Working Together Since 1991
About UsThe mission of the NJRRA is to provide a common voice on established positions benefiting freight railroads, their customers, employees, vendors and residents of New Jersey resulting in economic prosperity and job growth throughout the state.
American Short Line and Regional Rail Association
Most of our members belong to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, the national association of the smaller railroads in North America. ASLRRA’s web site can be found at www.aslrra.org
Class 1 Railroad Members
Several of the Class I railroads that connect New Jersey’s shortlines with the rest of North America have elected to join the NJRRA. These include:
CSX Transportation
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Associate Members
Associate membership is available to contractors, suppliers and vendors who support the railroad industry. NJRRA is thankful to all associate members for assisting in fulfilling our mission.
Freight Railroads
The Importance of Railroads in NJ Industry
In the United States, freight railroads move over 2 billion tons annually across nearly 140,000 miles of privately-owned infrastructure that runs through 49 States.
In New Jersey, there are close to 1,000 miles of freight track. In 2013, freight rail supported 1 in 15 jobs in the state including:
- 400,000 in retail and wholesale
- 300,000 in transportation
- 185,000 in manufacturing
- 100,000 in construction
There are 17 operating freight railroads with over 1,200 freight rail employees. These railroads comprise class 1 railroads – CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern as well as class 2 and class 3 in size throughout the Garden State.
Freight railroads play a large role in keeping NJ competitive and provide solid contributions to the state’s economy. Industries dependent on freight railroads represent 28% of the states total GDP. The chemical industry and International ports in the northern and southern part of the state rely on freight rail to keep cargo moving.
Statistics
Freight Railroads in New Jersey
Freight railroads are an integral part of New Jersey’s industry. For more Fast Facts about Freight railroads and their employees in the State of New Jersey, click on the button below.
Number of Freight Railroads
Freight Railroad Mileage
What we Do
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Short Line Railroad?
A short line railroad provides the same services as a larger railroad, just over a smaller area than one of the Class 1 railroads (such as Norfolk Southern or CSX).
If a short line provides the same services as a larger railroad, why should I use a short line?
The short line is a local company with local offices, and people who pay personal attention to your shipments and needs. This personal attention allows you to better schedule your material movements, and manage your transportation costs.
My supplier isn't located on the short line. Can I still use the short line?
Absolutely. All of New Jersey’s short lines connect with the North American rail network, allowing shipments from the US, Canada, and Mexico to be shipped both in and out of the state. The short line can help you with setting up rates and getting cars to move your shipment in, and many of the railroads are served by more than one Class 1 carrier, so competitive rates can be created.
I don't have a rail siding at my business location, can I still get rail service?
Yes. If your business is located next to a railroad, but you don’t have a siding to unload on, the short line can help your business to build a siding. If your business is not near a railroad, most short lines have public team tracks available at little or no cost that your business could use to receive and unload cars. A short-haul trucker can be used to move your shipments to your place of business.
Why don't I just use truck for the whole shipment?
A railcar can hold three to four times what a single truck can hold. The railcar does not have the same unloading time cost requirements that a truck has, so you can unload the car to your schedule, not the trucker’s. The freight rate for a single car is usually very competitive to the three or four truck load equivalents, and when combined with the ease of scheduling and the superior service provided by the short line, the scales are usually tipped in the short line’s favor.
Use a Short Line to Help Your Business
2023 NJRRA Officers
Governance
The NJRRA has a Board of Governors comprised of Freight Railroads along with Associate Members representing all firms or agencies with an interest in the Industry and in New Jersey.
Members
NJRRA Members
Black River & Western Line (BRW)
The Black River & Western Railroad is an independently owned and operated Class III common-carrier railroad located in rural Hunterdon County New Jersey. From South to North, the railroad connects the towns of Lambertville, Ringoes, Flemington, and Three Bridges. Freight is interchanged with the Norfolk Southern Railway at Three Bridges. The BR&W is part of the Black River Railroad System (BDRV) which operates freight services on several shortline railroads in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as locomotive leasing throughout the United States.
Cape May Seashore Line (CMSL)
The Seashore Lines provides freight rail services for business entities desiring to transport their products, materials and goods between New Jersey and global markets.
The Seashore Lines’ freight services complement national growth patterns for freight rail service through the safe, effective, efficient and reliable movement of goods between New Jersey industries and world markets. The Seashore Lines’ freight rail service promotes multi-modalism by providing a viable alternative mode of transportation for both existing industries and future commercial opportunities in New Jersey.
Seashore Lines rail services include, but are not limited to:
Rail to truck and truck to rail transload sites, for both dry and liquid commodities
Availability of industrial sites
Service tailored to meet our customers’ needs
Convenient interchange with both CSX Transportation (CSXT) and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS)
New York New Jersey Rail, LLC (NYNJ) Marine Rail Division Port Jersey Rail Division (PJR)
NYNJR is a unique short line marine railroad, owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that provides a marine rail logistic solution to the New York New Jersey Metropolitan with rail yards located near highway connections in both Jersey City, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York. The Marine Rail Division moves rail cars on special barges called “Carfloats” between Jersey City, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York. The Port Jersey Rail Division (PJR), serves within the Port Jersey Industrial and Warehouse Complex.
New York Susquehanna & Western Railway (NYSW)
The NYSW operates over 400 miles of track in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania and is 286,000 pound gross weight capable on all lines. We serve over 85 Customers and transport a wide range of commodities such as feed ingredients, lumber and other building materials, chemicals and aggregates for Customers in New York State; and plastics, lumber, food products, paper products, motor vehicles, chemicals, aggregates, and metals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
SMS Rail Service (SLRS)
In business since 1994 serving locations within the states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. ” 24/7 on-demand’ rail switching service ” to all customers with complimentary rail infrastructure maintenance for all customers free. Business development assistance and comprehensive rail safety programs are also available upon request.
Need help growing your business in the NE US…We’re here to help!
Southern Railroad of New Jersy (SRNJ)
The Southern Railroad of New Jersey (reporting mark SRNJ) is a small short-line railroad company based in Winslow, New Jersey. The railroad operates freight trains in two areas in Southern New Jersey. In the Winslow area, trains operate between Winslow Junction and Pleasantville, and between Winslow Junction and the Winslow Hot Mix asphalt plant in Winslow Township. In Salem County and Gloucester County, the company operates on the Salem Branch between Salem and Woodbury.
Raritan Central Railway (RCRY)
The Raritan Central Railway is dedicated to providing seamless and timely transportation solutions for our customers. Operations are based at the Raritan Center Industrial Park and the Heller Industrial Park in Edison, New Jersey. The locations’ infrastructure and strategic positioning enables the Raritan Central to efficiently handle a wide range of materials including paper, plastics, steel, food grade, building products, and more. An aggressive program to expand and upgrade both yard and storage-in-transit tracks has increased rail car capacity and made all trackage fully 263,000# compliant. Crews are available to serve customers seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Interchange is handled daily with both CSX and Norfolk Southern (Conrail Shared Assets), allowing shippers access to the entire North American rail network.
Winchester & Western Railroad (WW)
The Winchester & Western Railroad is a Class III shortline railroad operating on two separate divisions commonly referred to as the New Jersey Division and Virginia Division.
Our Virginia Division operates through Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia serving the communities and areas between Gore, VA, Winchester, VA and Hagerstown, MD. And our New Jersey Division operates in southern New Jersey.
We are able to interchange with both Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation from both of our divisions.
Other New Jersey Railroads
Belvidere & Delaware River Railway (BDRV)
East Jersey Railroad (EJR)
Hainesport Industrial Railroad LLC (HIRR)
New Jersey Rail Carrier LLC (NJRC)
Southern Railroad of New Jersey (SRNJ)
Morristown & Erie Railway, Inc. (ME)
Ex-Officio Members
Members
Our Class 1 Railroad Members
Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern is a major transporter of industrial products, including chemicals, agriculture, and metals and construction materials. In addition, the railroad operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a principal carrier of coal, automobiles, and automotive parts.
CSX
CSX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation’s leading transportation suppliers. The company’s rail and intermodal businesses provide rail-based transportation services including traditional rail service and the transport of intermodal containers and trailers.
Overall, the CSX Transportation network encompasses about 21,000 route miles of track in 23 states, the District of Columbia and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Our transportation network serves some of the largest population centers in the nation. Nearly two-thirds of Americans live within CSX’s service territory.
Our transportation network serves some of the largest population centers in the nation. Nearly two-thirds of Americans live within CSX’s service territory.
CSX serves major markets in the eastern United States and has access to over 70 ocean, river and lake port terminals along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. The company also has access to Pacific ports through alliances with western railroads.
CSX moves a broad portfolio of products across the country in a way that minimizes the effect on the environment, takes traffic off an already congested highway system, and minimizes fuel consumption and transportation costs.
Get In Touch
New Jersey Railroad Association
6 Terri Lane, Suite 300
Burlington, NJ 08016
609-868-1342