CHANNEL STRUCTURE DEMOLISHED

[NYSW252]

Another bit of M&E railroad's past is lost to the wrecking ball. The former Channel Lumber warehouse, located along Route 10 in Whippany, has been demolished. Channel was situated near the M&E's Milipidas Branch and was served each weekday. During the 1980s Rickel Lumber acquired Channel Lumber and all warehousing moved to South Plainfield. The structure has been dormant since.

[njt4172]

How much you wanna bet that the site will feature a new condo complex??

Those tracks to the old Channel complex were torn out at least 7 years ago!

Steve

[7 Train]

I heard that the Channel site will become an office complex for the Adams confectionary division of Cadbury.

Also-when did M & E stop running to/from Channel? The crossing across NJ Route 10 had the sign "Tracks out of Service" in the early 1990s, then paved over circa 1998.

[Angus202]

The tracks going into that complex are actually still in place. The link below shows this trackage, the photo is from last september, although I visited the site just before the demolition commenced and all was still there. The malapardis branch is the leftmost track, storage track is center, and the unloading track is right. The center track used to stretch to a 2nd set of unloading bays towards the front, but has long since been paved over. The malaparadis track is intact from just before the rt. 10 crossing to the whippany line main with minimal overgrowth. There had been an Erie Lackawanna passenger car stored on the lead, I think it was recently moved however, I'd been hoping so that the debris could be removed via rail (which would make sense -let me dream-)

http://www.northshorerecording.com/railroad/chanlum.jpg

-Ryan

[RS115]

The part of the branch that crossed Rt 10 at that location went to service the old Stoney Brook Mill. The mill is now long gone and had not received rail service for quite some time before closure. Al H probably knows when service stopped.

[Scrap The U34CH]

That company mentioned is building a "Lab" on the site. They have another property in E. Hanover somewhere. I read this in one of the papers a few weeks ago. I have no idea if they would have any need for rail service (doubt it) but who knows. That is a pretty big chunk of land that building was on, so maybe this lab will be quite big. I'm surprised there isn't condo's going up there too. Funny thing is that who ever owned the Channel building spent quite a bit of money on that place the last few years. Anyway, Hopefully this new place can use the MnE someday. I remember reading somewhere that there is some agreement between NJ DOT and the RR that if rail service was ever needed at the Channel building, The DOT was going to pay for re locating the switch and track into the building. Due to the fact that they pulled up the crossing and the switch was right off Rt. 10.

[Greg]

Scrap,

I believe the company you are refering to is Pliva, I vaugely recall the article myself. FWIW, they also have a lab on the Vornado spur.

[njtransitrookie]

Regardless as to what the speculation may be, this property is zoned for commercial/industrial. You will not see "condos".

[7 Train]

Channel had several stores through northern NJ. The last store I believe went into Rickel around 1990.

[7 Train]

UPDATE 6/19:

Drove by the Channel site today on NJ Hwy 10. The mounds of dirt that were there for several weeks are gone. The site is now one vacant lot of flattened dirt. An "office space available" sign is up.

[NJTRailfan]

Wow I'm surpised that they would tear that place down I haven't been by that area in awhile. I was so sure they'd remodel the structure and turn it into and office complex. Hopefully something better will be built there with the land being zoned for commercial and industrial use.

Oh and for those wondering my come back, I joined the Army and I'm now in training at Ft Sill, in Oklahoma. I graduate August 19th I left Dover on May 6th. I wasn't able to use a computer with internet link til now due to my training. I'll be back in Dover On August 20th or the 21st. Until then I'll be in Ft sill training and then a few weeks then later I'll be off to Ft Campbell in Kentucky.

[Ken W2KB]

Best of luck and well wishes. Stay safe!

[Alcoman]

The link to the photo does not work.

[Angus202]

Passing the site today on my way up to CCM, there's a banner reading "cadbury schweppes..." another snack co. hanging from the fence of the development. Looks like the site may be slated for either a production or distribution facility - either way, there's potential for rail service. Since the trackage here has reamined in place thru all the construction (including the sidings which are not on M&E property) we might see some action here again yet.

-Ryan

[njt4172]

I love Hanover Township! It is one of the only towns in Morris County that encourages industrial development. That is how they keep their taxes so low. If it was Denville or Randolph condos may have been going up instead.

Steve