to the end) into a rail trail. And I know the tracks thru Closter are virtually impassable. I would LOVE to see this shipping of trash out happen. Be nice to see some action on this end of the line, but not holding my breath. But at least the tracks are still in place.