BR&W Lambertville-Ringoes

blockline4180 wrote:The Saturday night special was a favorite of mine... I rode it once in 1997 then a few times in 1998.. The atmosphere and the dark historic coaches made it quite a treat for me.

For some reason, whenever I ride tourist lines anywhere they seem to cease operations a year or 2 after.. If Im a jinx, I better stay away!

The Saturday Night Specials are being resurrected on 4 Saturdays this summer, but of course from Ringoes to Flemington PRR and thence Flemington CNJ stations. An opportunity to ride in the 'dark historic coaches' again.

See: http://www.brrht.org/SaturdayNightSpecial.htm

Alright maybe I'll do that...
Where do I send my $100 donation check to ensure the line doesn't cease to exist in the future!?

I have this idea. Where is the Delaware Turtle? Is it still at the BR&W? If yes, they could use that between Ringoes-Lambertville. It's lighter than the regular train so it wouldn't be as much of a strain on the tracks. That would be perfect for that run. Remember when they used the PRR doodlebug on that run, is that still at Ringoes and is it runnable? I saw the Turtle pull into Flemington a few years ago, but I didn't ride.

rwk wrote:I have this idea. Where is the Delaware Turtle? Is it still at the BR&W? If yes, they could use that between Ringoes-Lambertville. It's lighter than the regular train so it wouldn't be as much of a strain on the tracks. That would be perfect for that run. Remember when they used the PRR doodlebug on that run, is that still at Ringoes and is it runnable? I saw the Turtle pull into Flemington a few years ago, but I didn't ride.

Regardless of what equipment you use, the track/bridge work must still be done to at the least remove the excepted status of that the track would have if it was in service today.

The doodlebug is in Ringoes, but owned privately. It can run under its own power, but the interior is not passenger service ready.

Spent the weekend in the New Hope/Lambertville area, and not much has changed, save for the height of the vegetation & trees. A quick photo update for you.........

http://njtwom.rrpicturearchives.net/sho ... id=1705715
http://njtwom.rrpicturearchives.net/sho ... id=1705717
http://njtwom.rrpicturearchives.net/sho ... id=1705718
http://njtwom.rrpicturearchives.net/sho ... id=1705720
http://njtwom.rrpicturearchives.net/sho ... id=1705727

Great shots of the lost cars in Lambertville!

Thanks!

Nice stuff Chris!

Thanks guys. Tom, I saw your excellent pics on your website from '92, and it's amazing how fast vegetation takes over on an unused rail line! The switch is still in place just south of the station, but the siding ends immediately, and the main leads through heavy brush to the 2 cars still there (about 1,000 feet south of the station). Sitting at the outside bar at the station (inches from the former main line) is one of THE most relaxing experiences that a railfan can have. I just imagine Penn Central GP-30's rumbling by on a hot summer afternoon................ohhh yeahhh........

Can you believe that 30 years ago that track had PC trains racing by on their way to P'burg.

Does the BR&W still own the trackage? When they had the excursion trains did they ever make any movements past the station?

carajul wrote:Can you believe that 30 years ago that track had PC trains racing by on their way to P'burg.

Does the BR&W still own the trackage? When they had the excursion trains did they ever make any movements past the station?

BR&W does still own the track. Other than to do the runarounds, in regular practice, no passenger trains moved past the station.

In terms of freight, BR&W did a pretty healthy transload business in L'Ville up until the early 90s. Matlack trucking would transload plastic pellets from covered hoppers, of which there were usually 10 or 12 sitting near end of track at any given time. When that ended, that was more or less the beginning of the end for Lambertville service.

I rode Flemington to Lambertville when I was living in Yardley, PA in 1988. I remember that when we passed the home signal and switch to the bit of former Bel-Del, we really picked up speed on the "high iron" for the last couple of miles into Lambertville. The train used the platform at Lambertville Station (which was, even then, a restaurant of the same name). I had lunch there, while the train laid over. Lambertville would seem to be a good destination for train trips. Although not quite as touristy as New Hope, it's a quaint little town with some good shopping.

For those who are lamenting how the length of trips has shrunk, for the month of October the NH&I is doing several round trips a day from New Hope to Warminster, making connections with SEPTA. So stop complaining and get out there and ride!

In March of 1975, I remember watching a PennCentral Northbound train going through Lambertville with a cabless non-streamlined Diesel loco helping to pull.
In the summer of 1978, I remember the PRR doodlebug waiting by the canal bridge at the flea market South of Lambertville while its passengers tried to purchase bargains. Thus, there was regularly scheduled Black River & Western passenger service South of Lambertville station for a short time. The track remained for about 3 years in case the quarries near Valley Rd. would start shipping again.

I don't think it would happen, but it would be cool if the Quarry just North of Lambertville got the contract to supply stone for the Tunnel Project. My understanding is that most all the materials are to be shipped in by Rail. Would be really nice for the BR&W.

So the BR&W does not go to L'vill anylonger because the bridge needs repairs and they don't want to spend the money? Is that basically it?

Also, the xing flashers in L'ville that look pretty beat up. Will they still function or has their power been cut?

carajul wrote:So the BR&W does not go to L'vill anylonger because the bridge needs repairs and they don't want to spend the money? Is that basically it?

Also, the xing flashers in L'ville that look pretty beat up. Will they still function or has their power been cut?

The revenue from passenger service would not support the cost of necessary repairs and then ongoing maintenance.