River Line (Conrail): Difference between revisions
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[[File:Current north Hudson County railroads.png|thumb|300px|right|A map of the River Line and former River Line at its south end; the River Line comes from the northwest corner, and used to turn east through the tunnel and then south along the river.]] |
[[File:Current north Hudson County railroads.png|thumb|300px|right|A map of the River Line and former River Line at its south end; the River Line comes from the northwest corner, and used to turn east through the tunnel and then south along the river.]] |
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For current operations on this line, please refer to [[River Subdivision (CSX Transportation)]] |
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==Current Operation== |
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The '''River Line''' (also known as the River Sub or River Subdivision) is a major north-south rail corridor located between [[North Bergen, New Jersey]] and [[Selkirk, New York]], running mostly along or paralleling closely to the west bank of the [[Hudson River]]. The River Subdivision is part of the CSX Albany Division and the CSX designated subdivision code for the River Subdivision is "QR". |
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A parallel track, which was operated as part of the River Line from Jersey City to [[Weehawken, New Jersey]], was known as the '''Weehawken Branch'''. The River Line has since been split into several sections, following the 1999 division of [[Conrail]] assets between [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] and [[CSX Transportation]]. |
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The section south of [[CP 'controlled point' QR 1 (River Line)|CP-QR 1]] at CSX's [[North Bergen Yard]] is now owned by [[New Jersey Transit]] and used as part of the [[Hudson-Bergen Light Rail]]. CSX owns the remainder of the line. |
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The section from CP-QR 1 north to [[CP-QR 7 (River Line)|CP-QR 7]], a point in [[Bogota, New Jersey]], was part of the [[CSX Bergen Subdivision]] prior to 2008, while the [[River Subdivision (CSX Transportation)|River Subdivision]] began at CP-QR 7 and continued to Selkirk. |
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On July 1, 2008 (the effective date of CSX Albany Division Employees Timetable "ETT" #5), the segment from CP-QR 1.6 to CP-QR 7 (Bergen Subdivision) was incorporated into the River Subdivision, the Bergen Subdivision was abolished, CP-QR 1 was abolished, and the first "Controlled Point" on the River Subdivision is now CP-QR 3. |
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As such, the River Subdivision now connects directly to the Conrail Shared Assets Operations 'CSAO' North New Jersey Operational Area [[(Conrail)|River Line]] directly at MP QR 1.6. |
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==Points of Interest== |
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Major points of interest along the River Subdivision route are: |
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*MP QR 1.6 - Beginning of and southernmost point of River Subdivision |
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*MP QR 7.2 - Bogota; defect detector |
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*MP QR 18.8 - New Jersey / New York State Border |
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*MP QR 20.5 - Orangeburg defect detector |
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*MP QR 24.5 - Nyack |
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*MP QR 32.9 - Haverstraw Tunnel |
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*MP QR 33.4 - West Haverstraw Yard |
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*MP QR 38.5 - Stoney Point defect detector |
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*MP QR 41.0 - Iona Island (a public and popular raifanning location) |
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*MP QR 42.7 - Fort Montgomery Tunnel |
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*MP QR 47.3 - West Point Tunnel |
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*MP QR 56.5 - Newburgh |
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*MP QR 61.0 - Roseton defect detector |
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*MP QR 84.4 - Hercules defect detector |
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*MP QR 86.4 - Wilbur Trestle |
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*MP QR 86.8 - Kingston Tunnel |
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*MP QR 88.8 - Kingston Yard |
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*MP QR 99.1 - Saugerties defect detector |
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*MP QR 104.8 - Alsen Yard |
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*MP QR 108.1 - Catskill defect detector |
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*MP QR 110. - Catskill Trestle |
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*MP QR 114.9 - Athens defect detector |
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*MP QR 128.5 - Ravena defect detector |
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*MP QR 132.6 - CP-SK / Selkirk: northernmost point of River Subdivision, turns west and merges into Castleton Subdivision. |
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One of the most popular locations on this route is [[Iona Island]]. Iona Island is a public access nature reserve, and the River Subdivision transects the island. Being public access allows railfans to photograph and observe trains without trespassing on railroad property. |
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At Selkirk, the River Subdivision ends at "CP-SK" where it curves west and merges into the [[Castleton Subdivision]], and of which this location is the extreme eastern end of Selkirk Yard. |
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Also at this point CP-SK, the [[Port Subdivision]] branches north towards [[Albany, New York|Albany]] off the Castleton Subdivision (but is not directly accessible by the River Subdivision). The Port Subdivision ends 7 miles north of CP-SK in South Albany, NY at the Kenwood Yard of the Canadian Pacific Railway. |
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Also at CP-SK, an eastbound connector from the River Subdivision is available for trains to progress east onto the Castleton Subdivision and over the Hudson River (to points east, via the CSX Berkshire & Boston Subdivisions). The Castleton Sub was originally built as part of a bypass for through trains around Albany. |
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The configuration of the track work at CP-SK between the River Subdivision, Castleton Subdivision including the "east wye track", form a triangle: a "wye" in railroad parlance; on which locomotives can be turned if need be. |
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<gallery> |
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File:Csxalbanysub.jpg|CSX River Subdivision & connections |
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</gallery> |
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==Radio Frequencies== |
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Radio transmissions between trains and dispatcher operating upon the CSX River Subdivision is assigned to the CSX 'NI' Dispatcher Desk, and can be heard on the following frequencies: |
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*AAR Channel 58 - 160.980 - road |
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*AAR Channel 34 - 160.920 - dispatcher to train |
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Also, if in close proximity to them, defect detectors can be heard relaying train info (speed, axle count, defects if any (hot boxes or dragging equipment) to the train on the aforementioned road channel. |
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==Popular & Photogenic Route== |
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The River Subdivision especially offers many photographically pleasing locations and opportunities: |
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*Low and High Trestles |
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*Thru Truss, Plate Girder & Box Girder Bridges |
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*River & Inlet Crossings |
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*Shoreline Running |
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*Tunnels |
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*Rock Cuts |
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*Urban, Suburban and Rural settings |
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*Overgrade and undergrade automobile crossings |
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*Grade Crossings |
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*Local Industry |
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*Yards and |
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*Old Stations. |
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Many of these locations can be photographed without the need for trespassing on either railroad or individually owned private property. |
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Several websites such as http://photos.greatrails.net/ and http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/default.aspx cater to hosting railfan photo archives, and have many images posted by those railfans who frequently visit parts of the line. |
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==Future Operations, Proposals & Improvements== |
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Plans have been proposed to add sidings and supersidings along portions of the River Subdivision, as rail traffic along this route has increased due to escalating fuel prices, deteriorating and / or congested arterial highways. |
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The original River line as constructed by the West Shore Railroad was double track main, that is one track assigned to southbound trains and one assigned for northbound trains. With the advent of Centralized Traffic Control a/k/a "CTC", the River line was reduced to single track main with passing sidings at strategic locations. |
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Several recent proposals (ca. 2008) put forth plans to either install supersidings (multi-segment extended length sidings) permitting trains to pass one another at speed without stopping; or reverting back to complete double tracking from North Bergen to Selkirk. |
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As of 2008, the original signalled siding (ssdg) between CP-QR 76 (Highland) and CP-QR 78 (West Park) which was 12,500 feet in length, was extended to 24,000 feet with the extension of the original siding with another siding from CP-QR78 (West Park) to CP-QR 80 (Esopus) with crossovers at CP-QR 78. This extension, known as "West Park Siding" makes the entire length from CP-QR 76 to CP-QR 80 a supersiding. |
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As learned from [http://www.co.ulster.ny.us/planning/uctc/documents/atd_final.pdf Ulster County Integrated Advance Train Detection and Arrival Prediction Implementation Plan], page 9 of this document shows one new siding and one supersiding are now proposed to further alleviate rail traffic congestion: |
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*a new siding from QR 93 (Lake Katrine/Glenerie) to QR 96 (Mount Marion) |
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*a new supersiding, which would extend the current existing siding from CP-QR 103 (West Camp) to CP-QR 106 (Alsen), with the extension reaching to CP-QR 110 (Catskill). |
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Should CSX decide to double track, this would be accomplished with minimal difficulty as the River Subdivision was originally double track operation, and the width of the right of way is already graded for double track, with bridges and trestles already in place that had been constructed as double track. Only the re-installation of second main tracks, turnouts and signals need to be installed. |
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<gallery> |
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File:Supersiding.jpg|Conventional & Supersiding |
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</gallery> |
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One area of engineering slightly hinders this double tracking, yet it is not insurmountable as it has been done on other railroads and routes. Upon the installation of CTC, one of the two main line tracks was removed, and the remaining main line track was realigned down the center of the some of the tunnels (e.g: Kingston Tunnel). When use of double stack container trains became prevelant, only the center portion of the tunnel roof or 'ceiling' directly over the track was raised to permit tall double stack intermodal / container trains to use that tunnel. The part of the ceiling where the roof meets the sidewall was not raised. |
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If double tracking is reinstated, the existing track down the center would need to be realigned to one side of the tunnel (to it's original double track alignment) to permit the other track to be re-installed. This would now require either the entire width of the tunnel roof to be raised, or the full width of the roadbed lowered to permit double stack intermodal / container trains to use these tunnels. |
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<gallery> |
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File:Tunnels.jpg |
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</gallery> |
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==Conrail's defunct River Line and Weehawken Branch== |
==Conrail's defunct River Line and Weehawken Branch== |
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Revision as of 18:59, 19 May 2011
For current operations on this line, please refer to River Subdivision (CSX Transportation)
Conrail's defunct River Line and Weehawken Branch
The River Line began at CP Waldo, at a junction with the Passaic and Harsimus Line. The P&H Line runs west through the Pennsylvania Railroad's cut, just north of PATH, through Marion Junction.
At CP Nave, the River Line junctioned with the National Docks Secondary, which still runs south on the east side of the New Jersey Palisades, with the Nave-Croxton Running Track running west through the old Erie Railroad tunnel to Croxton Yard. The junction only allowed trains coming to/from the south on the National Docks to continue to/from the north on the River Line.
North of CP Nave, the River Line entered Hoboken; it is now used for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail north of this point. The Light Rail runs around the west and north sides of Hoboken and into Weehawken, where it turns west through a tunnel to CSX's North Bergen Terminal, originally part of the New York Central Railroad.
From that point north, the River Line is still in use, but by CSX as their River Subdivision, north towards Albany, New York.
The Weehawken Branch was just east of the River Line, from somewhere in Jersey City north of CP Nave to Baldwin Avenue in Weehawken. It was operated by Conrail as a second track of the River Line.
The River Line was abandoned south of the Tonnelle Avenue overpass (just south of CSX's North Bergen Terminal); the short connection between the National Docks Secondary and the River Line was also abandoned, as was the Weehawken Branch.
History
The first bit of the River Line, splitting from the P&H Line and passing over the National Docks, was built fairly recently as a connecting track. North of there, the line was the New Jersey Junction Railroad to the Weehawken tunnel. Through the tunnel, it was the West Shore Railroad. Both of these lines were owned by the New York Central Railroad.
The Weehawken Branch was built and owned by the Erie Railroad. It originally passed through the middle of Hoboken, but was later realigned to the west side, right next to the New Jersey Junction Railroad.[1]
References
External links
- STB - CSX Discontinuance Exemption AB-55 584X
- STB - Conrail Abandonment of the Weehawken Branch AB-167 766N
- STB - NS Discontinuance Exemption AB-290 212X
- January 15, 1998 Conrail River Line timetable
CSX Employees Time Tables #4 (effective November 1, 2004); #5 (effective July 1, 2008) and #6 (effective October 15, 2010)