River Subdivision
Encyclopedia
The River Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation
in the U.S. state
s of New Jersey
and New York
. The line runs from the CSX North Bergen Yard, New Jersey north to Selkirk, New York
along a former New York Central Railroad
line.
and then Conrail in 1976. When the majority of Conrail was broken up in 1999, the River Subdivision was assigned to CSX.
The River Subdivision (also known as the River Sub or River SD) is a major north-south rail corridor located between North Bergen, New Jersey
and Selkirk, New York
, carries strictly freight trains and runs mostly along the shoreline or paralleling closely to the west bank of the Hudson River
. The River Subdivision is part of the CSX Albany Division, which in turn is part of CSX's Northern Region of Operations.
The CSX designated subdivision code for the River Subdivision is "RI", with the River Subdivision falling under the "NI" dispatchers desk since March 8, 2009. It had been part of the "NJ" dispatchers desk until this date. Mileposts and locations along the River Subdivision are denoted by the CSX milepost prefix: "QR".
Prior to July 1, 2008, the section of track from QR 2.1 north to CP-QR 7, a point located in Bogota, New Jersey
, was originally part of the CSX Bergen Subdivision / Baltimore Division
prior to 2008, while the River Subdivision began at CP-QR 7 and continued north to Selkirk.
On July 1, 2008 (the effective date of CSX Albany Division Employees Timetable "ETT" #5), the segment from QR 2.1 to CP-QR 7 (which comprised the entire Bergen Subdivision); was incorporated into the River Subdivision, and the Bergen Subdivision was abolished. Also taking place at this same time, was the River Subdivision being extended south to QR 1.6, adding 5/10th of a mile to the route.
. As such, the River Subdivision now connects directly to the River Line at MP QR 1.6 and the first "Controlled Point" on the River Subdivision is now CP-QR 3.
One of the most popular locations on this route is Iona Island
. Iona Island is a public access nature reserve, and the River Subdivision transects the island. Being public access allows railfans to photograph and observe trains without trespassing on railroad property.
While not part of the River Subdivision, the Poughkeepsie Bridge "Walkway over the Hudson"
crosses over the River Subdivision. This location offers a spectacular vantage point overlooking the River SD trackage, and as a backdrop when photographing the River Subdivision from the ground in and around the vicinity of MP QR 70.
At Selkirk, NY; the River Subdivision ends at "CP-SK" (MP QR 132.6) where it curves west and merges into the Castleton Subdivision
, and of which this location is the extreme eastern end of Selkirk Yard.
Also at this point CP-SK, the Port Subdivision
branches north towards Albany
off the Castleton Subdivision (but is not directly accessible by the River Subdivision). The Port Subdivision ends 7 miles north of CP-SK in South Albany, NY at the Kenwood Yard of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Also at CP-SK, an eastbound connector from the River Subdivision is available for trains to progress east onto the Castleton Subdivision and over the Hudson River (to points east, via the CSX Berkshire & Boston Subdivisions). The Castleton Sub was originally built as part of a bypass for through trains around Albany.
The configuration of the track work at CP-SK between the River Subdivision, Castleton Subdivision including the "east wye track", form a triangle: a "wye" in railroad parlance; on which locomotives can be turned if need be.
Also, if in close proximity to them, defect detectors can be heard relaying train info (speed, axle count, defects if any (hot boxes or dragging equipment) to the train on the aforementioned road channel.
Many of these locations can be accessed for railfan photography without the need for trespassing on either railroad or individually owned private property.
Several websites such as http://photos.greatrails.net/ and http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/default.aspx cater to hosting railfan photo archives, and have many images posted by those railfans who frequently visit parts of the line.
Local trains delivering freight to businesses and industries located along the River Subdivision operate out of yards located at North Bergen, NJ; Kingston, NY and Selkirk, NY.
Train symbols (prefixes) operating on this line are:
On rare occasions, a Z prefix (foreign road train) may appear on this route.
A vast majority of the intermodal traffic originating in the various ports in New Jersey and destined for Chicago, IL and points west from that rail hub, travel north via the River Subdivision to Selkirk, NY; where they turn west.
The original River line as constructed by the West Shore Railroad was double track main, that is one track assigned to southbound trains and one assigned for northbound trains. With the advent of Centralized Traffic Control a/k/a "CTC", the River line was reduced to single track main with passing sidings at strategic locations.
Several recent proposals (ca. 2008) put forth plans to either install supersidings (multi-segment extended length sidings) permitting trains to pass one another at speed without stopping; or reverting back to complete double tracking from North Bergen to Selkirk.
As of 2008, the original signalled siding (ssdg) between CP-QR 76 (Highland) and CP-QR 78 (West Park) which was 12,500 feet in length, was extended to 24,000 feet with the extension of the original siding with another siding from CP-QR 78 (West Park) to CP-QR 80 (Esopus) with crossovers at CP-QR 78. This extension, known as "West Park Siding" makes the entire length from CP-QR 76 to CP-QR 80 a supersiding.
As learned from Ulster County Integrated Advance Train Detection and Arrival Prediction Implementation Plan, page 9 of this document shows one new siding and one supersiding are now proposed to further alleviate rail traffic congestion:
Should CSX decide to double track the entire line, this could be accomplished with minimal difficulty as the River Subdivision was originally double track operation (when constructed by the New York, West Shore & Buffalo / New York Central Railroad). As the width of the right of way is already graded for double track, with bridges and trestles already in place that had been constructed as double track, only the re-installation of the second main tracks, turnouts and signals need to be installed.
One area of engineering slightly hinders this double tracking, yet it is not insurmountable as it has been done on other railroads and routes. Upon the installation of CTC, one of the two main line tracks was removed, and the remaining main line track was realigned down the center of the some of the tunnels (e.g.: Kingston Tunnel). When use of double stack container trains became prevalent, only the center portion of the tunnel roof or 'ceiling' directly over the track was raised to permit tall double stack intermodal / container trains to use that tunnel. The part of the ceiling where the roof meets the sidewall was not raised.
If double tracking is reinstated, the existing track down the center would need to be realigned to one side of the tunnel (to its original double track alignment) to permit the other track to be re-installed. This would now require either the entire width of the tunnel roof to be raised, or the full width of the roadbed lowered to permit double stack intermodal / container trains to use these tunnels.
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The line runs from the CSX North Bergen Yard, New Jersey north to Selkirk, New York
Selkirk, New York
Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. It is located south of the city of Albany, it is an suburb of that city....
along a former New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
line.
History
The original line was opened in segments by a number of different companies from the 1860s to the opening of the full line in the 1880s, by which time it was known as the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway. Through mergers, leases, and takeovers, it became part of the New York Central RailroadNew York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
and then Conrail in 1976. When the majority of Conrail was broken up in 1999, the River Subdivision was assigned to CSX.
Current Operation
| Region: | Northern |
| Division: | Albany |
| Subdivision: | River |
| Abbreviation: | RI |
| Dispatch Desk: | NI |
| Milepost Designator: | QR |
| Primary direction of travel: | north / south |
| Total subdivision miles: | 131 |
The River Subdivision (also known as the River Sub or River SD) is a major north-south rail corridor located between North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
and Selkirk, New York
Selkirk, New York
Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. It is located south of the city of Albany, it is an suburb of that city....
, carries strictly freight trains and runs mostly along the shoreline or paralleling closely to the west bank of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. The River Subdivision is part of the CSX Albany Division, which in turn is part of CSX's Northern Region of Operations.
The CSX designated subdivision code for the River Subdivision is "RI", with the River Subdivision falling under the "NI" dispatchers desk since March 8, 2009. It had been part of the "NJ" dispatchers desk until this date. Mileposts and locations along the River Subdivision are denoted by the CSX milepost prefix: "QR".
Trackage prior to 2008
Note: CP stands for Control Point, which denotes an interlocking, or the location of a track signal or other marker with which dispatchers can specify when controlling trains.Prior to July 1, 2008, the section of track from QR 2.1 north to CP-QR 7, a point located in Bogota, New Jersey
Bogota, New Jersey
As of the 2010 Census, Bogota had a population of 8,187. The median age was 38.6. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 61.0% White, 9.4% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 9.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander, 14.8% some other race and 4.1% reporting...
, was originally part of the CSX Bergen Subdivision / Baltimore Division
Bergen Subdivision
The Bergen Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The line runs from North Bergen north to Bogota along a former New York Central Railroad line...
prior to 2008, while the River Subdivision began at CP-QR 7 and continued north to Selkirk.
On July 1, 2008 (the effective date of CSX Albany Division Employees Timetable "ETT" #5), the segment from QR 2.1 to CP-QR 7 (which comprised the entire Bergen Subdivision); was incorporated into the River Subdivision, and the Bergen Subdivision was abolished. Also taking place at this same time, was the River Subdivision being extended south to QR 1.6, adding 5/10th of a mile to the route.
Trackage 2008 - Present
The section of track south of QR 1.6 at the south end of CSX North Bergen Yard is now owned by Conrail Shared Assets Operation (CSAO) and is part of the North New Jersey Operational Area River LineRiver Line (Conrail)
The River Line is a rail corridor located between Jersey City, New Jersey and Selkirk, New York, running along the west bank of the Hudson River. A parallel track, which was operated as part of the River Line from Jersey City to Weehawken, New Jersey, was known as the Weehawken Branch...
. As such, the River Subdivision now connects directly to the River Line at MP QR 1.6 and the first "Controlled Point" on the River Subdivision is now CP-QR 3.
Points of Interest
Major points of interest along the River Subdivision route listed below. MP is the abbreviation for MilePost. Mileposts progress numerically from south to north.- MP QR 1.6 - Beginning of and southernmost point of River Subdivision
- MP QR 7.2 - Bogota; defect detector
- MP QR 18.8 - New Jersey / New York State Border
- MP QR 20.5 - Orangeburg defect detector
- MP QR 24.5 - Nyack
- MP QR 32.9 - Haverstraw Tunnel
- MP QR 33.4 - West Haverstraw Yard
- MP QR 38.5 - Stoney Point defect detector
- MP QR 41.0 - Iona Island (a public and popular raifanning location)
- MP QR 42.7 - Fort Montgomery Tunnel
- MP QR 47.3 - West Point Tunnel
- MP QR 56.5 - Newburgh
- MP QR 61.0 - Roseton defect detector
- MP QR 84.4 - Hercules defect detector
- MP QR 86.4 - Wilbur Trestle
- MP QR 86.8 - Kingston Tunnel
- MP QR 88.8 - Kingston Yard
- MP QR 99.1 - Saugerties defect detector
- MP QR 104.8 - Alsen Yard
- MP QR 108.1 - Catskill defect detector
- MP QR 110. - Catskill Trestle
- MP QR 114.9 - Athens defect detector
- MP QR 128.5 - Ravena defect detector
- MP QR 132.6 - CP-SK / Selkirk: northernmost point of River Subdivision, turns west and merges into Castleton Subdivision and Selkirk Yard.
One of the most popular locations on this route is Iona Island
Iona Island
Iona Island may refer to:*Iona, an island in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland*Iona Island *Iona Island...
. Iona Island is a public access nature reserve, and the River Subdivision transects the island. Being public access allows railfans to photograph and observe trains without trespassing on railroad property.
While not part of the River Subdivision, the Poughkeepsie Bridge "Walkway over the Hudson"
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
crosses over the River Subdivision. This location offers a spectacular vantage point overlooking the River SD trackage, and as a backdrop when photographing the River Subdivision from the ground in and around the vicinity of MP QR 70.
At Selkirk, NY; the River Subdivision ends at "CP-SK" (MP QR 132.6) where it curves west and merges into the Castleton Subdivision
Castleton Subdivision
The Castleton Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Schodack northwest to Selkirk along a former New York Central Railroad line. At its southeast end, it junctions with the Berkshire Subdivision and Schodack...
, and of which this location is the extreme eastern end of Selkirk Yard.
Also at this point CP-SK, the Port Subdivision
Port Subdivision
The Port Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Selkirk north to Albany along a former New York Central Railroad line...
branches north towards Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
off the Castleton Subdivision (but is not directly accessible by the River Subdivision). The Port Subdivision ends 7 miles north of CP-SK in South Albany, NY at the Kenwood Yard of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Also at CP-SK, an eastbound connector from the River Subdivision is available for trains to progress east onto the Castleton Subdivision and over the Hudson River (to points east, via the CSX Berkshire & Boston Subdivisions). The Castleton Sub was originally built as part of a bypass for through trains around Albany.
The configuration of the track work at CP-SK between the River Subdivision, Castleton Subdivision including the "east wye track", form a triangle: a "wye" in railroad parlance; on which locomotives can be turned if need be.
Radio Frequencies
Radio transmissions between trains and dispatcher operating upon the CSX River Subdivision is assigned to the CSX 'NI' Dispatcher Desk, and can be heard on the following frequencies:- AAR Channel 58 - 160.980 - road
- AAR Channel 54 - 160.920 - dispatcher to train
Also, if in close proximity to them, defect detectors can be heard relaying train info (speed, axle count, defects if any (hot boxes or dragging equipment) to the train on the aforementioned road channel.
Popular & Photogenic Route
The River Subdivision especially offers many photographically pleasing locations, opportunities and vantage points:- Low and High Trestles
- Thru Truss, Plate Girder & Box Girder Bridges
- River & Inlet Crossings
- Shoreline Running
- Tunnels
- Rock Cuts
- Urban, Suburban and Rural settings
- Overgrade and undergrade automobile crossings
- Grade Crossings
- Reverse 'S' curves
- Local Industry
- Yards and
- Old Stations.
Many of these locations can be accessed for railfan photography without the need for trespassing on either railroad or individually owned private property.
Several websites such as http://photos.greatrails.net/ and http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/default.aspx cater to hosting railfan photo archives, and have many images posted by those railfans who frequently visit parts of the line.
Freight Traffic
Traffic on the River Subdivision consists mostly of long distance trains composed of intermodal, TOFC (Trailer On Flat Car), unit, and mixed commodity trains.Local trains delivering freight to businesses and industries located along the River Subdivision operate out of yards located at North Bergen, NJ; Kingston, NY and Selkirk, NY.
Train symbols (prefixes) operating on this line are:
- C - local
- G - unit: grain (very rarely)
- K - unit: municipal waste, ethanol
- L - alternate schedule of a Q train
- Q - quality: Q100 series intermodal, Q200 series auto carriers, Q300 east/west mixed commodity and Q400 north/south mixed commodity
- S - second section
- X - extra
On rare occasions, a Z prefix (foreign road train) may appear on this route.
A vast majority of the intermodal traffic originating in the various ports in New Jersey and destined for Chicago, IL and points west from that rail hub, travel north via the River Subdivision to Selkirk, NY; where they turn west.
Future Operations, Proposals & Improvements
Plans have been proposed to add sidings and supersidings along portions of the River Subdivision, as rail traffic along this route has increased due to escalating fuel prices, deteriorating and / or congested arterial highways.The original River line as constructed by the West Shore Railroad was double track main, that is one track assigned to southbound trains and one assigned for northbound trains. With the advent of Centralized Traffic Control a/k/a "CTC", the River line was reduced to single track main with passing sidings at strategic locations.
Several recent proposals (ca. 2008) put forth plans to either install supersidings (multi-segment extended length sidings) permitting trains to pass one another at speed without stopping; or reverting back to complete double tracking from North Bergen to Selkirk.
As of 2008, the original signalled siding (ssdg) between CP-QR 76 (Highland) and CP-QR 78 (West Park) which was 12,500 feet in length, was extended to 24,000 feet with the extension of the original siding with another siding from CP-QR 78 (West Park) to CP-QR 80 (Esopus) with crossovers at CP-QR 78. This extension, known as "West Park Siding" makes the entire length from CP-QR 76 to CP-QR 80 a supersiding.
As learned from Ulster County Integrated Advance Train Detection and Arrival Prediction Implementation Plan, page 9 of this document shows one new siding and one supersiding are now proposed to further alleviate rail traffic congestion:
- a new siding from QR 93 (Lake Katrine/Glenerie) to QR 96 (Mount Marion), and:
- a new supersiding, which would extend the current existing siding from CP-QR 103 (West Camp) to CP-QR 106 (Alsen), with the extension reaching to CP-QR 110 (Catskill).
Should CSX decide to double track the entire line, this could be accomplished with minimal difficulty as the River Subdivision was originally double track operation (when constructed by the New York, West Shore & Buffalo / New York Central Railroad). As the width of the right of way is already graded for double track, with bridges and trestles already in place that had been constructed as double track, only the re-installation of the second main tracks, turnouts and signals need to be installed.
One area of engineering slightly hinders this double tracking, yet it is not insurmountable as it has been done on other railroads and routes. Upon the installation of CTC, one of the two main line tracks was removed, and the remaining main line track was realigned down the center of the some of the tunnels (e.g.: Kingston Tunnel). When use of double stack container trains became prevalent, only the center portion of the tunnel roof or 'ceiling' directly over the track was raised to permit tall double stack intermodal / container trains to use that tunnel. The part of the ceiling where the roof meets the sidewall was not raised.
If double tracking is reinstated, the existing track down the center would need to be realigned to one side of the tunnel (to its original double track alignment) to permit the other track to be re-installed. This would now require either the entire width of the tunnel roof to be raised, or the full width of the roadbed lowered to permit double stack intermodal / container trains to use these tunnels.