First major ROW work on LV Perth Amboy Division since...

The saga continues......... there are town names on the chart but they are the old time names: Raritan Township (Edison), Valentines (Edison/Fords), Perth Junction (Metuchen), etc. I did find two shots:

Bloomfield Clay Forney 0-4-4-T Number 5 at Bonhamtown, which should be the Clay RR already referenced.

Raritan Arsenal Number 1 at South Plainfield Yard, 12-8-1939. This is a 35 ton 300 hp Atlas Car centercab. I also have a slide of two Army centercabs in the PRR Ford/ Matuchen Yard in 1964 after the Arsenal was winding down just before Raritan Center opened.

Sir Ray wrote:

GandyDancer wrote:There will probably be a new UEZ (Urban Enterprise Zone) in Keasby that will attract more light industry and the development plans call for all of it to be served by rail. It is rumored that CSX might actually be an investor in some of this rail-friendly development. What a concept!.

Did you read or hear this anywhere, or is it just wishful thinking? (Please don't take that in a snarky way, just wondering - I often connect the dots myself - witness my mention of restoring service to Azko Nobel earlier in this thread (and lets not even start with our friends at SubChat and their multitudes of 'fantasy maps')
.

The track leading to Azko Nobel crosses a bridge that goes over a stream that has trestle bents under it that are on angles to support the retaining wall. Its a funky looking bridge. I love it. The bridge needs to be replaced though and the costs are at one million dollars. This is why they line was abandoned in the first place.

railroadcarmover wrote:The track leading to Azko Nobel crosses a bridge that goes over a stream that has trestle bents under it that are on angles to support the retaining wall. Its a funky looking bridge. I love it. The bridge needs to be replaced though and the costs are at one million dollars. This is why they line was abandoned in the first place.

A blast from the past! (Although you did revive this last year when you posted about hiking along the branch) - man, did we have Live-Local when this thread was first posted, that would have helped so much - Google Maps at the time was fairly blurrly if IIIRC. I quickly saw the trestle you mentioned, which would serve Azko to the West of it (in addition to another building or two).
I guess you don't have any business ties with Raritan Central anymore - but does anyone know what the deal is with the Heller Industrial Park. Those Bing shots show NOTHING anywhere on the tracks in that area - now, I know the Bing shots are only snapshots in time, often a year or two behind, and that I haven't been there physically for over 5 years (I was at Raritan Center a few weeks ago, but not Heller) - even back at the start of this thread (2004) Quaker State had been gone for 5 years (they were good for a few tank-cars in back), but at least there were a number of boxcars on those tracks - now, nothing. What is up?

Sir Ray wrote:

railroadcarmover wrote:The track leading to Azko Nobel crosses a bridge that goes over a stream that has trestle bents under it that are on angles to support the retaining wall. Its a funky looking bridge. I love it. The bridge needs to be replaced though and the costs are at one million dollars. This is why they line was abandoned in the first place.

A blast from the past! (Although you did revive this last year when you posted about hiking along the branch) - man, did we have Live-Local when this thread was first posted, that would have helped so much - Google Maps at the time was fairly blurrly if IIIRC. I quickly saw the trestle you mentioned, which would serve Azko to the West of it (in addition to another building or two).
I guess you don't have any business ties with Raritan Central anymore - but does anyone know what the deal is with the Heller Industrial Park. Those Bing shots show NOTHING anywhere on the tracks in that area - now, I know the Bing shots are only snapshots in time, often a year or two behind, and that I haven't been there physically for over 5 years (I was at Raritan Center a few weeks ago, but not Heller) - even back at the start of this thread (2004) Quaker State had been gone for 5 years (they were good for a few tank-cars in back), but at least there were a number of boxcars on those tracks - now, nothing. What is up?

I haven't seen any activity in Heller myself. Would also like to know if theres truth to the rumor of the RCRY taking over Metuchen yard.

TAMR213 wrote:

Sir Ray wrote:

railroadcarmover wrote:The track leading to Azko Nobel crosses a bridge that goes over a stream that has trestle bents under it that are on angles to support the retaining wall. Its a funky looking bridge. I love it. The bridge needs to be replaced though and the costs are at one million dollars. This is why they line was abandoned in the first place.

A blast from the past! (Although you did revive this last year when you posted about hiking along the branch) - man, did we have Live-Local when this thread was first posted, that would have helped so much - Google Maps at the time was fairly blurrly if IIIRC. I quickly saw the trestle you mentioned, which would serve Azko to the West of it (in addition to another building or two).
I guess you don't have any business ties with Raritan Central anymore - but does anyone know what the deal is with the Heller Industrial Park. Those Bing shots show NOTHING anywhere on the tracks in that area - now, I know the Bing shots are only snapshots in time, often a year or two behind, and that I haven't been there physically for over 5 years (I was at Raritan Center a few weeks ago, but not Heller) - even back at the start of this thread (2004) Quaker State had been gone for 5 years (they were good for a few tank-cars in back), but at least there were a number of boxcars on those tracks - now, nothing. What is up?

I haven't seen any activity in Heller myself. Would also like to know if theres truth to the rumor of the RCRY taking over Metuchen yard.

Yes there is truth to it happening. RCRY will be taking over part of Metuchen Yard in the summer.

David Hutchinson wrote:I have posted this info before, but maybe some of you would like to hike the old LV Camp Kilmer branch....... go to the end of Forrest Street or Liberty Avenue where it crosses the Perth Amboy Branch in Metuchen. The Port Reading truss bridge will be on your right. On the left is a road that leads to a cup manufacturer...... Handi Cup or something like that. As you approach the building, there will be rails in the road. This is the old west leg of the wye where VALLEY Tower was. If you go to the right and follow the tracks you will pass a switch that serviced Premium Plastics. This was built off the wye. You can walk a few hundred yards towards 287 and you find track, ties and some electric switch items as well as telegraph poles. This led to LR Junction where the LV joined the RDG. It's funny to walk in the back of a housing development and find tracks that have not been used in decades.

I recall back about 27 years ago being in the back yard of a house who's property line abutted against the woods. Visible over the fence in the middle of the woods was this track which was positioned about 30 feet away and ran along the fence line towards LR Junction. I also could see a small 15 foot long bridge made of tie timbers where this track crossed a small stream. This is the same line you are talking about. I so plan on going back there to see if THIS section of it is still intact. I was always fascinated with this section.

railroadcarmover wrote:Yes there is truth to it happening. RCRY will be taking over part of Metuchen Yard in the summer.

Railroadcar,

Would you be able to provide any more details of that take over? Also, any news on Heller Park, or that long talked about "Port Raritan" project?