| Railroad Name: | Cape May Seashore Lines |
| Logo Filename: | Cmsl logo color web.png |
| Marks: | CMSL |
| Locale: | Cape May County and Atlantic County, New Jersey |
| Start Year: | 1984 |
| End Year: | present |
| Predecessor Line: | Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines |
| Length: | 27miles |
| Hq City: | Tuckahoe, New Jersey |
Cape May Seashore Lines is a short line railroad in southern New Jersey that operates both freight trains and excursion trains. It offers two excursion services: a 30mile round trip between Richland and Tuckahoe along the Beesley's Point Secondary railroad line and a 14mile round trip between Rio Grande, Cold Spring Village, and Cape May City along the Cape May Branch (service between Rio Grande and Cape May is suspended due to theft of track material and damage along the Cape May Branch). The track is owned by NJ Transit and leased to the Seashore Lines. The Cape May Branch is the original line operated by the Cape May Seashore Lines and runs from Cape May north to Tuckahoe, connecting to the Beesley's Point Secondary in Tuckahoe. Cape May Seashore Lines operates freight service along the Beesley's Point Secondary line between Winslow and Palermo, interchanging with Conrail Shared Assets Operations in Winslow. Tony Macrie has been president of the Seashore Lines since he formed the railroad in 1984.
The Cape May rail line was constructed in 1863 by the Tuckahoe & Cape May Railroad and was operated by the Philadelphia & Reading Railway's Atlantic City Railroad, later becoming part of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines (PRSL). Known as "The Steel Speedway to the Shore," it eventually became part of Conrail's (CR), which ceased passenger service in 1981 and freight service on October 10, 1983. The line was subsequently sold to New Jersey Transit as their Cape May Branch.[1]
Cape May Seashore Lines (CMSL) was established by CEO Tony Macrie in January 1984. Regular train service between Cape May Court House and Cold Spring Village began in 1996 and extended to Cape May City in 1999 following the repair of the swing bridge over the Cape May Canal.[2] In 2005, mechanical issues with the swing bridge halted trains from entering Cape May City. Although the bridge was repaired in 2006, an April 2007 storm damaged the tracks, leaving locomotives stranded in Tuckahoe. Passenger service between Rio Grande and Cape May City resumed on October 12, 2009. In 2020, CMSL partnered with railbiking company Revolution Rail offering excursions over approximately four miles of trackage between Cape May Station and the swing bridge over Cape May Canal.[3]
CMSL currently operates excursion trains on 15 miles of CR's Beesley's Point Secondary between Tuckahoe and Richland. The current passenger train operations include themed services such as the Valentine’s Express, St. Patrick’s Express, Easter Bunny Express, Ice Cream Express, and Santa Express. Train sets primarily consist of the railroad's two GP38 diesel locomotives and six passenger cars. CMSL also offers excursions for the Buena Vista Township/Richland Village Festival and the Annual Tuckahoe Transportation Heritage Festival.
In November 2021, CMSL filed with the Surface Transportation Board to operate freight rail service on the Beesley's Point line between Winslow and Palermo, approximately 30 miles long. Service commenced in February 2022.[4]
On March 1, 2012, CMSL was informed by the New Jersey State Police of track material theft on their Cape May Branch in Dennisville. This main line connects Tuckahoe to Cape May City. Several individuals involved in the theft were arrested and charged. On March 5, a father and son from the Villas area of Lower Township, New Jersey, along with an individual from Rio Grande, were apprehended.News: 3 arrested in thefts of metal pieces used to fasten railroad track to ties . Richard . Degener . Press of Atlantic City . 2012-03-21. 28 June 2020.
A subsequent inspection by Macrie and CMSL employees revealed the theft encompassed approximately 6,800 feet (1 1/4 miles) of track, affecting 75 percent of the tie plates and spikes in that section and damaging numerous cross ties. Due to the vandalism, excursion trains did not operate in summer 2012. However, CMSL offered rides on railroad speeder vehicles along undamaged tracks of the Cape May Branch.[5] As of 2022, Rio Grande–Cape May service remains suspended.[6]
New Jersey Seashore Lines (NJSL) is a subsidiary of CMSL, established in collaboration with Clayton Sand Company in Chatsworth, New Jersey. Utilizing state and federal grants, NJSL rehabilitated a 13-mile section of track between Lakehurst and Woodmansie in Woodland Township, where Clayton operates a sand mine. The line was initially intended to transport sand and gravel and serve other customers along the route. Originally owned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey, the line was part of the historic Blue Comet route. South of Woodmansie, the tracks are dormant, with no connection to the south. Neither CMSL, NJSL, nor Clayton Sand Company have provided information regarding current or future plans for the line or its operational status.[7]
The Seashore Lines owns and leases a large roster of equipment: