Midweek Photos 6/1/2016

Every Thursday afternoon, Conrail Shared Assets SA-31 operates from Browns Yard in Old Bridge, NJ to serve remaining customers on the old Central Railroad of New Jersey Southern Division. SA-31's routing is the Amboy Secondary (former Camden & Amboy) to South Amboy and NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line to Red Bank where the train diverges on to the Southern Secondary for the final leg of its trip. Last Thursday afternoon was beautiful with plenty of sunshine so it seemed like an excellent opportunity for a chase. Presented from top to bottom is the train approaching Red Bank station, crossing Shrewsbury Avenue in Shrewsbury and two additional images as he passes through Eatontown. 

Bob

CNJ 3676 posted:

Every Thursday afternoon, Conrail Shared Assets SA-31 operates from Browns Yard in Old Bridge, NJ to serve remaining customers on the old Central Railroad of New Jersey Southern Division. SA-31's routing is the Amboy Secondary (former Camden & Amboy) to South Amboy and NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line to Red Bank where the train diverges on to the Southern Secondary for the final leg of its trip. Last Thursday afternoon was beautiful with plenty of sunshine so it seemed like an excellent opportunity for a chase. Presented from top to bottom is the train approaching Red Bank station, crossing Shrewsbury Avenue in Shrewsbury and two additional images as he passes through Eatontown. 

Bob

Nice catch. I was heading down the shore and stopped at the collingswood flea market to watch this train pass. I think the next town over was Farmingdale. You said every Thursday afternoon? What time would that be? I think it was around 4:30 or 5:00 when the train passed Collingswood. 

He generally comes down the coast line during the 3 or 4 o'clock hours. The spot by the auction is a good place to catch him as it's a nice, wide open location. Between there and Eatontown, opportunities to take pictures are very limited as the line cuts through the vast expanse of NWS Earle where picture taking is, shall we say, frowned upon?

Bob

CNJ 3676 posted:

He generally comes down the coast line during the 3 or 4 o'clock hours. The spot by the auction is a good place to catch him as it's a nice, wide open location. Between there and Eatontown, opportunities to take pictures are very limited as the line cuts through the vast expanse of NWS Earle where picture taking is, shall we say, frowned upon?

Bob

Down by farmingdale is a good sight as well. Tell me, do trains ever take the rails from farmingdale, past Freehold, and into Jamesburg anymore? The line that way seems overgrown but I believe trains run there. Also one thing I never understood. This train stops in the Lakehurst/Lakewood area right? Would there be any profit for Conrail to restore the line to Winslow junction? I wonder if that could be profitable for SRNJ and Conrail..

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

his train stops in the Lakehurst/Lakewood area right? Would there be any profit for Conrail to restore the line to Winslow junction? I wonder if that could be profitable for SRNJ and Conrail..

The is no more "Conrail", and hasn't been for many years.

Hot Water posted:

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

his train stops in the Lakehurst/Lakewood area right? Would there be any profit for Conrail to restore the line to Winslow junction? I wonder if that could be profitable for SRNJ and Conrail..

The is no more "Conrail", and hasn't been for many years.

My mistake. I meant to say Conrail Shared Assets. Usually when people say Conrail, they are referring to CSAO.

Freehold is served by a train which runs west from Browns over the old C&A to Jamesburg where it diverts onto the branch to Freehold. I believe he operates as far as the Prestone plant adjacent to the Kozloski Road grade crossing. 

Back on the Southern Secondary, track work has been ongoing in the Lakehurst/Lakewood area in preparation for sand train operation. It's been awhile since I checked on progress in this regard so I'll see what I can find and report back. 

Bob

PITTSBURGH, PA ACTION ON CSX - ALLEGHENY VALLEY RAILROAD & NORFOLK SOUTHERN

   CSX ALONG THE OHIO RIVER OPPOSITE HEINZ FIELD

   AVR (ALLEGHENY VALLEY RAILROAD) IN ALLISON PARK, PA

   UNION PACIFIC SD90MAC OLDTIMER - NOW NORFOLK SOUTHERN POWER ON FORT WAYNE LINE

   NORFOLK SOUTHERN LOCAL APPROACHING CP BELL NEAR PITTSBURGH

    NORFOLK SOUTHERN COAL TRAIN WITH BNSF HELP

North Korea announced a new train that can also launch atomic missiles.

There is a precedent for the dinosaur train.

I tried to go railfanning on the Pittsburgh Line this past Sunday- no luck. I saw a CSX train across the Ohio river from me, and passed an NS stack train on my way to my planned spot, but didn't get a shot. 

So instead I'll post a few snapshots I took while in New Jersey a few months ago. 

Just one this week. A quiet Sunday morning at the Keyser WVa CSX yard.

437 and a friend rest in the west yard, along with some freight for the papermill

a few miles away.

In the closeup of 437, see if you can spot something wrong!

Ed

I continued to explore the "attic" of South Dakota, up along the ND/SD border north of Hwy. U.S. 12.   There are a couple of railroads up there, but they have little traffic.  Instead of trains per day it's more like trains per month. One of these runs diagonally northeast from Aberdeen SD up through Britton SD and then connects with the Dakota, Mill Valley & Western (DMVW) at Geneseo ND.  South Dakota owns the tracks and has recently put some millions into rehabbing them.  A giant grain complex is nearing completion in Britton, and  it's huge circle track is nearly completed and can handle 124-car grain shuttles. The facility can load 80,000 bushels per hour, and is set to open in mid July.   The wheat harvest will be in full swing about then.

I took a few shots of a w/b BNSF manifest on the Appleton Sub (old MILW High Line) as it rolled past Ortley SD.  The cemetery there was all decorated for Memorial Day weekend.  As I waited for the train I felt a sharp prick on my foreman:  it was a mosquito.   I hate summer.

Kent in SD

1. BNSF manifest at Ortley, SD

2. Claremont SD

3. Britton SD

Ed Mullan posted:

 

In the closeup of 437, see if you can spot something wrong!

The mirror and awning on the trailing unit are not folded in, but that's really being picky.  

You have me stumped, Ed.  There does seem to be a lot of daylight under the front end of the other unit, but that is probably due to the compression caused by the telephoto lens.  I will await someone with a better eye than mine spotting the defect you challenged us to find.

Two23 posted:

I continued to explore the "attic" of South Dakota, up along the ND/SD border north of Hwy. U.S. 12.    

I took a few shots of a w/b BNSF manifest on the Appleton Sub (old MILW High Line) as it rolled past Ortley SD.  The cemetery there was all decorated for Memorial Day weekend.  As I waited for the train I felt a sharp prick on my forearm:  it was a mosquito.   I hate summer.

Nice work, Kent.  That's a beautifully kept little cemetery that you used in the foreground.

Everything looks so green!  I can imagine the heat and humidity (and the insects).

Tim O'Malley posted:

 

Back in Scranton at the boarding platform.  Time now for you to participate in the photo thread.  Did you ride a train lately?  Go on a chase?  Stumble upon a stationary train display or former railroad structure?  If anything caught your eye, please feel free to share right here.  See you next week.

Keep those Alco photos coming, Tim!

These where in the Enola Yard yesterday.  Could not get a clear shot because of the trees.

What initially caught my attention was that the west yard tracks were all empty (never saw them empty before).  All others regular cars seen in the yards are several hundred yards south of this train. 

Thoughts on what this train is?  Cargo?

Number 90 posted:

Ed Mullan posted:

 

In the closeup of 437, see if you can spot something wrong!

The mirror and awning on the trailing unit are not folded in, but that's really being picky.  

You have me stumped, Ed.  There does seem to be a lot of daylight under the front end of the other unit, but that is probably due to the compression caused by the telephoto lens.  I will await someone with a better eye than mine spotting the defect you challenged us to find.

That black square isn't supposed to be there, is it.

Look at the number boards!

Ed

They're supposed to be above the cab, aren't they?

Upside-down "3" on the conductor's side number board.

You got it, Mike!

Ed

pittsburghrailfan posted:

I tried to go railfanning on the Pittsburgh Line this past Sunday- no luck. I saw a CSX train across the Ohio river from me, and passed an NS stack train on my way to my planned spot, but didn't get a shot. 

So instead I'll post a few snapshots I took while in New Jersey a few months ago. 

Nice, you caught EL 1700. I have been trying to spot this engine at Browns Yard in Sayreville.