Route of "Mercer and Somerset"

[JKTRR]

Would anyone be interested in a car-pooling effort in the next few weeks to explore the ex-M&S right-of-way? (I did such a venture in '92)...

[JKTRR]

I have been asked to dust off my "Mercer & Somerset" slide show for the DelVal Chapter (NRHS) meeting on Friday, October 19 in Morrisville. I believe the meeting begins at 730pm. Interested persons can contact me off list ([email protected]) for further information.

[michaelk]

I can't let my namesake railroad have yet another dicussion fade into the RR.net archives, like many past ones have...
...
Jacob's Creek Road, running from the D&R Canal to Washington Crossing-Pennington Road is laid atop the M&S ROW, on a twisting section known as "The Corkscrew" when the M&S first opened (at least according to "Frog War!"). ...

The Start of the "Corkscrew" (follow Jacob's Creek Road)
...

I've always wondered how that road was so flat when the surrounding ones are much more "hilly". Thanks for the information.

[michaelk]

One of my customers has an office campus in hopewell. They have some reprints of old historic maps of the area framed and hanging in a back hallway.

Found this one. Sorry the picture is so blurry but not sure how to get a better picture with my cell phone. I took about half a dozen and this is the best.

Shows the right of way in 1875 from the river to the somerset county line.

The title block says "... The Hopewell Museum" - not sure if such a place still exists or not.

[JKTRR]

I'm familiar with the map; there is a Hopewell Museum on Route 518 (open Mon/Wed/Sat).

[NE2]

Large portions of the route were still visible from the air in 1931: http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials. ... &year=1931
This 1875 atlas shows it: http://www.historicmapworks.com/Atlas/U ... unty+1875/

[JKTRR]

.......Went airbourne in 1982 (?) and r-o-w very visible then too; present M&S slide show in Morristown last week and used aerial views therewithin!!!

[JKTRR]

I will be presenting my Mercer & Somerset (slide) show on Wednesday, January 6th (2016) at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church (80 W. Broad Street) Hopewell, NJ, starting at 7:00pm. The day marks the 140th anniversary of the "frog war" !!

Further information is available via the Hopewell Valley Historical Society: http://www.hopewellvalleyhistory.com.

[pumpers]

The correct link for Wendesday's talk (it is .org, not .com): http://www.hopewellvalleyhistory.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
JS

[carajul]

Does anyone know for sure if the M&S ever connected with the PRR's Millstone Branch over the river in E Millstone. Apparently this is a heated debate as no photos exist and no one knows for sure if the connection was made. The bridge pillar is still standing in the river but nothing on either side.

[pumpers]

I saw John Kilbride's talk in Hopewell earlier tonight - he mentioned the question about the bridge you mention. He believes it was built and was operated over -- he showed a copy of an old timetable with stops on opposite sides of the bridge only 2 minutes apart - not nearly enough for people to all get off, walk over the river, get back on and leave again. I think he also said there aren't many pictures of any aspects of the M&S from back in the day, for that matter, IIRC.
Jim S
PS. Does anyone know how to find a copy of the Frog War video (by Lakeside productions) mentioned earlier in this thread? I tried Google but didn't have any luck.

[JKTRR]

The Mercer & Somerset video might still be available from Lakeside Slides.....e-mail to [email protected] will provide an answer......thanks for coming to my presentation!!!

[JKTRR]

The Hopewell Valley Historical Society is conducting a hike in the Alliger Park (Hopewell, NJ) on Saturday, June 4th, beginning at 200pm. The hike will include a view of the Mercer & Somerset RR right-of-way. Contact me ([email protected]) for details or to signup....

[DukeOfRutland]

Me and my buddy Bob successfully attempted to duplicate the explorations of Mercer&Somerset discussed above. Much of the right of way in Montgomery township is now on public land. We found the Rock Brook bridge abutment, the stone arch, and holy-of-holies, milepost 13 (which M&S apparently thought was 16). I think Bob may be posting some pictures on Facebook; I marked the approximate location of the abutment on Google Maps.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Merce ... ?entry=ttu