‘East siding’ grade shows world is not flat

In a telephoto image proving that the world is indeed ‘not flat’, Norfolk Southern train 68Q is seen parked on the Port Reading yard track, aka the ‘east siding’, in Carteret, NJ, on the Conrail Shared Assets Chemical Coast Secondary. Evidence of the grade is apparent with the small piles of sand alongside the rails, where engineers have had to activate the onboard sanders to increase adhesion of the steel wheels on the steel rails to gain traction.

Traffic is a bit busy on this spring day, as another loaded ethanol train is sitting on the ‘west siding’, directly across the main. NS 9517, along with sister C40-9W 9241, will have to wait until tonight or tomorrow morning to be off-loaded, as the South Jersey Dispatcher will take the adjacent train first, issuing a Form D south to Sewaren within an hour of this photo.

Image recorded May 7, 2010.

Norfolk Southern train 68Q parked on the Port Reading yard track, aka the 'east siding', in Carteret, NJ

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Gliding through the snow in a Norfolk Southern train

With the road crew in the hotel by now, Conrail Shared Assets local crew JR-4 is in charge of today’s Norfolk Southern train 68Q. Gliding along the rails still covered in snow from the latest storm to hit this region, this train is actually backing the 1.3 miles from the holding siding in Carteret, NJ, to the unloading facility in Sewaren, NJ. NS 9853 (C40-9W) and BNSF 5239 (C44-9W) are shown here passing CP-PD and the excessive height detector on the Conrail Shared Assets Chemical Coast Secondary. This has been an extremely rough winter in central NJ, and kudos are extended to the train crews who keep the freight moving in this tough time.

Image recorded February 13, 2010.

Gliding through the snow in a Norfolk Southern train

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Burlington Northern Santa Fe units ready to head west

Staged and ready to head west to hopefully warmer weather, these two Burlington Northern Santa Fe units sit in extremely cold Carteret, NJ, on the Conrail Chemical Coast Secondary, awaiting a fresh road crew. BNSF 4614 and 1101 likely came east to coastal NJ on yesterdays Norfolk Southern unit ethanol train 68Q. The railroad has been expanded in this area from two tracks to three to accommodate the daily ethanol trains from the Midwest, as well as the numerous daily local freight movements to and from busy Oak Island yard, just 10 miles to the north.

Image recorded January, 30, 2010.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe units ready to head west Click on the image to display it at a larger size. Use your browser’s Back button to return to this page.