DL&W Oxford Mine Branches

I used to live near Oxford,NJ. I know at one time there was alot of railroad activity there but it was gone probably before I was born or shortly thereafter. We used to sneak into one of the old mines on Renners Rd off Jonestown Rd. We took our bikes along the old right a way that crossed Jonestown Rd. by Willie Gardner's farm. I recall old rails driven into the ground vertically as a makeshift obstacle to keep vehicles out. They might still be there. There was also a crossing down by the Catholic Church at the bottom of Jonestown. I believe the tracks went back into the area that is now Oxford Furnace Lake.Did that line loop out of there and cross Jonestown by the farm? Anybody have a map showing the tracks and roads? I have never seen pictures but would love to.
I know that the DL&W mine branch crossed 31 by where the new Oxford fire house is now. There is still the cement base of a crossbuck on the southbound side of the highway.
Anybody know when service on the old branch stopped? Had to be prior to 1960's or around there.

I believe Lowenthal's Lackawanna Railroad in Northwest NJ book has a few maps of some of the mines there, possibly in his Iron Mines of NJ book as well. There certainly was a lot of activity there, I did a bunch of research for that area. If I can find any maps I may have I'll be happy to post them.

We have a DL&W Forum, just sayin'.......It's intermixed w/ the Erie and Erie-Lackawanna forums.

Here's the link.........http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=85

I wish the entire "Anthracite Railroads" forum could be removed since the individual railroads' boards
have been reestablished!

Charlie

This topo map from 1936 shows the Lehigh & Oxford line to Oxford Furnace that was to the NNE of Mt No More, (Ahles Mine (Osmun-Robeson Mine), Oxford Furnace???)
and a part of the line to the mine on the very right side (about No 1)
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=PA
the adjacent quadrangle from Hackettstown shows a bit of the several
rail lines in and around Oxford
http://historical.mytopo.com/getImage.a ... g&state=NJ

and if you go to http://mapper.acme.com/ and put in N 40.78834 W 74.99937
you will see on the topo version, where the ex Edison Pohatcong Railroad (later DL&W) ended at the iron mine? quarry! (Renners Rd. )and can trace the ROW all the way back to Butzville. Switching between the topo
and hybrid views, you can compare then to today. [Pohatcong RR incorporated in New Jersey on October 21, 1907, and leased to the Edison Portland Cement Company. Edison was the owner of all the issued stock until his death on October 18, 1931. The company was dissolved on December 8, 1964.]

Also look in libraries for: Abandoned Iron Mines of Warren County, New Jersey
Pustay, M.R., H. T. Lawrence

and 1874 map of Oxford Furnace http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/ ... Furnace+2/
and http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/18474/Oxford/

There was a line called the Lehigh and Oxford which operated from Oxford to Buttzville and interchanged with the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway. Last time I saw Tracy Antz he was planning to do and article on this line and had done some nice extensive research on it. I believe the Princeton collection of Sanborn Maps also has some extensive drawings of the lines in this area.

Thanks guys. I'll have to look into those links and books mentioned.I'm in Phillipsburg Railroad Historians and they might have something on the area too.

Hi CNJ Fan

Just saw your questions about Oxford Furnace - been away visiting family in TN after all the lambing on our farm - getting caught up - and was surprised to see this subject come up after sooooo many years away.

I lived in Oxford 1947 until 1966 and my father was the last employee at Alan Wood.

If you look way back in this forumn you'll locate several posts I had made on Oxford:


Oxford (Alan Wood) Mine Run posted Sat Aug 07, 2004

Old Road Memories (con't) posted Thu Oct 07, 2004

(More) Old Road Memories posted Thu Sep 09 2004

Old Road Memories posted Wed Aug 25 2004


The last run would have been a Friday or Saturday mid-April 1964 - there had been a notice posted Wednesday that the mine would close in two days!! My Dad stayed on until sometime in 1965 on the dismanteling, covering the mine shaft, etc. Then we finally moved to Vermont the year later.

I would be happy to try to answer any questions anyone has on this important branch of the Old Road.

Joseph of VT

Thanks for the links. I'll have to check them out. I don't get on here a lot. Just cruise in once in a while and see what's new.

Paul Miller wrote:There was a line called the Lehigh and Oxford which operated from Oxford to Buttzville and interchanged with the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway. Last time I saw Tracy Antz he was planning to do and article on this line and had done some nice extensive research on it. I believe the Princeton collection of Sanborn Maps also has some extensive drawings of the lines in this area.

Did Mr. Antz ever do this article? I would love to read it if it exists.