CR on the Southern Secondary

Does anyone have any pictures of Gold's Lumber in Farmingdale? I can't find anything. What happened to it besides it burned down?

@JohnFromJersey, go to google.com/maps and enter " N 40.19367 W 74.17299", the cross hairs will be on the vacant lot that was Gold's Lumber. The siding and switch show, the FIT can be discerned barely where it crosses Southard Ave. Dunno who owns the lot.

JohnFromJersey wrote:Does anyone have any pictures of Gold's Lumber in Farmingdale? I can't find anything. What happened to it besides it burned down?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=467231

Not my photo, but if you search that website you can find some other shots.

JohnFromJersey wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 11:32 pm Does anyone have any pictures of Gold's Lumber in Farmingdale? I can't find anything. What happened to it besides it burned down?

Historic Aerials 2002 / 2006 show pretty good aerial shots.

@JohnFromJersey Gold Lumber Co was bought out by Home Depot in late 2009. In 2011, vandals broke in and set fire to the place.

Either NS 5271 or 5278 was the last engine to use the track leading to Gold Lumber. They picked up one empty car. Track was taken out of service afterwards.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 11:04 am @JohnFromJersey Gold Lumber Co was bought out by Home Depot in late 2009. In 2011, vandals broke in and set fire to the place.

Either NS 5271 or 5278 was the last engine to use the track leading to Gold Lumber. They picked up one empty car. Track was taken out of service afterwards.

So it was defunct in 2009 and razed in 2011. Gotcha. What a shame! I wonder if the old lot could be used for something rail related now that the FIT and SOUS will be connected

@JohnFromJersey Unfortunately I’ve heard Farmingdale isn’t fond of any sort of business that would be rail-served. Would be an okay spot for a small transload location or to be used by the warehouse across the street.

Fortunately then, if google maps are accurate, the Farmingdale boundary is just east of the tracks. They don't enter Farmingdale till they cross Southard ave and curve to meet the southern, Gold's property is definitely in Howell twp. IF google maps is correct.

IF google maps is correct.

BINGO!

Oh yeah, I remember the boundary thing now. Found that out while doing research.

Isn’t Howell no better though? Didn’t they want Poly One gone back in the early 2000s? I remember a few places got kicked out of Farmingdale. The Crosslin Contractor Supply building (so I’m told) was originally a place that made dog food, and they were rail served. Supposedly Farmingdale evicted the company as the place gave off a really bad smell and there was a LOT of NIMBY outcry.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 9:16 pm Oh yeah, I remember the boundary thing now. Found that out while doing research.

Isn’t Howell no better though? Didn’t they want Poly One gone back in the early 2000s? I remember a few places got kicked out of Farmingdale. The Crosslin Contractor Supply building (so I’m told) was originally a place that made dog food, and they were rail served. Supposedly Farmingdale evicted the company as the place gave off a really bad smell and there was a LOT of NIMBY outcry.

Judging the site where the dog food plant was, it's been gone a very, very VERY long time. It existed in Farmingdale for even longer. I think it is simply economical reasons that they and other companies left and/or don't start a business around. The local government can't evict businesses for BS reasons, they can try to stonewall them from coming in.

OK, checked the Howell tax map (Farmingdale's is not online). Except for a couple hundred feet immediately south of Adelphia rd (524), the ROW is in Farmingdale. Where the ROW ends, Farmingdale ends.

CharlieL wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 6:20 am OK, checked the Howell tax map (Farmingdale's is not online). Except for a couple hundred feet immediately south of Adelphia rd (524), the ROW is in Farmingdale. Where the ROW ends, Farmingdale ends.

Exactly. The Row is in Howell from Adelphia Rd (524) to Marsh Bog Brook, where the border between Howell and Farmingdale is located. Southeast of that point the border is the Southwest side of the RoW and the FIT is in Farmingdale through it's junction with the Southern Secondary. The exception is the old Golds Lumber siding would be in Howell.

@JohnFromJersey Yeah it’s been very long time since the dog food company has been there. My friends father remembers when they were still there, and I believe he mentioned they left in the mid to late 60s. If Farmingdale wasn’t allowed to evict them, that’s got me wondering what really happened. There was a lot of local complaints about the smell coming from this place and that was definitely a factor as to why they aren’t there now.

Maybe they had a big tax hike there like what happened to the Pine Creek Railroad when they were still out in Freehold? I’ll ask my friends dad about this when I get the chance.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 11:26 am @JohnFromJersey Yeah it’s been very long time since the dog food company has been there. My friends father remembers when they were still there, and I believe he mentioned they left in the mid to late 60s. If Farmingdale wasn’t allowed to evict them, that’s got me wondering what really happened. There was a lot of local complaints about the smell coming from this place and that was definitely a factor as to why they aren’t there now.

Maybe they had a big tax hike there like what happened to the Pine Creek Railroad when they were still out in Freehold? I’ll ask my friends dad about this when I get the chance.

Definitely tax related. This is Jersey, after all!