Conrail (former CNJ) Harsimus Branch - Abandonment (Freight rail line next to Rt 1/9 after Skyway)

7 Train wrote:What was the completion/opening date for the Wittpenn Bridge? NYCRoads.com lists it as sometime in 1930.

The bridge officially opened to traffic on November 5, 1930.

Don,
I was involved in investigation of a major auto accident on the bridge back in the early 80's. One of the points of argument in the court case was the lack of safety concerns in design of the bridge, at the time State DOT reported the railroad involvement in design and construction.

AndyB wrote:Don,
I was involved in investigation of a major auto accident on the bridge back in the early 80's. One of the points of argument in the court case was the lack of safety concerns in design of the bridge, at the time State DOT reported the railroad involvement in design and construction.

Andy,

Hmmmm, that's interesting. I got my info from the Environmental Assessment recently prepared for the bridge's replacement. Its available on the NJDOT website.

Don

On October 9 (Columbus Day), 2000, there were two fatal crashes on the bridge. In the early morning, a young female driving westbound was killed when she was struck head-on by a trash truck. Later that day, a car of students was struck head-on by truck, killing all five.


If you didn't know about this, I've heard there are reports of hauntings in the area around the bridge (Possibly linked to the high number of traffic deaths on the bridge).

I am wondering what line this stretch of rail was originally part of? Did it ever have passenger service?

Thank you.

Can you be more specific about which freight line you're referring to?

Do you mean the line that's directly parallel with 1-9 in Newark? That would be "after the Skyway" if you're traveling southbound. There are still catenary poles and the high voltage lines are still in place on them, but the actual catenary ("track power") is long gone.

That's the freight line that leaves the Northeast Corridor south of Newark and runs over to Kearny. I don't think I can call it a "bypass" since I don't think it ever rejoins the passenger main north of Newark.

I'm not an expert but I don't think there ever would have been scheduled passenger service on the line-- the purpose was for freight trains to not have to go through Newark station.

If you are referring to the former rail line across the southern tip of Lincroft (?) with the missing bridge, I believe that was the former Central RR of NJ's Newark Branch between Newark and Communipaw and yes it carried passenger traffic.

North of that is the Northeast Corridor, which was the former PRR, now NJT/Amtrak which still carries considerable passenger traffic.

The line right next to 1/9 through Newark is the former PRR Passaic and Harsimus Branch that leaves the Northeast Corridot at "Waverly" interlocking, just south of the Newark Airport train station. It runs over to the former Meadows Yard (which is now the Kearny Trailvan Terminal, operated by "Little Conrail". East of that point, the "Marion Connection" provides a link for trains running to the River Line. Tracks continue into Jersey City, to Greenville and then south into Bayonne. The line is still used for freight, but east of Marion Junction it's local freight only.

NellieBly wrote:The line right next to 1/9 through Newark is the former PRR Passaic and Harsimus Branch that leaves the Northeast Corridot at "Waverly" interlocking, just south of the Newark Airport train station. It runs over to the former Meadows Yard (which is now the Kearny Trailvan Terminal, operated by "Little Conrail". East of that point, the "Marion Connection" provides a link for trains running to the River Line. Tracks continue into Jersey City, to Greenville and then south into Bayonne. The line is still used for freight, but east of Marion Junction it's local freight only.

This is the line I am referring to, but was it ever used for passenger service?

Well, maybe the first poster means the Jersey City end of the Skyway. There are at least 4 possibilities -- looking at a satellite photo like at maps.google.com will help sort it out.

Right after crossing into Jersey City, down below on your left, not quite parallel to the Skyway but angling toward it are the freight line coming from Meadows Yard (South Kearny?) that the previous poster mentioned, and PATH tracks running right next to each other. Both were once part of the Pennsylvania RR, originally freight and passengers (to Jersey City /Exchange Place)) This line then goes under the Skyway -- you are at the spot when the Skyway itself is supported by a metal trestle you can see on both sides of the Skyway. You then might be able to see the line on your right heading towards Exchange Place. SOmeone else will know when the last regular passenger trains ran (besides the PATH predecessor Hudson Tubes).

Right after this another frieight line branches off the first one (at Marion Junction as mentioned before.) This line then heads north, going back under the Skyway more or less at right angles to it, and the Skyway is supported by another trestle at this spot. This freight branch is called the Northern Connection I think, linking up a few miles north with the "River line" (which runs north along the Hudson river in NY state further north). Or maybe all of this section is called the River Line now. (This section was originally part of the Erie RR, and maybe shared by the New York Susquehanna and Western, for freight.)

Third, as the Skyway then approaches the ground, just before Routes 1/9 turns left to head north as Tonnele Ave, on the right is a 3 or 4-track passenger line, with electric wires above each track roughly parallel to 1/9. It crosses over the previous "Northern" line and then under Tonnele Ave at right angles, and then goes into a tunnel into the Palisades beween Tonnelle Ave and JFK Blvd. (Actually, coming from the east, just out of the tunnel, it splits just before the Northern Connection line and there is a bridge for each branch over the Northern. THis might be the area you mean since you say "after the Skyway". This is the NJ Transit line to HOboken, originaly part of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western and later the Erie Lackawanna after the Erie-DLW merger.

Fourth, branching off the Northern, coming from the north, and then heading southeast, is another freight line on your left, single track. It might be hard to see since it is down low. It goes under Tonnelle Ave north of the DLW line, and then under the DLW line, and then into its own tunnel into the palisades. It used to be an Erie line for passengers (to Pavonia Station) and freight.

All but the NJ transit line are now Conrail and active.

JS

Ever since I was a kid, I would be fascinated by the rail artifacts when riding along I-78 en route to or from Newark EWR Airport. One interesting section is the elevated part of I-78/22 west of the U.S. Route 1-9 Airport interchange, which crosses over the Northeast Corridor, the Raritan Valley Line and Conrail's Lehigh Valley line. I noticed in this area 78 crosses over two sets of PRR catenary lines. The one to the west is the Amtrak NEC main line. But further wast, near the NJ Route 21 ramps is this: a "ghost line" with cat towers and high voltage lines, but no tracks. Was this a former electric freight spur between the corridor and Oak Island? I assume the wires were used for GG1s and E44s in the mid 20th century electric freight era. And when was this abandoned?

Same ROW, seen facing south, nothing but a row of electrical poles.

It is the old freight route to Jersey City. Others could tell you more. Perhaps of even greater interest is the large field to the right, which used to be Brown's Yard, the Pennsy's main yard in the area.

Very interesting! It's a shame it's all gone.

I believe the tracks were shifted over to closer to the NEC when EWR station was built. The Monorail curves and goes up and over that former ROW and there wouldn't be enough clearance. So they built two new tracks that come in from Lane and instead of following that old ROW swing out towards the NEC up towards Hunter.

Browns Yard? As far as I know, the entire complex there was called Waverly Yard, there is a Browns Yard down in Sayerville tho