Old Main through Glen Gardner

[transit383]

I took this pic last month of the now out of service tracks through Glen Gardner. The view is looking west from Bell Avenue. Crudely painted on some old grade crossing equipment is a CNJ logo... pretty decent too!

Bell Ave looking west, Glen Gardner Township

Tracks seem to be in relatively good shape.

[transit383]

Another shot of the CNJ Main west of High Bridge, this time through Hampton:

Dual tracks, both abandoned

Not too many dual track abandonments exist around the state, especially in this condition. I was very surprised to see that the old main is in such good shape here. This photo was taken approximately half a mile west of the NJ Route 31 overpass.

[tech2187]

greetings... what is slated to become of the tracks? not a dreaded (my opinion) rail trail?

[Ken W2KB]

No. Owned by the State and slated for eventual restoration of passenger service.

[transit383]

Yet another shot of the CNJ Main west of High Bridge, this time at the Ludlow-Asbury Station:

Looking east from the Ludlow Asbury Station Platform

It appears this is the location where NJT stops maintaining the line, as the tracks are heavily overgrown from this crossing westward.

[CNJ Fan 4evr]

Oh, the memories I have of the CNJ in Hampton. I would sit out on my aunt's 3rd floor porch, which was about 30 yards from the main,and wait for the trains.I would get the two west bound commuters with the CNJ lettered GP40Ps. Also saw the "maybe" going to P'burg a couple of times. Also got to see the Reading pool train going east with army tanks on it.
I worked at Rudl Fencing in Glen Gardner starting at 12 years old. By then it was Conrail but they still ran the CNJ commuter sets to P'burg every night. Later Rudl had a sidng installed for lumber cars. Conrail dropped them off mostly at night but once in a while they'd swap cars during the day.
One of my wishes is to see trains roll on the Bloomsbury to High Bridge section again.

[CNJ Fan 4evr]

Went through Hampton yesterday. The old CNJ bridge that was down the street from my aunt's has been painted plain black.I'd love to see the old Jersey Central Lines herald painted back on it like it was in CNJ times. Also see where the yard behind my aunt's apartment has really filled in with trees and brush along the ROW. Wouldn't get a clear view like I did back then.

[CNJ Fan 4evr]

Did some picture taking of the Old CNJ main and High Bridge Branch yesterday. The west bound wye track is still in High Bridge. The yard is now a park and composting site.People park their cars an unload their bikes to ride the old CNJ HB branch there. I shot some comparison shots of the yard and the crossing with that large house right next to the r.o.w.. Boy their glassware must have rattled and the pictures probably never stayed straight on the walls in that house.The track was maybe 4 to 5 feet away from the house.
Got a treat when the mid-day NJT train came in from the west instead of being already parked at the station. I wondered why I saw an empty track but a green east bound signal when I got there about 3 minutes after the train's scheduled arrival.Anyway, that reminded me of 40 years ago when the mid-day train would come in from P'burg.
Went to Califon and shot the depot. I have to go there when it is open and see the inside. I looked through the window and they have the telegraph office set up nice.
Took a little hike in the Lockwood Gorge on the opposite side of the river from the HB branch. Didn't go all the way to the bridge due to time but noticed how easy it must have been to observe train there in the months when the leaves were off the trees.
That being said I went to where my grandparents lived in Solitude Village. Took a shot from where I USED to be able to see the trains crossing the arches. In 40 years the trees have grown so thick you can't even see where they are. In fact I was barely able to see the old Taylor-Wharton water tower,which wasn't that far away.
I then got the 2:41 train going over the arches from the road that goes underneath.
I headed up Rte 31 and stopped at the Buffalo Hollow bridge crossing the CNJ. In the distance I could see the switch that Rudl Fencing in stalled in 1984 was still there. Talk about changes. The barn where I once shoveled cedar shavings into bags as my first job (12 years old) is now a car repair business.I remember the rumble of those GP 40Ps as they headed west with the two nightly trains to P'burg. If I wasn't shoveling shavings into the vacuum pipe I'd pop out of the barn and watch the trains go past.
Moving west I stopped in Hampton and walked the CNJ to where my aunt's apartment was. Trees now grow and would definitely hinder my once wide open view of the trains from her 3rd story deck.Also her place was a little further back from the tracks than I had previously thought. Maybe around 200-225 feet.They have signs in Hampton that tell of the CNJ and DL&W being in town at one time.
Thanks for riding on this sentimental journey with me. Only wish I had a camera 40 years ago when Lady Liberty still rode the rails.

[michaelk]

thank YOU for sharing.

[CNJ Fan 4evr]

The newly finished Rte 31 bridge over the out of service NJT in Hampton has the CNJ herald on the southbound side of the bridge. A fitting tribute.