Little Silver, NJ Train Station

I am a railfan and was at the Little Silver, NJ Train Station (Monmouth County), last month railfanning. I am looking for information when this station was built, in use, when it closed. This station is along NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line.
I can be reached at email [email protected]. Any help information greatly appreciated. Thank you. Steve Coraggio

Steye,
Station built around 1875. I believe the station closed about 1980, I grew up 3 blocks from there and purchased tickets in the station in the 60s - early 70s. My dad commuted to NYC from there from 1955 -1974. There was a freight station on the East side of the tracks at South end of the property, it was removed in the early 60s. Also across the tracks there was a coal dump that held 3-4 coal cars, removed in the early 60s. The Builders General lumber across the street used to get 3-5 cars a week. Directly across the street from the station was a Dairy Queen window walk-up stand.

R&DB,

Thank you for replying and answering my question about the Little Silver Station. I didn't know a freight station was also at Little Silveror a cola dump. Be neat to see pictures of those things you mention, just to see how it looked in another time I also went to Builder's General and saw their siding. I asked permission from a manager to photograph the sidings on their property. They let me. Steve Coraggio

Steve,
Don't forget the PRR also used the station along with the CNJ. Back in the 60s each line ran 10-15 trains a day.
Look up Historical Aerials. Look at the aerials pre-1960.

R&DB, (Harry)
Thank you for the information about Historical Aerials for the pre 1960's. As a kid I used to watch the engine change at South Amboy, electric to diesel . Never took pictures of the engine change but remember it. I greatly appreciate your help. Steve Coraggio

Steve, Yeah the engine change at SouthAmboy was cool. Commuters would get off the train and run across to the bar across the street, get a drink to go and back on the trian.

RD&B (Harry)
Thank you for getting back to me. Yes the engine change at South Amboy was cool. Your memory of commuters getting off the train and running to bara across the street to get a drink and get back on the train is good. That I don't know or remember, was just a kid/ Steve Coraggio

Steve,
I was a kid too. Only saw the engine change a couple of times as we usually rode the CNJ but sometimes took the PRR if going to midtown. (My dad worked downtown.)

While not from the 60s, here’s the engine change going on back when they still did it.

https://youtu.be/uORDHEu4I_g

Bradcude 181

Thank you for sending me the link on the engine change at Little Silver. Steve Coraggio

Bradcude 181,

I just watched the video of the engine change at South Amboy, and remember seeing it when I was young around 8-9 years old at John Street grade crossing. I remember the gatekeepers shanty at John Street would sit with the watchman/gate keeper . Remember the diesels coming down first and parking on the pocket track, and when the train from New York arrived at South Amboy, the GG-1 was uncoupled and went past John Street, the was switched to the opposite side . A switchman was there to manually throw the switch between the tracks for the GG-1 to head north to the yard. Then the diesels would back out o the pocket track, onto the main line and back up to the waiting cars. When coupled and clear would continue west (south). I don't know if you are familiar with South Amboy, it has changed from what was shown in this video. Augusta Street is no longer a thru street, due the new train station. The old JCP&L power plant is gone and that area is being redeveloped . Steve Coraggio

Yeah it looks nothing like that now. I’m up there sometimes chasing the SA31. Not sure about the area where the power plant was but the area next to it has a big apartment complex being built. They are building a new ferry terminal over there somewhere too.

Bradcude 181

I catch SA 31 once in a while. yes a lot of that area has changed. The ferry terminal is going on that property some place, ground was just broken for it . It will take a while to build there, some projects have been underway for a while.
A shame, part of the old PRR yard just west and near the Amboy Secondary is still there just land and a few remnants it was once a railroad yard. Steve Coraggio

I didn't know about a new ferry terminal. Are they thinking about reincarnating the ferry from Perth Amboy to Tottenville, or is this something completely different? S. A. to the Battery or something? I did a circle trip once, probably in the 1960's, South Ferry-St.George-Tottenville-South Amboy-Penn Station. It made a nice trip.

ExCon90,

To answer your question, I know of no ferry terminal getting built between Perth Amboy and Tottenville, Staten Island .
The ferry terminal, I am referring to is in South Amboy on Raritan Bay near where the old JCP& L power plant was located. Steve Coraggio