Chester Branch railroad makes headway in Roxbury Township, N.J.

County officials say the rehabilitation of the Chester Branch Railroad, a four-mile rail line extending from Wharton, N.J., and terminating in Roxbury Township, is under way and should be completed within four to five months, the Roxbury Register reports.

The Morris County Board
of Chosen Freeholders in April awarded a $5.1-million contract to the firm
Railroad Construction Company, Inc, of Paterson to rehabilitate the rail line,
with the money coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The four-mile active
freight line now serves Roxbury commercial users, but with the rehabilitation,
it has the potential to also serve customers in Randolph, in particular the
former Westinghouse site, now the BETA Corporate Park, said Freeholder Director
Gene Feyl.

"The rehabilitation of
the Chester Branch meets the intent of the federal stimulus legislation by
creating employment opportunities not only during rehabilitation but by the
future economic opportunities it will create in Morris County," Feyl said. "Since
one rail car is approximately equivalent to four tractor trailers, the
efficient use of this rail line also has the potential to reduce truck traffic
along major roadways in the county."

Brush cutting in the work
area has been completed; the railroad crossing sight distances have been
increased to meet Federal Railroad Administration standards; new track is being
installed on a daily basis; and railroad crossing replacements at Main Street,
First Street and Berkshire Valley Road are being scheduled. In addition, a tall
fence will be installed to protect Roxbury residents at the rear of the
Horseshoe Lake property, located at 72 Eyland Ave., from accessing the railroad
tracks. The township will also divert its bike path further toward the edge of
the lake and further away from the railroad tracks.

The freight line was
donated to the county by Chester Branch, LLC, in October 2009, and the
Morristown & Erie Railway has a management agreement with the county to
continue to operate on the Chester Branch. The M&E also operates the two
other county-owned rail lines: the High Bridge Branch and the Dover &
Rockaway Railroad.

The Chester Branch
connects to the High Bridge Branch, and these two lines connect to the NJ
Transit line near the Roxbury – Rockaway Township border, enabling freight
service to connect throughout New Jersey and nationwide. According to the
Morris County Department of Transportation, as of July 21, new track has been
installed from Kuiken Brothers Lumber north to Route 10 and from Route 10 north
to Holland Manufacturing on Main Street, Succasunna.

Between 400-600
railroad ties are being delivered by truck per day. All other rail materials,
except for the switches, are now stockpiled on site.

Railroad crossing
replacements at Main St, First St, and Berkshire Valley Rd are being scheduled.
Painting of the bridge over Berkshire Valley Rd should occur within the next
two months. The project is anticipated to be completed in November of this
year.