South Jersey News and Sitings

The following information is compiled from user contacts and other sources. I will attempt to update this information on a timely basis. However, your patience is greatly appreciated as this information is compiled in my spare time.

CSX Coal Train Derails In Milmay

The CSX coal train to Beesleys Point derailed late Friday night, January 6, 2006, or early Saturday morning at the Milmay siding in Milmay, NJ.

Atlantic County Rt. 557 was closed for several hours on Saturday January 7 while a railroad subcontractor cleaned up the derailment. Railroad officials, Atlantic County hazmat teams, local fire department and New Jersey State Police responded to the accident scene to supervise the cleanup. Local fire police provided traffic control and detoured traffic around the cleanup area.

From photos of the scene it appears 3 cars of a 27 car coal train derailed on the Milmay siding wiping out between 3-5 car lengths of the siding. A significant amount of coal dumped out of the derailed coal cars prompting the hazmat crew response and at least one car suffered damage to its hopper door. Apparently the cars were not significantly damaged as they were righted by crane and returned to the main line track. The main line did not appear to be damaged. The derailed cars were later seen as a part of the train consist continuing to the power plant at Beesleys Point, NJ.

The train was back underway to the Atlantic City Electric power plant at Beesleys Point after 5:00 pm on Saturday January 7. The length of siding obliterated in the derailment will need to be reconstructed. Click here for newsphotos.

CMSL News

The Cape May Seashore Lines has extended rail passenger service to Richland, NJ along the Beesleys Point Secondary Track in Atlantic County, NJ. The extension is a cooperative effort with the rural Pinelands community to attract tourism to the tiny municipality.

Regularly scheduled service along the CMSL is suspended for the winter. This allows maintenance crews the opportunity to provide maintenance to the line. Such repairs and improvements can be spotted daily even on Saturdays. On January 7, crews were adding rip rap to the northern bridge abutment at the Cape May canal swing bridge. Click here for newsphotos.

News Archive follows...

New Rail Trail Through Pine Barrens?

Momentum is increasing for support of the proposed Wharton Rail-trail in south Jersey. The former Central Railroad of NJ line from Lakehurst to Winslow Junction is out of serivce. The line was a remnant of the Conrail bailout of 1976. Since then, trees have grown up through the rails. Most bridges remain intact and the right-of-way and its access roads are being used by rogue ATV's, mountain bikers and hikers alike. I have personally traveled the right-of-way from Waterford Township to Chatsworth. The area eastward beyond the Batsto River is barren and uneventful, and absolutely impossible to ride. However, westward to County route 536, there are several interesting trestles over tea-colored cedar water streams and hardwood groves amongst the solitude of pine trees. This latter route is mostly single track and double track in places west of route 206 at Atsion. NJDOT will be studying the conversion of the line this fall. Click here to go to the Wharton Trail website. Stay tuned for details!

The Day the Circus came to Town

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus train came to Atlantic City April 8. The circus train departed Kearney, NJ on Monday 4/8 at 3PM. It ran via CSX to West Trenton then Neshaminy Falls to Belmont then over the corridor to Frankford Jct. It crosse the Delair Bridge to Pavonia about 6:00 pm then traveled to the Beesleys Point Secondary via Clementon to Winslow Jct. arriving at around 9:30 pm. The SRNJ took it to Pleasantville via GRIFF interlocking overnight. There were two reverse moves of the 57 car train., one at Winslow and the other from GRIFF to Pleasantville.

Freight Resumes on Bordentown Secondary!

In the early morning hours of October 29, freight traffic resumed on the Bordentown Secondary Track from Camden to Burlington. Service was suspended from Camden while construction commenced on the new fixed span Delanco Bridge. The Bridge which fell over in April prior to being installed is now in place and operational. Work continues on the light rail line with several grade crossings still being upgraded and street work continuing in Camden.

Bridge Collapse on Bordentown Secondary!

On the afternoon of 4/5/01, the new NJ Transit light rail bridge over the Rancocas Creek tipped over on its barge. Six people were injured, none seriously. It is not clear yet how there going to fix this situation. The barge is leaning all the way over and is sinking into the mud. To see this 21 story, 900 ton structure laying at a 45 degree angle is an amazing site. Click here to see a picture.Courtesy Robert J. Wittmaier

First Union unit on Beesleys Point Secondary!

On Tuesday, March 20, Conrail's WPCA20, the fuel move to Beesleys Point, had an unexpected guest visitor. The train was headed up by a single FURX SD40-2 leading 16 tanker cars for the power plant at Beesleys. The engine appeared to have a new paint job. The train was followed as far as the Blackwood-Clementon Rd. grade crossing in Clementon, NJ, having passed a rail grinding crew at Laurel Springs. The grade crossing was out of service and the conductor had to flag the crossing. As Curt Hudson reported on the train's return trip through Oaklyn around 9:45, the FURX unit was joined by three (yes, 3) CSX engines and a multitude of empty coal and tanker cars. Click here to see a photo.

Amtrak ontime in AC!

The Tropicana/Amtrak special from Virginia to Atlantic City arrived on time at the NJT Atlantic City Rail Terminal on March 18. Train #942, scheduled to arrive in Atlantic City at 5:30 pm, passed the former PRSL Berlin Freight Station at 4:32 pm. Tropicana and Amtrak have sponsored several excursions to the seaside resort this winter, prompting rumors of a limited return to scheduled service for Amtrak. The return trip train #945 left Atlantic City on time Tuesday, March 20 at 1:30 pm and passed Berlin Station at 2:12 pm. According to information from Trainorders.com, the engine and cars did not layover in Atlantic City but made a roundtrip deadhead move from Atlantic City to Washington, DC! Click here to see a photo.

Raising Awareness for South Jersey Transit

As a part of my commitment to the community, I am looking for feedback and support to raise awareness of the problems of commuting to Philadelphia for residents of South Jersey. Over the next few months I will be spotlighting the problems that face the communties here. I will also be featuring some essays on alternative forms of traffic releif. If you would like to participate, email me at the address below.

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Email: dividing_creek@worldnet.att.net