Saturday evening (7/19), a peculiar sound caught my attention coming from the Raritan Valley Line. It definitely was a train traveling very slowly but in what direction and why? After all, NJT passenger service terminates at Raritan on weekends. Curiousity got the best of me and I decided to brave the briars and poison ivy and see what a train was doing west of Raritan at 6:17 on a Saturday evening. Sliding down a dirt slope, my question was soon answered. It was a NJT ballast train. Evidently it was spreading ballast somewhere west of the Raritan station and was heading back on to the siding near CP BRAD.
On Sunday afternoon, driving over the Readington Road grade crossing in Branchburg (MP 40 on the RVL), I spotted a piece of NJT MOW equipment, or so I thought that is what it was. Turns out it is a jet engine snow blower. Perhaps NJT has read the Farmer's Almanac and thinks we will be in for a rough winter? That might account why they are getting the snow fighting equipment ready to do battle with the elements now? The thought of winter approaching sends a chill down my back! Brrrrr......
