Alpine, Tx Amtrak station

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Time to close that station. I say that because, when I was New Jersey Transit crew dispatcher, which took over the commuter lines in 1983, NJT ran one round trip on the former Reading line from West Trenton. They ran it for about one year and it was discontinued, one of the reasons being perhaps because Conrail wanted to single track that line to Bound Brook. Several days before the end of the service, the conductor, a former CNJ man, called me in astonishment. A contractor was pouring asphalt for a new platform at Belle Mead! Ah bureaucracy in action!
 
Time to close that station. I say that because, when I was New Jersey Transit crew dispatcher, which took over the commuter lines in 1983, NJT ran one round trip on the former Reading line from West Trenton. They ran it for about one year and it was discontinued, one of the reasons being perhaps because Conrail wanted to single track that line to Bound Brook. Several days before the end of the service, the conductor, a former CNJ man, called me in astonishment. A contractor was pouring asphalt for a new platform at Belle Mead! Ah bureaucracy in action!
What does your story have anything to do with Alpine TX station?
 
Checked out station yesterday while traveling on Sunset Limited. New platform completed. New sidewalks just about finished. Still requires double stop when #1 train has 421 cars.
:huh:

Is there ever a time when the Sunset *doesn't* have cars from the TE?
 
Checked out station yesterday while traveling on Sunset Limited. New platform completed. New sidewalks just about finished. Still requires double stop when #1 train has 421 cars.
:huh:

Is there ever a time when the Sunset *doesn't* have cars from the TE?
Only when it's running East of San Antonio. Even if the TE is halted or turned back due to some sort of blockage or impasse SAS has protect cars that can be added as needed.
 
People do not seem to understand my attempt at wry humor.
I understood it right away.

What does your story have anything to do with Alpine TX station?

They key to understanding is the the first sentence.

Time to close that station
It is an accepted railroad axiom that when a major project at a facility occurs, that usually means the facility will soon get sold, demolished or just remain closed for some reason. Conrail was notorious for letting their stuff fall apart. When you saw it was being spruced up, you knew its days were numbered.

So, he was making a wry observation that since Alpine has been spruced up, they will obviously close it in the near future.
 
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Ah Thirdrail! You are a gentleman, scholar, and high end intellectual. Yes, this was my tongue in cheek point. WhenI first was hired by Erie Lackawanna in 1974 in Hoboken, NJ, the president of the railroad was Gregory Maxwell ( never met him ) headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. His nickname was " Max the Ax " because every time he came through on an inspection train, something disappeared not long after his visit.

Our paychecks at that time came out of Cleveland. Were they sent to New Jersey on a fast freight? Oh no, they were sent by airplane, otherwise I was told there was no telling when we might have seen them!
 
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