The CNJ Seashore Branch in its final years (NATCO Secondary)

Hello,


I was wondering if anyone has any information about the final customer on the Seashore Branch before its permanant abandonment in the early 1980's. I know it was known as the NATCO Spur prior to its abadonment. I read the Images of America book about the Seashore branch but it doesn't give me very much information. Does anyone know how the siding came off of the NJCL? Photos and diagrams will be very helpful.


Eric

The siding is still there off the Coast Line and still in service. Its referred to as the Natco Industrial track. There is one switch off of track 2 (the eastbound main track), railroad west of Matawan station, and then there is a switch off that siding track for a parallel track. Both of those tracks are wired and energized. The one track ends at a bumper, while the other track simply has a stop sign right before the start of the GSP bridge, and the rails end soon after. When the wired ended in Matawan, the was an interlocking right there, called "High" - it allowed trains from track 1 to access track 2 and the Natco, and MU's were stored there and turned to head back east to NYP. There are loads of old brake shoes back there along the tracks on the siding.

The track was intact to Union Beach to IFF (the last customer) until around 1990 or so, then it was removed by Conrail. Service ended at IFF at the end of 1983. I don't believe there were any other customers on the line then, just IFF.

IIRC one or more of the old Blockline magazines covered some details on the last 2 customers (i think one of them was IFF).

Always wish I was around to catch some action on that line. After what I read in Trail of the Blue Commet, it looked pretty interesting, esp teh Atl Highlands area.

I took a ride on my bicycle out to the end of the pier in Atlantic Highlands (as far as the fill lets you!!) and looked out to the end of the cut off pilings - wow, that was far, and then i turned around, and looked back, that was a HECK of a structure!!! Anyone who has been to the Marina in Atlantic Highands, you have to realize the the shoreline used to be at the base of the hill where those mansions are. EVERYTHING was built on pilings - later on it was filled in bit by bit, and then to what we have today, but that pier had to be about a 1/2 mile long from shore to the end of the pier when it was first built! Truely an incredible structure - i would have loved to seen it in its heyday

Anybody have pictures of Conrail engines on the Seashore Branch.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 27&t=59659

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 27&t=69112

I have two pictures. The first one was taken by me in March of 1979. It shows a TT eastbound blue Conrail GP 9/10 number 7163 at the crossover by old MR tower in Matawan. The trailing consist is a black tank car, a blue conrail caboose, and three more black tank cars. The caption I wrote on the back states " Cliffwodd Beach Turn around pulling into Matawan prepairing to switch Matawan and go down to Marlboro on the Freehold branch and then to IFF on the Keyport Branch. March 1979". If I remenber correctly, the switch at Marlboro was a trailing point switch when headed towards Marlboro so the move back to Matawan was always cars or caboose first. After they switched Marlboro they backed to Matawan, went through the crossover and backed to IFF caboose first. I never did see the train return so they must have been down there a while.
The second picture was taken by a friend of mine and is in Keyport itself and shows a ex LV GP9 still in red with Conrail logo's applied. The consist is a black PC three bay hopper, three black tank cars, and a blue CR caboose. I don't know if the train is backing towards IFF caboose first or returning from IFF. The caption on the back states "CR GP9 # 7476 ex LV #300 Keyport (Union Beach Branch) 5/1/80". All the trains I saw hanging around Matawan in the 79 to 80 timeframe on either the Freehold or Natco Branches used these smaller GP9/10 or later GP15-1's. The through freights (ER1/ RE2) or the Bradly Beach Turn Around most ofter times had Black CR GP38-2's. Once in a while you would see something more exotic on the through freights like U25B's or RS11's. The sand trains usually had the most exotic bigger stuff. I remember seeing a eastbound loaded come through Matawan with a all blue lashup of U30C/SD35/SD45. Good times.

CNJ 4104
Scott Speed

Can you post or pm me the pictures please?Thats cool I showed my dad your post and he says he remembers seeing all this stuff on the Seashore branch he told me one time he saw a blue conrail engine by itself at the Cumberland Farms in Keyport he said it might have been a GP9.Thanks for the post.

I'll see if I can get them scanned.

CNJ 4104

Thank you so much that would be well appreciated.

Found some pics I thought I would share here to taken by my dad from DEC of 89.Its of the Seashore Branch and the Freehold Branch.
NATCO Ind Spur and Freehold station!
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv14 ... mDEC89.jpg
Marlboro station and trestle on the east side of Marlboro Airport.
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv14 ... EC89-2.jpg

Nice photos thanks for sharing! My guess is that maybe the trestle they rehabbed for the Henry Hudson Trail, which actually quite an impressive span for the line.

I know they rehabbed it but I can't think of where it is my Dad knows because he was frequently in this area about the time these pictures where taken, we explored the line about 2 yrs ago and he showed me the trestle its rehabbed and the trail goes over it now.(wink) Not working so I just put it like that.

It used to be visible from rt.79 way back when but were talking before either you or I were born. As of now it is behind some peoples homes.