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  • Line Closures: where/when?

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New Jersey
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New Jersey

Moderator: David

 #568437  by firthorfifth06
 
Just to satisfy curiosity, I'm trying to figure out when certain CNJ lines and branches started/stopped operating. If anyone can help (i'll edt the post as answers come in):

Newark Branch
E-port and Newark
E-port and Perth Amboy
Sound Shore Branch
Seashore Branch
Freehold Branch
High Bridge/Chester Branch
PA Services
Mt. Hope Branch
Service to Bridgeton/Bowentown (or all of the Southern Secondary)
Bivalve Branch
Deerfield Branch
Flemington Branch
Barnegat Branch
Green Pond Jct. Branch (edit: aka Wharton and Northern)

please list any I might have missed as well, thanks!
 #568488  by NY&LB
 
WOW!!!! Good questions, here's what I can answer right now:

1. Withdrawal from all lines in PA: March 31, 1972
2. SeaShore Branch: Passenger service pulled back to HIGHLANDS Dec. 24, 1945; service was pulled back to ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS in 1958; passenger service was ended in October 1966
3. E-port and Newark: Ended with Aldene Plan April 30, 1967, However the CNJ ran 3 trains to Broad Street NEWARK in 1971 (I think) when the PRR (PC?) went on strike for a day or two, two on the Main and one up the NY&LB.
4. E-port and Perth Amboy: Passenger service ended on Aldene Day but freight service operates today, Chemical Coast Line CONRAIL SA.
5. South Branch (what you called Flemington Branch): April 25, 1953
6. Sound Shore Branch: Passenger service ended sometime in 1960

I should be able to track done some more when I have some extra time!
 #568715  by timz
 
The Newark Branch bridge over the Hackensack River got hit in Feb 1946 and that was the end of thru service. Service east of the bridge lasted for a couple years longer; service Newark to Kearny lasted ... until 1967?
 #568886  by Jtgshu
 
The Seashore had freight service to Atlantic Highlands until about 1972, after that, it was cut back to Belford to serve the "Fish Factory", which was accessed via a very long "siding" which was actually the original main to Port Monmouth, which crossed the Seashore at Hopping Junction (Belford). That didn't last long, and then within a year or two, service was cut back to Union Beach and IFF/Natco. That lasted until the end of 1983. the rails were torn up from IFF west around 1990/1991.

when was service to from Branchport to East Long Branch cut? I think it served the gas plant on Long Branch Avenue in LB. My Dad who was a LB police officer says he remembers when he first started (late 70s) they would escort the train down because that was a such a bad area. But he only vaguely remembers something like that, hes not sure. I have 3 RR ties from when they pulled up that branch in my yard. My Dad broght them home in the trunk of his 76 Monty Carlo (2 were cut in half - 1 was whole - i don't know if that one was in the trunk too!) I got a pic of that somewhere. My mom wasn't thrilled with that...... :-D
 #569215  by JimBoylan
 
NY&LB wrote:WOW!!!! Good questions, here's what I can answer right now:
5. South Branch (what you called Flemington Branch): April 25, 1953
That may be for passenger service. Black River & Western acquired and still runs the Flemington end to Three Bridges and a new connection with the Lehigh Valley. They got it on ConRail Day, 4/1/76, when CNJ abandoned the rest of the line SouthWest of the U.S. Rte. 206 crossing in Summerville. The South end of the High Bridge branch was also abandoned that same day. Because of a weak bridge near Three Bridges, through service on the Flemington branch stopped about 1974. CNJ paid to have their traffic detoured over PennCentral and BR&W, and either marooned a loco in Flemington or paid BR&W to shift the CNJ customers in Flemington until ownership was transferred.
 #570380  by blockline4180
 
High Bridge/Chester Branch

Green Pond Jct. Branch (edit: aka Wharton and Northern)

1.) I believe the last passenger train on the Chester Branch down to Chester was in 1932/33.
Morristown & Erie still serves freight customers from Chester Junction down to Succusunna tothis day.

Last passenger train on the High Bridge Branch was in the 1930's as well...M&E still serves freight customers down to Flanders(Mount Olive Township)

2.) I believe the last freight train on the W&N to Green Pond Junction was sometime in 1971.
 #570949  by firthorfifth06
 
as I Promised, I'm posting with the given answers:

All PA Services: 3/31/72
Seashore: Permanent end in: 10/1966
E-Port and Newark: 4/30/67
E-Port and PA: 4/30/67
South Branch: 4/25/53
Sound Shore: 1960
Newark Branch: Permanent end in 1967(?)
Chester Branch: 1932/33
High Bridge Branch: 1930's
W&N: Freight in '71, but what of passenger?
(edit: 8/23/08 7:40 PM) Barnegat Branch: end passenger in 1950's

I am personally researching, but could still use help on:

Freehold Branch
Mt. Hope Branch
Bridgeton/Bowentown (Southern Secondary in all)
Bivalve Branch
Deerfield Branch
 #571450  by Jtgshu
 
I believe parts of the freehold branch lasted into Conrail - I recall seeing that either end had service, albeit sporadic for at least a year or two after Conrail. Im guessing the Matawan end was abandoned before NJT rebuilt the Coast Line through that area, so maybe 1980-81? I have an old CR track map that at least shows part of the Freehold Branch - I just don't have it handy....its packed away somewhere.
 #576662  by 1st Barnegat
 
firthorfifth06 wrote:as I Promised, I'm posting with the given answers:

(edit: 8/23/08 7:40 PM) Barnegat Branch: end passenger in 1950's

I am personally researching, but could still use help on:

Freehold Branch
Mt. Hope Branch
Bridgeton/Bowentown (Southern Secondary in all)
Bivalve Branch
Deerfield Branch
Barnegat Branch Weekday Passenger Service (Monday-Saturday then): Last Saturday in October, 1952, according to "Red Bank - 1951, Twenty-Four Hours at the East End of the CNJ's Southern Division," by Robert G. Hoeft, published in "Flags Diamonds and Statues," Volume 13, No. 2. In their last years, these trains ran as connecting service from NY&LB CNJ and PRR trains at Red Bank. Route was Red Bank, Farmingdale, Lakehurst, Toms River, and Barnegat.

Barnegat Branch Sunday Passenger Service - Through Train to and from Jersey City, via Elizabethport and Red Bank. Last Sunday in April, 1953, according to Hoest in the above reference. Or March 1st, 1953, according to "The Unique New York and Long Branch," by Don Wood, Joel Rosenbaum, and Tom Gallo."

Barnegat Branch Freight service: Line from Lakehurst railroad west towards Toms River appears inactive, but the automatic crossing on the road towards Manchester High School is not marked "exempt" as of August 2008, so the RR plans to have some activity some time in the future, possibly down to the tank car customer on Rte. 37 or to the nearby lumber yard. OCtrainguy has some nice photos of trains to that lumber yard when it still had active freight service.

More about Barnegat Branch service here.

The Southern Secondary from Lakehurst north (railroad east) still sees freight service, once or twice a week, by the ever elusive SA31.

Freehold Branch Passenger Service: April 25, 1953.

Freehold Branch freight service: 1973 (from Freehold). A small segment of the Freehold Branch to a brick yard just west of Matawan had freight service longer. Perhaps until Matawan received cantenary?

Atlatic City Passenger Service: Fall 1941, with the demise of the Blue Comet.

Bridgeton Passenger Service: 1929 or so, and was cut back to Winslow Jct. with the introduction of the Blue Comet in 1929.

Winslow Jct. Passenger Service: Between 1937 and 1941.

A 1908 schedule shows passenger trains all the way to the end of the Southern Division at the Delaware Bay.

Southern Division Freight Service from Bridgeton: 1976 for regular service and last freight in 1978. http://www.thebluecomet.com has details.
 #577030  by Jtgshu
 
Thats interesting about the Route 37 Xing - Im pretty sure that there were Exempt signs on it before. Im not 100 percent sure, but I thought I remember seeing them on there......

I do believe that the Freehold Branch from Matawan was shut down and finally abandoned when the wires went up and the Coast Line was rebuilt by NJT. I remember reading somewhere that a customer (Imperial Oil maybe?) received service until 1983, which would have been the same time the Seashore was shut down and abandoned.

Im wondering if any of these windmills are built off the coast if the parts will travel by rail???????//