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From: "Paul R DOT Tupaczewski" paultup AT optonline DOT net
Date: Mon, 08 Jul 2002 22:06:14 -0400
Subject: Newsworthy photos!
"Looking_north_off_NYS_W_bridge_to_Northenr.jpg" - image/jpeg, 110166 bytes, 1000x663 (24bit)

I'm scanning in a few of these each day for the next few days...

Bob Bahrs has been busy chronicling the major changes in the EL in the
Northern New Jersey area, specifically the new "flyover" at the southern
part of Croxton Yard and the removal of "Paterson Junction" in Paterson,
NJ.

Here are the first six shots, all shot by Bob in either October or
December of 2001. Captions are mine, so yell at me (not Bob!) if they're
wrong... :)

As part of its agreement to remove trains off the former NYC West Shore
and National Docks Secondary, running from North Bergen to Jersey City,
NJ via Hoboken, CSX needed to move the capacity of this line elsewhere.
The solution? Double-track the former Erie Northern Branch! The Northern
essentially replicates the National Docks, and it's been acting as
essentially a double-track main for years now. The Northern has been
double-tracked from North Bergen south to just outside of Croxton Yard.

I have a line diagram that I will scan and post next time of the track
arrangement described above, but for now, hopefully these photos will
provide an idea of what it looks like:

"Looking southeast off former NYS&W bridge" shows the hump of the former
PC/NYS&W interchange bridge at the south end of Croxton Yard. This view
looks straight towards Marion Jct. (PRR), and the warehouses of Jersey
City can be seen in the distance. The Conrail diesel at the left is on
the Northern, and the interlocking there is "KW" (yes, same as the EL
days, but the tower is gone :( )

"Looking at Croxton off NYS&W bridge" is the same view I posted several
months back by Curt Carlough. However, this view almost 30 years distant
shows the dramatic changes of Croxton in those ensuing 3 decades!

"Looking at new southeast end of NYS&W bridge" shows the grading taking
place at that end of the structure. Note how the track makes an
"S-curve" off this bridge. Originally, it continued straight, but due to
a bridge removal, the tracks were forced to take this path. The large
blue building in the background is the US Postal Service North Jersey
sorting facility. Tank cars can be seen in Croxton Yard at left center.

"Looking north off NYS&W bridge to Northern" shows how the ramp connects
back into the double-track Northern, though the second track below is
part of the Croxton yard lead and is not a main track. The rightmost
track is the "other" main of the Northern.

"Looking south towards Marion Jct at West End" is pretty
self-explanatory. The bridge is behind us, and the closest overhead
bridge is the "Main Line" (ex-DL&W Boonton Line). Note West End Tower at
the upper far left. The distant bridge is the ex-DL&W Morris & Essex
line. The weak-looking catenary supports near the right end of the
bridge are actually for the West End wye track.

"Ballast train on approach to NYS&W bridge" shows an NS ballast train
dumping rock on the newly-restored span - this is the north end of the
bridge. An NS GE diesel can be seen in Croxton yard at the left.

More to come - thanks, Bob!

- Paul


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