LITTLE FERRY UPGRADE QUESTION

I was railfanning Little Ferry yesterday, and saw the new third track that is being installed from there up to Bergenfield.

I also noticed a metal shed with a constantly running air conditioner that also has what looks like a radio tower, and I believe it's actually a "repeater" for radio transmissions. The ac must keep some computer componets cool inside the shed.
What I was wondering though, is that tower for radio transmissions, or is it something to do with the beautiful, massive state of the art signals that are being installed?

The old NYC CTC signals, which are one standard signal pole, are being replaced with tall structures with multi square signals on them. Are these signals run via satellites? Or are they run by radio signals? The tower just happens to be located between the signals structures (facing opposite directions) and are seperated by several hundred feet between them.

Very interesting stuff.
Concrete ties are being installed not only on the new track but the old existing ones also.
The OLD part of the bridge over the canal is being shored up too. No track or train has been on it for years. The Susie Q track right next to it that has it's own bridge was shored up with steel. The CSX bridge still has wooden pilings and makes one wonder if it could hold a massive train on it!

I would guess that business is pretty good too.

 

I have not been to Little Ferry in 25 years but what you describe sounds like an electronic interlocking controlled via a radio link to either a microwave or phone connection to the dispatchers office, where ever it may be. The ac unit is probably a combination ac/heater unit as electronics don't like heat or cold conditions. I am not sure what you mean regarding the signals but old NYC practice was to use three arm home signals and I would have to assume these would be the same to fit in with existing signal on the old West Shore line to Selkirk. Any chance for a photo?
Is the old SusieQ drawbridge still working and I believe there was also one on the NYC?

 

Gil,

I have some photos of some of the upgrades but not the ability to post them.

The bridges are still there. From what I have heard, the Coast Guard gave both railroads a hard time about keeping those bridges in working order. The only thing is there isn't much of anything that would wander into that canal anyway anymore. The Susie Q bridge has been rebuilt with steel under it and the wooden pilings have been removed. The old Central bridge has concrete pilings and steel and wood in some places, but the oldest section still is held up by wood! There is WELDED RAIL across them, so no more opening them unless the Feds demand it! By the way, I can see how the Susie Q one is a draw bridge, but I couldn't figure out how the Central's one opened. I think it may swing open sideways. It's differenet indeed.

There was a pile driver at the opposite end and I guess it's working on strengthening the bridge. Unfortunately I didn't shoot them this time. I was just hoping to catch a train on them but it didn't happen.

I do believe that the tower is a microwave tower. Your explanation sounds good to me! I can tell there were for the signals too. the AC unit looked like one I'd have in my living room. Nothing all that fancy. That shed must get up to 200 degress in that blazing sun that hits it almost all day long. It doesn't even have a white roof!!!!

As for the signals, the old NYC signal has one pole with two signals, where as the new signals have the "highway overhead sign" type frame work with three sets of two signals each. One on top of the other, three sets across. They aren't exactly square either.

One other interesting thing is, that there is only one narrow access road into the TOFC North Bergen Yard from where the bridges are. Along the Hackensack River side it is. We watched a truck pull up to a solid roll down gate and it opened for him and closed behind him. That was something new! His slight pause must have meant he was observed by a camera, then after being identified the gate was opened.

The new track being installed comes right up to the current grade crossing lights stantion! New ones are in place a few feet away! That goes for the grade crossing near the station in Ridgefield Park. That alone must be a small fortune in construction costs! From there to Bergenfield must be 4 or 5 miles I guess.

 

Whoa Gil!
My mistake!
Looking back at my photos and not having Commando Wife barking orders over me while I type, I realize I meant there are two sets of three signals.
Sorry!

 

From your description I think the signals are mounted on a cantilever signal mast similar to a highway crossing signal.
That metal signal house will get just as cold in the winter as it gets hot in the summer.
The signals are probably a form of color light type as the old searchlight type formerly used is not that popular today. They are too easy to vandalise and cause false proceeds.
If you can send the photos via Email send to me at ggajr@msn.com.

 

I will ask a friend to scan them for me and I will send them to you.

 

The use of Microwave networks for RR communications is quite impressive. out here in Washington the road crews talk directly with the dispatcher, in Ft. Worth TX. All this works through a system of microwave relays and is appearently quite reliable. Probably one function of the structure you saw was to repeat the microwave voice signals to VHF which the locomotive and portable radios use.

 

I'm sure it's a repeater because I first noticed them on ordinary city buildings and those are used for cell phones.

These seemed slightly larger.

I'm working on getting them scanned, possibly directly onto TB.

By the way, I'm wondering if anyone knows where the NYS&W track branches off the CSX. It's before Bergenfield I believe. Or does NYS&W use the CSX tracks northbound?

 

Johnny,

The NYS&W connects to CSX at North Bergen and with NS at Passaic Jct. Hope this helps. I definately have to catch me some Susy-Q action one day!

Russ

 

P.S. North Bergen is the home of their bulk distribution facility. Their trackage leads north west towards Sparta NJ and then due north up towards Utica NY but I do not know if it is their own trackage or some one elses. I will have to check into that.

Russ

 

John and others, down here on the old Mobile & New Orleans Division of the L&N, CSX has pulled all their poles and signal wires. CSX is now controlling signals and turnouts, and communicating with their cabs, bridge tenders, and section crews by microwave out of Jacksonville, then down-converting those signals to VHF and coupling them onto local power company distribution lines for coupling to the receivers.

I didn't believe what I had heard until my next door neighbor, a Mississippi Power Company Transmission Dept. employee explained it to me. The concept of using 500KV lines as a continuous VHF antenna blows my mind, but I guess it works.

[ 09 July 2002, 00:15: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]

 

Hank, I understand that as well as Bob Villa understands the workings of a 1/4 inch drill.

Just a wee "bit".

Seriously, that is incredible.
Why did I feel like I was glowing after standing there for about 4 hours????????
I feel electrified after railfanning there!
It's shocking indeed.

Do you think that might not be the place for us to be standing?

 

Johnny, send me the pix in an email and I'll post them. The device you described several messages ago to support the signals is what we called a "signal bridge" about 50 years ago, on the Central. Of course they had semaphores on them then.

 

I think what he meant is they are bolting the repeaters to the transmission towers, not using the wires themselves as antennas. That's a common practice for cell phone repeaters in Canada, but I haven't seen it very often here. Given that many railroads lease right-of-way to power companes, it makes sense, and probably creates fewer "Dead spots" thjan the conventional system of putting the repeaters up opn hills.

 

Repeaters on towers makes more sense. I'll see if I can spot any non-power company stuff on the towers. Unfortunately, it's so flat down here the repeaters could be at least 20 miles apart, so finding one would be unlikely.

 

Thanks Fitz!
Whata TB Buddy!
I think Russ is going to do it for me. I snail mailed them to him the other day.
I'll keep you "posted" though!

I wanted to call that cantilever mast a bridge, but figured that wasn't what it was called anymore.

The one thing I didn't mention, was that there were 2 or 3 (roughly) 2 inch cables running from the top of the tower into the metal shed.

The shed itself is in the middle of the two signals, oh......several hundred feet from each one. It's closer to the grade crossing lights. The two opposite facing masts are a good distance from one another.

 

I just received them today Johnny. The envelope was a bit bent up too! I take back the compliment that I gave the postal service on that last package that you mailed me. Anyway, without further ado, here are the pics. I will let Johnny explain about them.
Russ

 

Yup, thats CTC installation. The reason the signal heads look weird is that they are turned 90 degrees away from the track as they have not been "cut in" yet. I lost track of where this was, but it sure looks like a UP installation. Those type of signal heads are somthing of a UP trademark, as are the boxy signal bridges.

 

THANKS RUSS!

This area is called "Little Ferry", NJ.
It's Ridgefield Park to me but I must cross a border line somewhere right there.
Maybe the railroad refers to it as Little Ferry.

The old CTC signals belonged to the NYC (CR, now CSX).
They are facing north, with the Hackensack River behind them.
These are the last signals that I know of before you enter into the North Bergen Yard just to the left (south). CSX has only one track here where as the Central had 4! The track in the background is NYS&W.
That shed and tower I was talking about are in the picture also.
The bridge over the canal is just to the left out of sight.

The second photo of the new signals show them several hundred feet north of the old CTC one. Those things are massive compared to the old CTC pole! That's RT 46 over the tracks. There is another set much farther to the left over the canal.
To the right of the tank car is a NYS&W diesel fueling facility. It's tiny compared to massive yard ones. A couple of converted boxcars are used as an office.
You can also notice how tall that microwave tower is!

Now I understand why the new signals look that way! As a matter of fact, I have seen them in Sidney, Ohio at the new CSX cutoff. And they were turned also before they went into service. My bad for not remembering.

CSX was using one track, NYS&W another, and now what the railfans refer to as the "third track" is being installed. That's the track half ballasted.

It's a great Saturday or Sunday morning spot. There's always plenty of leased engines on CSX and NYS&W movements involve local switching and movements in and out of the North Bergen Yard.

Thanks again Russ. Could you post that other one of the track by the grade crossing? Thanks!