Rockaway Valley Line

I have been wanting to ask about this for sometime now. I have followed the rail trail from Morristown ( Patriots Path ) awhile back but it seems the trail just heads up the mountain. Obviously this is not the original ROW. I have tried to locate where it leaves the path but to no avail. Also What is around Whitehouse? Can one see the connection with the Raritan Valley? How about the ROW from that point. Can it be followed towards Morristown?

I've never quite been able to see the ROW at Whitehouse, but it curved from the east to the north just after the grade crossing. If you look at the former Whitehouse Hotel, now a nice restaurant across from the station (now a library) you will see the hotel building wall is slightly at an angle. I believe that was to accomodate the RV track. I've never been able to find any remnants except in the Peapack area, but have not tried exhaustively. This railroad was built 'on the cheap' so doesn't have the filles, cuts, ballast and bridge remanants other abandoned rights of way have, and it has been gone close to a century now.

...a history of the Rockabye Baby...I have it at home and will post something later today or tomorrow. If you are in NJ, check your library for the Rockaway Valley book.

...more a pamphlet; 8x5 and a half or so. 1958. Rockaway Valley Railroad by Howard E. Johnston of Plainfield, NJ, Published by Ocean Grove Times. Probably difficult to find, but check library information desks

I think it may be available again, in reprint. Seen it at local rail shows/markets.

Thanks for the info. I def will have to look for this book. Also where in Peapack would I find remnants of this line? It amazes me how it just disappears from the rail trail when you are on it coming from Morristown. I mean there are ties you actually go over

In the Peapack Gladstone area it was near 206. Drive west from Gladstone station and look around just before you get to 206. I think you may spot a couple of low fills that I think were the RR. Not easy.

The Model RR shop in Dunellen has a large number of books, and may have it. I think I saw it there about a year ago.

I HAVE TO SHOUT TO GET YOUR ATTENTION...I AM TOO COMPUTER ILLITERATE TO TELL ALL THAT ON THE RAILROAD.NET NEW JERSEY TRANSIT PAGES HAS A LISTING FOR A PRESENTATION ON THE ROCK A BYE BABY. IT IS TONITE IN CHESTER, NJ. CHECK THE PAGE FOR DETAILS!

FIGURED IT OUT......SEE THIS:



Its a little bit of a late notice but if you are in the area, this free program would probably be worth your time

CHESTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESENTS
"ROCKAWAY VALLEY RAILROAD"

This program will be held on Thursday, January 13, 2005 at 7 p.m. at the "Larison Room" in the Chester Library.

The Chester Historical Society has invited Gerald Oliveto, a longtime local
railroad history buff, to present a program on the Rockaway Valley Railroad
at the newly renovated and expanded Chester Library.

Mr. Oliveto will discuss the short history of the Rockaway Valley Railroad,
how it linked to the early transportation networks in New Jersey, how the
name "Rock-a-Bye Railroad" originated, and other interesting facts about
early railroad development in the area.

The program is open to the public as well as CHS members. There is no fee
for admission, and refreshments will be served following the presentation.

Further information can be obtained at the Chester Historical Society's
website www.historicchesternj.com.

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Did anyone from this "topic" attend the seminar in Chester about the Rckawy Valy RR? It seemed like it would have been interesting. I wish I knew about it sooner. Anyone know who gave the lecture? Maybe this person has a route map so it can be retraced from Morristown to Whitehouse.

Too bad about the late notice. I live about 10 miles or so from the Libraty and would have been able to attend. Maybe it will be repeated somewhere else in the future.

Anymore remnants or places where I can find traces of the line?

I'm not clear how the original "Rockaway Valley Railroad" terminated at Morristown. As I read it, before 1904 it terminated at a place called Watcong north of town and had no junction with the DLW. In 1904 it was taken over by the "New Jersey & Pennsylvania", which is listed as having also merged something called the "Speedwell Lake RR". I think that this was a steam dummy line from downtown to Speedwell Lake near Watcong, but can't find any reference to it anywhere. It would have served as a terminal road for the NJ&P if I'm right.

Any info, anyone?

The Rockaway Valley never did succeed in making a rail connection at Morristown. It was a financial basket case, and went through, IIRC, a bewildering number of paper corporations to extend itself beyond Mendham. The definitive history of the line, which would explain all this, is "The Rock-a-bye-Baby," by Thomas T. Taber III: there's some information and a map drawn from that book at http://members.tripod.com/njrails/19th_ ... Valley.htm

According to the map it seems the RVRR came quite close to the Gladstone station on the branch that is there now (Gladstone Branch). In fact it had a station in Gladstone. Just how close were they and was there interest in connecting the two? Or do I need to find this book? lol