A little about the line:
Overview:
The Conrail Southern Secondary is a low-grade freight line running from Red Bank, NJ to Lakewood, NJ with track extending as far as Lakehurst, NJ. The line hosts a weekly freight, the WPSA-31, which originates in South Amboy, NJ and runs from there to Red Bank where it comes on the Southern Secondary and drills customers along the way. These customers include Bel-Ray Co (Wall Township, NJ - Receives a Tank Car and is spotted on the Brick Recycling Siding), Brick Recycling (Wall Township, NJ - Receives a Gondola loaded with Scrap Metal), Extech Building Materials (Farmingdale, NJ - receives a Boxcar, occasionally two), and the largest customer, Woodhaven Lumber (Lakewood, NJ - Receives multiple loaded Centerbeam Cars and Boxcars).
History:
The Southern Secondary was originally built as part of the Raritan & Delaware Bay Railroad. Ownership was transferred to the New Jersey Southern Railroad. Eventually, the Central Railroad of New Jersey gained control of the line in 1879. Up until 1976, it has been part of the CNJ's Southern Division, linking Atlantic City with Northeastern New Jersey. This line once hosted the famous "Blue Comet" train from 1929 to 1941 which ran between Atlantic City and Jersey City 2-3 times a day. In 1976, the CNJ was absorbed into Conrail. Two years later, Conrail "Cut" the line in half at Woodmansie, NJ, effectively leaving it a branch line of the North Jersey Coast Line with no more through service. Around 1989, Conrail further cut operations back to its current state in Lakehurst along with the abandonment of the Toms River Industrial Track. Ever since, the line has hosted the SA-31 to serve the four remaining customers. Physical Characteristics: The line's track condition is not great in some places to say the least, and it would permit 10-15 MPH running. Most grade crossings are E-Bells nowadays, with some Gantry Level Crossings as well. There is no block signaling on the route.
Current Operations:
The customers and their freight were described above, but do to the placement of some sidings, not all the customers are drilled in one order. Thus, Extech Building Materials is switched first on the train's way south, then the train proceeds to Lakewood, NJ to run around the train and serve Woodhaven Lumber, and Bel-Ray and Brick Recycling on it's way north.
Currently, the assets required to run the route include the free download of Scale-Rails, SMM Signals, and the North Jersey Coast Line DLC.
The route will be uploaded to the File Library shortly!
