NJ - Rail Trail over the Bel-Del

Has anyone cycled this one ? Anyone have a map of it. I recall cycling it with bobbys and our friend rich from Lambertville upward, they supposedly went back and did the southern leg toward Trenton.

Perhaps you were on the Delaware & Raritan Canal Trail? That extends from north of Lambertville south to Trenton. At some point along the way, it passes an abandoned rail line.

Map is available at http://www.dandrcanal.com

That link has a bike map from frenchtown south. It follows the Bel Del ROW to Lambertville, including along the feeder canal tow path. The ROW is intact from the Quarry above Lambertville to the BR&W near Rt. 202. Below Lambertville the ROW still rode the towpath & used to cross the canal & Rt. 29 into Trap Rock's quarry @ Kuser Mt. in mercer county.

Note that the D&R Canal trail is actually the Bel Del ROW and not the canal towpath. It's name is a misnomer. The feeder canal does parallel it very close by.

http://www.state.nj.us/njcommuter/pdf/drcanal.pdf

There are still various artifacts along the ROW: a telephone box near Prallsville, some telegraph poles, occasional mileposts, the remains of the station platform at Raven Rock, and of course numerous station buildings.

According to this Week's Hunterdon Democrat, all of the railroad south of carpentersville is up for sale, and expected to be sold in multiple parcels. Unless a govermment entity purchases the entire section, looks like neither rail nor trail will be there.

I have done a lot of reading on the Bel-Del and what you experienced down south of Lambertville was the old right away for the former Penn Central Railroad. Conrail closed that line when they took over in 1976. The actual tracks were on the tow-path thanks to the PRR. When Canal boats were being not used anymore the PRR built their tracks right on the Towpath. I am planning someday to make a Model Railroad of the Old Bel-Del when I get a house or who knows maybe I can create a club and Model the Bel-Del PRR railroad from Trenton to Belvadere. If there are any questions let me know.

Don McGowan