history of red bank to bayside line

[chazoz]

Hi I am new to the forum and have a few questions about the history of NJ railways. I am a huge history buff mostly civil war, and I recently purchased a new home. An old railroad right of way runs through the rear of the property. After much research and several hours of reading I have discovered it to be part of the CNJ line from Red Bank to Bayside. Now for the interesting part. There is a building at the rear of my property....which turns out to be the The Sheppards Mill Station....I know from reading that the station opened in 1872-3 and closed in 1923....I was wondering if anyone else had any info or pictures of this section of the line. Was it ever a passenger train? or was this just a station for coal or water? I have many questions if anyone has any info or could point me in the right direction i would appreciate it. It is really cool to see this building still standing. the right of way actually runs through my neighbors property and they have a 100 year right of way for their driveway to cross the abandoned RR bed. To this day u can walk about 6 miles of the old rr bed. the tracks are long gone, but I would love to hear anything about this section thanks....

chuck n
sheppards mill / bridgeton NJ

[Steam man]

Chuck,
You're only a hop skip and jump from Greenwich and the Cumberland County Historical Society's Warren Lummis Library on Ye Greate Street. Here's the link and they almost have to have something to help you.
link:http://www.cchistsoc.org/lummis/index.htm

Good luck on your search for info.

[chazoz]

thank you very much me and the wife are planning on doing that tommorrow....thank u

[ChrisU]

Where is the station I would be interested to get some pictures of it is on the portion between Red Bank an Belford the Raritan and Delaware Bay RR (R&DB).
Just so you know there is an old brick Keystone bridge that the railway ran over it is on Sleepy Hollow RD.

[Jtgshu]

Where is the station I would be interested to get some pictures of it is on the portion between Red Bank an Belford the Raritan and Delaware Bay RR (R&DB).
Just so you know there is an old brick Keystone bridge that the railway ran over it is on Sleepy Hollow RD.

That brick bridge next to Sleepy Hollow Road is about the only remnant on the entire line. The other remaining structure was removed about 10 years ago, and that was a bridge over Comptens Creek in Belford - on the former main, which was later rebuilt as a long siding to the former "Fish Factory" from Hopping Junction/Belford Junction.

However, being abandoned for nearly 100 years, the Belford/Red Bank portion really wouldn't have much left. However, the size of the cut where Chapel Hill Road crossed the line is impressive. Chapel Hill Road crossed on a bridge.

Of course, the power lines easily mark the ROW, and with JCPL doing some major tree trimming a few years ago, most of the ROW is pretty open now.