Cranford Questions

I grew up in Cranford between '62 to '85 when I shipped out after college. Some of my greatest memories were hanging out as a kid on the passenger platform watching all the freights and passenger trains (as well as the Bayonne shuttle) roll through although I was too young to be aware of the impending demise. My world was defined by how far up and down the line I could see.

But a few questions still linger for me. And since I started monitoring the RR.Net forums over the last half year, I recognize that there are a number of very knowledgeable individuals who might be able to answer my questions.

As long as I could remember, the railyard in Cranford always looked like a remnant and totally out of use. The CNJ main was 4 tracks wide, but the yard (where the B&O connected), was only 2 or 3 overgrown tracks. The yard looked like it might have been as many as 8 tracks wide at one time. What was the full operating configuration like? And why so big? Did the B&O jnctn (now the newly renovated 'SIRT') provide that much interchange traffic?

Also, there is the remains of a small roundhouse (maybe 6 stalls?) that the Cranford DPW has always used as a maintenance yard. I've done some limited research but could never find any details about this structure and no pictures of it with its turntable (gone long ago). Aside from my curiosity about the structure itself when it was in service, the question also exists as to why was it there? E'Port and its huge engine facilities was only 5-10 miles down the track. Why would the CNJ need a "satellite" facility so close?

My last question is in regards to the track elevation that begins in Cranford and ends after Westfield allowing for traffic to flow under the mainline through that area. When were the tracks elevated? Why only in that area? I could understand that between Westfield and Plainfield back at the turn of the century was mostly rural and the grade crossings were not that bothersome, but then why not elevate the track between Elizabeth and Cranford and avoid the grade crossings in Elizabeth, Roselle and Roselle Park altogether. The LVRR is elevated through those areas, why not the CNJ?

If some one could enlighten me, I would appreciate it.

The roundhouse in Cranford was there to service engines on commuter trains that made every stop from Jersey City to Cranford, where they would terminate.

Hey CJPat, did you go to Cranford High? Class of 75 here.

The South Avenue Yard had 6 - 8 tracks and was quite active whn the link to Staten Island was operating. I remember many Sunday nights when South Avenue was closed due to the switching operations.

Cranford had not only a roundhouse but a coaling tower and water tank as well. We were an important base for the commuter runs of the 40's and 50's. There are numerous books out there with tons of pictures of Cranford back in the day.

Finally, the tracks in Cranford were elevated in the 1930s, as part of an overall CNJ program. Not sure why they didn't elevate east of us.

Hope this helps!

Don31, Yeah, I was class of '80 at ole CHS. Sounds like you went through school with one of my sisters.

Thanks for info on the yard. They must have torn up the tracks in the late '60s because although I was a northside dweller, I don't recall seeing any action around the yard, so it must have happened when I was fairly young.

Can you recommend 1 or 2 specific book titles that would provide some good photos covering all that? And if you happen to know where I might track (no pun) them down....?

I understand from the info that Cranford was a happening place (atleast in railroad perspective) and I guess the traffic out of Staten Island must have been alot heavier than I imagined. The commuter info still surprises me. Cranford was a small town of bigwigs commuting to NYC, but you had bigger, more important places on the commute line, like Westfield and Plainfield. So it still doesn't make sense to have engine service facilities there. I would not have thought Cranford as an EOT destination although it was for the Bayonne Shuttle.

BTW - Do you remember in around 1982, they were seeing if they could create an AutoTrain to Florida terminal in that yard? As I understood, the idea was finally dropped because they couldn't fit the double decker passenger cars through the tunnels (I am guessing out in Pennsy?).

I very well might have CJPat. And you just missed my two sisters, one graduated in 78, the other in 81.

The yard lasted well into the 80s. Do you remember when the NRHS had its national convention in NJ in 1988? The big NKP steamer, #765, was based in the yard for two weeks. Seems like half the town was always hanging out there watching her.

Two of the best books, I think, are "Jersey Central Steam in Color" by Bert Pennypacker; and "Central Railroad of New Jersey Stations, Structures and maarine Equipment", by Benjamin Bernhart. The first book has some awesome color shots of Camelbacks and Pacifics laying over in town, and lots of action shots too. The second book is all B&W shots, mostly small, but fascinating. There are even a few of Cranford's water tower and coaling dock.

I think, but am not sure, that the facilities were located in Cranford because numerous morning rush hour trains started here. The ones that started in Raritan would be full by the time they got to Roselle or Elizabeth, so they originated others here to make more seats available farther down the line. And if you didn't start the trains here, it meant an extra, non-revenue move from Raritan or Jersey City. Every time a train moves, it costs money, so they would have wanted to limit the non-revenue one as much as possible. Just a theory.

Yep, I remember the Auto Train. Don't recall the reason it was shot down though. Do you remember the proposal to extend PATH from Newark Penn Station thru Cranford to Plainfield?

I will look for those two books.

I only learned about the PATH proposal reading through the RR.net forums. I don't recall ever hearing about the concept at the time.

In '88, during the NRHS convention, I was running around the backwoods of Ft Campbell in my greens with my bullet launcher. The only news we were focused on was what was going down in Haiti during their first election. I almost spent Christmas '88 in the Caribean.

Your theory about originating commuter trains in Cranford so there would be adequate seating further north on the line makes quite a bit of sense. I live down near the end of the NJCL and the few times I rode it during morning rush, I witnessed how within 30 miles up the line, it was standing room only.

Thanks again for the book recommendations.

You're very welcome. The Pennypacker book I got on ebay. The other one is still in print and available, although I've seen it on ebay as well.

Ft. Campbell huh? That must've been cool.....

Definitely Cool......

The way I saw it, You - the taxpayer- paid me to parachute, rappel, mountain climb, shoot, "camp", and play with stuff that made Fourth of July Fireworks look like a sparkler. - The Real Corps of Engineers stuff.

They taught me how to plan and conduct rail load outs (and obviously aircraft load outs) for my heavy equipment (dozers, scrapers, trucks) - But this probably belongs more appropriately under the Military Railroad Forum so I'll end off here....

Thanks again for the info

CJPat wrote:Definitely Cool......

The way I saw it, You - the taxpayer- paid me to parachute, rappel, mountain climb, shoot, "camp", and play with stuff that made Fourth of July Fireworks look like a sparkler. - The Real Corps of Engineers stuff.

They taught me how to plan and conduct rail load outs (and obviously aircraft load outs) for my heavy equipment (dozers, scrapers, trucks) - But this probably belongs more appropriately under the Military Railroad Forum so I'll end off here....

Thanks again for the info

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself at my expense!

Good luck with the books.

Cranford was a happening place! I grew up there in the late 50's, 60's and left in the early 70's. I spent many a days at the Cranford yard between where the SIRT crossed South Ave., eastward a short distance to the interchange with the Rahway Valley and just a bit more east to where the Lehigh Valley crossed the CNJ at grade. In those days it was very common to see many CNJ commuter trains, at least 8-12 freights per day with a mix of CNJ, RDG, B&O, C&O and even occasionally a WM unit. Two of my favorite trains were the old CNJ "Maybe" freight. I think it was in good nature named this because it "maybe" ran. The CNJ was great at putting whatever they could on this train for power to haul their cars to Jersey City. For example, I caught this one time with 6 CNJ-NW F units ( probably one 1-2 of them were operational ). My other favorite City was the "Cincinnatian" ( I think this was the name ) which would arrive on a Friday or Saturday evening with coal for the SIRT. It would come in with 3-5 units and a long run of coal. The Sirt would arrive in Cranford with 2 and even sometimes 3 SIRT-B&O Alco S2's and strain and groan to haul these cars eastward from Cranford.

The Rahway Valley was a pretty regular 1X/day run into Cranford to make it's 3-5 car setout / pickup using one of the 2 70T's. Last but not least was the elusive Lehigh Valley. There were days I would spent an entire day by the LV and never see a train. A good day was one EB and one WB usually with C628's or C420's. The Gp9's and F's were a rare treat as they seemed to spend most of their time on the western end.

Cranford was a fabulous place to grow up watching trains.

park

My last question is in regards to the track elevation that begins in Cranford and ends after Westfield allowing for traffic to flow under the mainline through that area. When were the tracks elevated? Why only in that area? I could understand that between Westfield and Plainfield back at the turn of the century was mostly rural and the grade crossings were not that bothersome, but then why not elevate the track between Elizabeth and Cranford and avoid the grade crossings in Elizabeth, Roselle and Roselle Park altogether. The LVRR is elevated through those areas, why not the CNJ?

I would think that elevation would have been a problem East of Cranford because the CNJ had the PRR, LVRR and later the parkway running over the top of it. Besides there was only one remaining grade crossing in that area. Linden RD. And I think they left that for large truck traffic.

Thanks for the additional info guys,

If I may politely ask a question of clarification for Park.

"I spent many a days at the Cranford yard between where the SIRT crossed South Ave., eastward a short distance to the interchange with the Rahway Valley and just a bit more east to where the Lehigh Valley crossed the CNJ at grade."

Are you saying you remember the LV crossing the CNJ at grade? I thought the LV has been elevated for quite some time. On another thread regarding the Reactivation of the RVRR, Mikec had posted an old 1938 postcard that showed the Aldene Station with the LVRR raised on its embankment in the background (see http://www.trainsarefun.com/rvrr/images/aldenerr.jpg). I assumed the LVRR has been elevated for quite some time. And of course when the GSP was built around 1950, it had to cross over the CNJ-Cranford Yard and also be high enough to cross over the elevated LVRR.

I apologize if I misunderstood what you were saying.

To CJ Pat

Sorry I was not more clear in my description. The LV was elevated through most if not all of Cranford. By grade, I meant that where the LV crossed the CNJ was at an "elevated" grade. The bridge still stands today where as the ex LV is extremely busy and the CNJ is all but dead.

park

What I meant. If they wanted to elevate the CNJ East of Cranford it would have taking going trying to go over the LV in Ros. Park and PRR in Eliz.

As far as elevation goes, I guess it comes down to timelines.

I understand that the CNJ elevated their main between Cranford and Bound Brook (and later through Somerville?) sometime in the 1930's.

The question is when did the LVRR and PRR do their elevations? You figure the elevated railbeds are a good 15' - 30' up and run for miles.

That represents one heck of a civil engineering project considering all the bridges that replaced most of the grade crossings that had to be constructed also. Talk about a lot of time and money. But obviously it dramatically reduced delays and liability of hitting objects at crossings and other spots along the ROW. Definitely one heck of an investment.

Can you imagine the coordination problems with trying to run a ground level railroad and keep it moving to generate money at the same time as constructing the miles of elevated berms? I'm curious how they accomplished it. They couldn't have shut down their lines until the elevation project was completed and the elevation couldn't be used unless they finished the whole job or constructed a lengthy trestle to bring the train back to ground level. And because of the heighth, they couldn't construct one "lane" and then come back for the other. Was there an alternate ROW they operated on until complete? Does anyone have any knowledge with how they went about it? Where did the trains run while constructing the elevated ROW?

When they want to elevate a roadway (like the current bridging project to take Kosloski Blvd over Old Route 33 east of Freehold, NJ), they just built a temporary road bed to the side and constructed the elevated roadway over the top of the original. Did the railways have adequate room to just shift their ROWs sideways temporarily. And some highways are just shut down completely and you have to take local road detours (like I-95 construction around the Philadelphia Airport in the early-mid '80's. The CNJ (and typical of most railroads) ran through the heart of developed areas. I can't imagine there being adequate room alongside the ROW to accommodate everything.