Existing CNJ structures still standing on the Raritan R. Ln

Gentlemen,

While looking around at what I see on both sides of my Train commute everyday. I observed that there looks to be a lot of still in use or not so in use Railroad related structures which belonged to the CNJ.

One of those structures which cough my attention is the existence of the Roundhouse for the Cranford Yard.

Here is the link where you can see it better.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cranford ... ersey&z=18.

What other structures are there still out there that are still being used or abandoned. and what were their purpose on the railroad.

Thank you

There are quite a few actually - off the top of my head.....

The various station buildings - Cranford, Westfield, Fanwood, Netherwood, Plainfield, Dunellen, Bound Brook, Somerville, Raritan, White House, Lebanon and High Bridge

There is a large freight house in Plainfield
The freight house in High Bridge
The round house in Cranford

The towers at Queen (Plainfield) and Boyd (Raritan)

There are a few buildings trackside along the line which I wonder if they were freight buildings at one time, im not sure - but there is one in Fanwood I wonder about, as well as White House and Annandale.

There are also still HUGE buildings trackside which weren't CNJ buildings, but major customers, like Art Color in Dunellen which stretches for like a half mile, as well as other buildings in that area, on the North side of the tracks, and Injectron around Grant Ave, and other huge buildings which were major customers at one time.

Also, the various bridges on the line are largely original and some are quite large and very nice. The one over the North Branch of the Raritan River just east of North Branch is a beautiful stone viaduct (or would it be a bridge? I don't remember the difference)

Im sure some folks here could add a few more locations that I forgot

The surviving stations on the RVL date between 1876 (Fanwood) and 1954 (Dunellen). Somerville station serves as a law office, however the elevated platforms are in passenger service.

Staten Island Jct. (connection between CNJ and Staten Island Railway) is east of Cranford and in use.

The team yard in Plainfield (at freight house) still remains, but most tracks have been removed.

East of Aldene, Elizabeth Station stands on the (OOS) CNJ main line.

Also east of Aldene on the old CNJ Mainline is "QR" Tower near Elmora, now used as a private residence (or at least it was the last time I was there about 5 years ago) and a signal bridge at the Linden Road grade crossing.

Two things caught my eye. QR tower is still there and is a private residence??
And (having recently returned after being out of the area quite some time) is the Staten Island Junction actually being used? I seem to remember M&E clearing and running a test train years ago, along with a few cars stored in Cranford. That junction? What's the story around Cranford? Is anything still switched just East of there? I thought there was a customer at one time... Trying to catch up to what's going on at what used to be my favorite area when I was a young railfan....

BigDell wrote:Two things caught my eye. QR tower is still there and is a private residence??
And (having recently returned after being out of the area quite some time) is the Staten Island Junction actually being used? I seem to remember M&E clearing and running a test train years ago, along with a few cars stored in Cranford. That junction? What's the story around Cranford? Is anything still switched just East of there? I thought there was a customer at one time... Trying to catch up to what's going on at what used to be my favorite area when I was a young railfan....

Yep, QR is still there. The connection at Staten Island Junction was taken out a few years ago. It was a whole mess between the M&E and the County. I believe the M&E's contract was terminated last year.

R36 Combine Coach wrote:
Staten Island Jct. (connection between CNJ and Staten Island Railway) is east of Cranford and in use.

Not to be nit-pickey R36, but the connection between the old CNJ and the SIRR was known as Cranford Junction. Staten Island Junction, also in Cranford, was the connection between the SIRR and the Lehigh Valley.

Ah! Got it. I was confusing Cranford Junction and SI Junction then... And it's a pity about the M&E, would have been nice to see that action.... Thanks everyone for the update. I cruise by there now and then, was wondering what has changed (or not) the past few years while I was away... Always hoped they'd do something to restore the Elizabeth Industrial (or whatever they called it East of Cranford to Elizabeth and beyond...) but I knew that wasn't happening. I heard the old Elizabeth Station was a restaurant for a while?
Anyway, that helped a lot, thanks all.
BigDell

BigDell wrote:Ah! Got it. I was confusing Cranford Junction and SI Junction then... And it's a pity about the M&E, would have been nice to see that action.... Thanks everyone for the update. I cruise by there now and then, was wondering what has changed (or not) the past few years while I was away... Always hoped they'd do something to restore the Elizabeth Industrial (or whatever they called it East of Cranford to Elizabeth and beyond...) but I knew that wasn't happening. I heard the old Elizabeth Station was a restaurant for a while?
Anyway, that helped a lot, thanks all.
BigDell

As of a few weeks ago, the Elizabeth Station still is a restaurant. As far as the former CNJ main, there is currently a study being conducted by NJ Transit analyzing the feasibility of using the former ROW as part of a BRT system. The route would run from Plainfield to Aldene along South Avenue, then moving over to the old ROW just west of Gordon Street. It would then run east in the former ROW to Magnolia Avenue, where it would then use Route 1/9 to the airport, with an alternative to serve Jersey Gardens.

>>>>there is currently a study being conducted by NJ Transit analyzing the feasibility of using the former ROW as part of a BRT system. The route would run from Plainfield to Aldene along South Avenue, then moving over to the old ROW just west of Gordon Street. It would then run east in the former ROW to Magnolia Avenue, where it would then use Route 1/9 to the airport, with an alternative to serve Jersey Gardens<<<

This is still a possibility? I seem to remember there being a study many years ago as to the possibility a "light rail" running to downtown Elizabeth and on to the airport. I thought with the monorail off the NEC that it was probably scrapped. It'd be wonderful if it ever actually happened.
Totally nostalgic reasons for me. I was a student at Sacred Heart School on Rt 1/9 at Spring St. The CNJ mainline ran right past the church and the school, so I'd sit by the window and watch RS3's rumbling by along with all the "color" from the various roads. Always thought it'd be nice to cruise by there, once again, on a train.
Well, it's heartening if this is still even a REMOTE possibility...

BigDell wrote:
This is still a possibility? I seem to remember there being a study many years ago as to the possibility a "light rail" running to downtown Elizabeth and on to the airport. I thought with the monorail off the NEC that it was probably scrapped. It'd be wonderful if it ever actually happened.

No, no, not light rail, Bus Rapid Transit. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

AH! BRT. Sorry, wasn't familiar with the term. "Bus"... (slowly I turned...).


But thanks for the clarification... Still, not a bad idea!