Who runs freight through East Brunswick?

We have a warehouse in East Brunswick (we're on Kimberly Rd. ) and I see that there is still some rail lines that run around there, along with sidings. I'm talking the area between Harts Lane, Ryders Lane, etc. I know it crosses both Harts and Ryders (I can't recall if it crosses Rt 18 or not). I think it's still live because one of the warehouses close to use actually has a few tanker cars situated there. I wonder who they are / were?

Was the Raritan River Railroad. Ran from South Amboy to New Brunswick via Sayreville, South River, East Brunswick, Milltown. Freight station still standing in Milltown off Washington Ave. Active track ends in North Brunswick at US1 overpass, but continues along Squibb property into New Brunswick and is visible from the overpass.

Check out Gerald Oliveto's history of the RRRR: http://www.geocities.com/transit383/rrhist.html

It's a great line to walk, but it IS AN ACTIVE LINE and you must exercise caution.

Conrail Shared Assets is the operator. Browns yard would be the serving yard, and if you guys have a rail siding you should take advantage of it.

Are you talking about the line that crosses underneath that new bridge on Route 18?

This is Conrail's Sayreville Running Track. It runs between Parlin and New Brunswick, with the connection to Browns Yard being the Gillespie Branch in Sayreville. For a map of the line, check out http://www.geocities.com/transit383/maps.html and click on Conrail Shared Assets Browns Yard Division.

For more information on the line, check out my entire site at http://www.geocities.com/transit383

themallard wrote:Are you talking about the line that crosses underneath that new bridge on Route 18?

I think the bridge under Rt. 18 is the Amboy Secondary, also of Conrail Shared Assets. The bridge was built with some new taller catenary towers that have no wires attatched to them, not even transmission conductors. Why did they even bother putting up the poles, you ask? I think NJ Transit required that catenary provisions be preserved in case they decide to even restore electrification sometime in the (distant) future.

As for the Raritan River RR, wasn't there some controversy where the State wants to widen/improve US-1, and in doing so, flatten out the bridge over the right-of-way, effectively severing it east of there?

Yes there was a contraversy, but I belive that they only need a length of about 6 cars beyond the bridge in order to make the reverse move into Silverline.

Why did they even bother putting up the poles, you ask? I think NJ Transit required that catenary provisions be preserved in case they decide to even restore electrification sometime in the (distant) future.

It is mandated by the NJDOT that any catenary poles removed on the Amboy Secondary must be replaced. A total of four poles were re-installed following the construction of the Route 18 Bridges over the tracks. Not to mention that the new NJ-18 bridges are fitted with the "high walls" as if this line is still active. The line is kept up to electrified standards (i.e. bridges, catenary poles), despite the fact that the wires were ripped out nearly twenty years ago.

As for the Raritan River RR, wasn't there some controversy where the State wants to widen/improve US-1, and in doing so, flatten out the bridge over the right-of-way, effectively severing it east of there?

Conrail filed to abandon the section of track from the Route 1 Overpass into New Brunswick back in December. I don't know if the application went through or if the line is still active. Wolf, any input?

The spur under Route one in the Silverline area is now gone--the project is completed. I live in the New Brunswick yard that is NOW--Renassiance Station---my lawn has ballast under the sod!! I remember my grandmother giving us kids, onion or potato sacks--to gather coal--at the PEOPLES COAL AND OIL company siding---that was behind the BOND CLOTHING factory on Remsen Avenue. Not to forget the world famous NATIONAL MUSICAL STRING factory that was at the George's Road crossing. That building is still there and used as music studios for new bands. The tracks are gone at the crossing. From there it went on into Milltown and thru East Brunswick--along Bordentown Avenue--by National Biscuit company. The very last use of the New Brunswick buildings, was for ALLIED MOVING VAN COMPANY storage---and even that was abandoned and subject to vandals who stole and eventually burned everything!! Around 1990--townhouses were put up on the site of the Raritan River New Brunswick terminus. I have a place there since they opened.