Eastern Railroad Discussion > [NJ] CSX meets with Bergen county towns

Bergen Record reports that the Federal Railroad Administration, CSX Railroad, and local Bergen County NJ municipals met to discuss the oil trains on the CSX River Line.  The subject had been hotly contested as "dozens" of oil trains passed through the densely developed suburbs.  Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) hosted the meeting, which included mayors of both parties.

The meeting provided some reveals.  CSX confirmed that about five to 15 oil trains pass the area weekly. That was previously private information, although anybody with a scanner could ID this information and offer train numbers. That's down from 30+ trains weekly last year, also new info.

Garrett's meeting provided other surprising info.  Residents are still upset about trains idling for hours in residential zones.  And regularly malfunctioning crossing gates .And horns.


Drops in crude oil

Yes, the Associated Society of Irritated Bergen County Residents had yet another semi annual meeting that they've been holding for the past 50 years.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Ass. Society charged dues too! (former Bergen County resident, who smartly relocated in 1981)

rev66vette Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, the Associated Society of Irritated Bergen
> County Residents had yet another semi annual
> meeting that they've been holding for the past 50
> years.

FWIW, I'm pleased that CSX has taken a more engaged attitude on this issue.  Working with firefighters, EMTs, water flow specialists etc will help everybody, including railroad employees, live a little more safely.

Working together to solve the problems will marginalize the chronic complainers...

Of course, we could put the ultimate blame for problem on the New York Central management of the 1950s.  If they hadn't pulled the ferry boats and passneger trains, we would still have five or six trains laying over in Dumont yard (ran from New Milford Avenue amost to the brdige just south of Haworth station); and more importantly, there would be citizans served by the railroad.  When passnger servcie ended in 1959, through freigth service was down to three trains a day in each direction.

Family foklore was that when the thrird trick operator at DU fell asleep and left southward home signals at DU at stop, freight trains had to blow the their horms and whistles in the middle of the night to wake the operator.  If that were happening today, maybe the precevied "oil train" problem would take second palce.

JL