The Freehold Secondary Mystery

Thanks for the siding references, great stuff I haven't seen before. Appreciate the responses.

I know a central theme of this thread deals with current activities on the line, and train movements, I apologize if my historical focus on the line is out of place in this forum. It's just cool to learn about what once was in railroading too.

In all the pictures of Pennsy's Freehold and Jamesburg to Manasquan branch, I don't recall ever seeing any pictures of a water tower along the line, none in Freehold pictures that I've seen if I recall correctly....anyone know of the location of any water towers or water plugs on this line? In addition, where did the locomotives that ran on this line get coal, at South Amboy or Red Bank prior to the daily runs? I can't recall seeing a coaling method on the Freehold branch, love to learn about how water and coaling were done in the steam days.

I just got a flier in the mail from Freehold. The Santa Train is Dec 14 @ noon.
Jim H

CNWMAN wrote:In all the pictures of Pennsy's Freehold and Jamesburg to Manasquan branch, I don't recall ever seeing any pictures of a water tower along the line, none in Freehold pictures that I've seen if I recall correctly....anyone know of the location of any water towers or water plugs on this line? In addition, where did the locomotives that ran on this line get coal, at South Amboy or Red Bank prior to the daily runs? I can't recall seeing a coaling method on the Freehold branch, love to learn about how water and coaling were done in the steam days.

In Robert White's book of news clippings from Manasquan from 1877 to 1887, there are numerous references to a water tank at Manasquan. Articles about the pumphouse roof collapsing from snow, troubles with the pump windmill, a fire from an unattended stove, problems with freeze-ups, and a new tank being built. There are references to taking fuel, however, it doesn't specify how. probably shovels and buckets. Until connecting with the Spring Lake & Sea Girt RR (absorbed into the NY&LB) in 1876-77, Manasquan was the end of the line for the Farmingdale & Squan Village RR (absorbed into the F&JA) so it had been a terminal, A roundhouse is also mentioned frequently.

I managed to see the train tonite switching out BGS. CSX 4441 left 5 boxcars & 2 centerbeam cars there . They left town with splat ,pole car , covered hopper , 2 boxcars and a C Beam shf . The engineer was friendly as he worked the horn for my son.
Jim H

Looking for Pennsy steam in New Jersey on youtube and discovered this old film, lots of NY&LB, South Amboy steam action. Quality is not that good but lots of great action on the shore line.

Have yet to locate any movies of Pennsy steam on the Freehold branch, anyone know of any out there on the web somewhere/

http://youtu.be/xldO4TetVnE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CNWMAN wrote:Looking for Pennsy steam in New Jersey on youtube and discovered this old film, lots of NY&LB, South Amboy steam action. Quality is not that good but lots of great action on the shore line.

Have yet to locate any movies of Pennsy steam on the Freehold branch, anyone know of any out there on the web somewhere/

http://youtu.be/xldO4TetVnE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd love to see a video of the doodlebug along that route. I remember seeing it when I was about 10 years old on its way to Red Bank.

You both might like this short little video I pulled from Youtube. (thanks to Tom Keiderling)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPvsDAEsXBI

CJPat wrote:You both might like this short little video I pulled from Youtube. (thanks to Tom Keiderling)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPvsDAEsXBI

Thanks for that CJPat!

Short & sweet! Great video.

I was about 5 or 6 and lived next to the NY&LB in Neptune City. About 6:30 each weekday, the Doodlebug would run past south (west). This end had a horn that gurgled, like water was in it. The return trip passed north (east) around 5 pm or so, that horn didn't gurgle. The morning trip was my alarm clock. A nice way to wake up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk7i2P3XMc4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Here is a steam train on the Freehold & Jamesburg line 1939,passing through Manasquan's broad street station.

TOMSTV wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk7i2P3XMc4 Here is a steam train on the Freehold & Jamesburg line 1939,passing through Manasquan's broad street station.

Related question - does anyone know when Passenger service was ceased through Spotswood, Jamesburg, Freehold, Heightstown, etc?

http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR%20PASS%20Jun%2005.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Go to this website for passenger line closings, hope this helps.

TOMSTV wrote:http://www.prrths.com/Hagley/PRR%20PASS%20Jun%2005.pdf Go to this website for passenger line closings, hope this helps.

Wow, awesome document. Thank you!

The Freehold Secondary's last passenger I believe was the Doodlebug run at the end of May in 1962. It was a weekday because my parents took me from school and parked in front of Silverts Furniture on South Street so I could see it pass by for the last time. I used to have the Freehold Transcript article on "Last run of the Doodlebug" for years but it has been lost in the moves over the years.

For the record, I did observe, shortly after the creation of Conrail, an inspection train consisting of an olive green passenger car traveling from Jamesburg to Farmingdale and I assume up the Southern Division in 1976.