PRR Millstone Branch in NJ

I've noticed that for the past few months the PRR Millstone Branch that runs thru Franklin, NJ is rusty rails again. Back in the late 1990s CR refurbished the line (which as buried under 2' of brush) to serve a siding right at the end of the line just past Clyde Rd. Movements were usually at 12-2am. The warehouse just past Clyde Rd had 4-5 boxcars parked on their siding. Anyone know what happened?

As I understand it this line hosted 10-12 passenger trains a day to NYC but that ended in 1929 and freight service past Clyde Rd ended in 1911 when the distillary in E Millstone burned down. The line was in tact but not used from 1929-1969 when it was officially abandoned by the Penn Central but the tracks past Clyde remained until the late 1970s. The passenger station at Middlebush Rd (which was a wooden shack) was razed in 1941. My buddy at NS looked at property maps and told me that PC xfered the line only up to Clyde Rd to CR in 1976.

Two interesting poins:
1. The ROW is very much in tact except just before E Millstone the line was severed by the back yards of 3 luxury homes built around 2001.

2. Just past the last active customer on Clyde Rd the line continues, is severed by a back yard, then continues past the back yard where there are 2 more switches/sidings!!! I bet NS doesn't even know about it.

CSAO still serves the Millstone IT, and I don't see why they would stop anytime soon. IIRC, the service does stop at Clyde Rd. so maybe that was a special movement to the warehouse, or maybe, the warehouse that did recieve service, tanked, stopped service, etc.? Also, it is served by ME-2, which operates in the day, coming through HP from metuchen yard, on its way to County yard usually about 11 AM. I may be wrong, though I don't belive so. I'm sure Wolfboy or some other members could give you better information then that, but thats all I know.

The Millstone branch was an active freight line all the way to the river in East Millstone until 1972. The 1st trick county drill would go all the way to East Millstone to serve Loreli rubber company about once a week in the 1950s until 1972. It was my understanding the owner hated the railroad and would ship inbound by rail so they would have to maintain the line to the end of track. When the PC attempted to delay his car deliverys, to force him to use trucks, he would write and call his congressman and the Interstate Commerce Commision. This was told to me by County yardmaster Bob Le Gates whose brother was a PRR / PC New Jersey division asst. superintendent. The lower portion of the branch was always busy but above amwell road consignees were very sparse.

I wasn't aware that the line was in use as late as 1972. There is no business/industry past Clyde Rd anymore. I know the area at the begining of the line near Jersey Ave station is still quite busy. From the late 1990s to 2001 the warehouse just past Clyde was active a few times/week. They also put a new switch in. Today the line is dead past the RT 27 crossing. CR did substantial track work with new ties/ballast. The tracks past Rt27 xing were literally burried.

At Clyde Rd there was a passenger station (a shack). Although the street signs say "Clyde Rd" the official name of the road is "Clyde Station Rd".

I walked past the Clyde Rd area and the trees are 2' think between the rails. The rails end and there are no ties or rails up to and past the South Middlebush Rd xing. The ROW where is crosses Amwell Rd at that sharp turn is not recognizable at all. Besides the flat ground, you can't tell at all their was a rr there. I assume if the road xings were marked at all it was just with signs, no flashers.

There was an engine house in E Millstone in the middle of town (now flat grass). I wish I had pics of the line in the 1950s-1970s. I only have pics of the E Millstone engine house and passenger trains in the 1890s.

Hm, CSAO doesn't seem to be making much sense lately. I did not know that it was inactive past Rt. 27. This may be true, but wouldn't make much sense considering that they have fairly recently put in a new Rubber crossing, and there are crossing lights still in place.

Well in Milltown the old RRRR spur into the tire factory, abandoned since the early 1960s and half chopped up, has a brand new rubber crossing across Main St. I guess it's cheaper to fix the xing then tear it all out and dispose of it.

Past Rt27 there are no customers. There are many spurs, but none are used. Only one used was the warehouse just past Clyde Rd. I'm surprised the cement factory just past Rt27 doesn't use rail service. They have a spur too but must be defunct for 20+ yrs.

I always thought it would make sense for the Cement plant to use rail service as well. Didn't even know they had a spur though!

The cement plant is the Phillips Concrete company. Phillips used to get carloads of cement and sand up until the mid 70's. Probably the Conrail people felt there was no profit in this business or did'nt want to be bothered. Knowing Conrail it most likely the latter. Phillips used to get 5 to 30 cars a week according to season right up until they went to trucks.