Advice for the Lehigh Line in Cranford

Possibly on good friday, I would like to railfan the Lehigh Line through Cranford, but it would have to be within walking distance of transit. What are the times like in the late afternoon.

Your better off catching trains on the Lehigh Line in the early morning. Late afternoon isn't very active.

Friday afternoon's are usually very active.

Friday afternoons are okay, but mornings are better, even weekends. In Cranford proper, the angles are very tight and the tracks are bordered by lots of private property (homes). The bridge over the Rahway River is a good spot, as is from the foot of High Street (which ends the other direction at NJT's Cranford station).

Good luck.

Friday afternoons are okay, but mornings are better, even weekends. In Cranford proper, the angles are very tight and the tracks are bordered by lots of private property (homes). The bridge over the Rahway River is a good spot, as is from the foot of High Street (which ends the other direction at NJT's Cranford station).

Good luck.

I never realized that Friday mornings were so busy.
I can here the grade crossing horn blasts at my house and on a Friday afternoon, it seems like one after another. Many afternoons it seemed like there was at least 10-15 trains.
Thursday and Friday evenings are usually very busy too.

Weekends are indeed good as well. Many a Saturday afternoon I can hear them rumbling, one after another, seemingly nonstop along the Lehigh passing Potter's. I'm in earshot of the crossing so I'm just close enough to enjoy the rumble, hear the horn and wish I was there....
Mornings are indeed quite good though.... wow! Go and shoot. Good hunting!
BigDell

(seems like it wasn't that long ago I'd still see the occasional Maine Central loco on one of the morning runs..... I wonder how long ago that was?)

The NJT station in Roselle Park or Union is probably a better place to watch the Lehigh line than someplace in Cranford. All you have to do is sit on the bench on the platform and wait for the trains to come to you.

Another decent place to watch the Lehigh line is Oakridge Golf Course in Clark along the fairway on the second hole or the sixteenth fairway. It is a public golf course and county park and you are a taxpayer. I'm sure if you ask the ranger nicely or even call the clubhouse ahead of time they'd let you hang out and take pictures so long as you aren't in the way. It is a good distance from NJT, though.

Eastbound platform of Bound Brook train station is a great spot. You get NJT, Port Reading and Lehigh Line trains.

Another good spot to sit at is in South Plainfield off of Front Street by he old lumber storage facility(Was it once Purina Foods?)......I believe there is still an old boxcar that the company uses to store supplies...

Steve

Another decent place to watch the Lehigh line is Oakridge Golf Course in Clark along the fairway on the second hole or the sixteenth fairway. It is a public golf course and county park and you are a taxpayer. I'm sure if you ask the ranger nicely or even call the clubhouse ahead of time they'd let you hang out and take pictures so long as you aren't in the way. It is a good distance from NJT, though.

Okay, one of my fave spots outted!
Actually, the easier way to do this is to park in the QuickCheck (or whatever that little minimall is) on Inman Avenue, east of Potter's crossing about a mile, where the overhead power lines cross Inman. Once you pass the golf driving range and mini golf, you'll know you're close. Pull in the lot (or somewhere on one of the side streets), then walk along the PSE&G dirt roadway from Inman Ave north to the tracks. Its a fun little walk (you can marvel how the folks living along the high tension wires have encroached on the PSE&G property and "live" under the electric fields of the wires). Its about a 5 or 10 minute walk - I forget, I haven't done it in a while - but you end up at the very corner of the golf course with a nice view of the mainline. You can walk along the main toward the golf course and pick out a good spot for your tripod or handheld. It was one of my fave places when I was a teenager. I haven't had any problems with PSE&G folks but you do have to be "aware". I've never had any problem with the golf course but I usually don't go on the course itself. You might find some interesting spots there. GREAT in the snow. It used to be an interesting walk along the tracks (never ON the tracks of course...) to Potters from that point...
BigDell

BigDell wrote: Okay, one of my fave spots outted!
Actually, the easier way to do this is to park in the QuickCheck (or whatever that little minimall is) on Inman Avenue, east of Potter's crossing about a mile, where the overhead power lines cross Inman. Once you pass the golf driving range and mini golf, you'll know you're close. Pull in the lot (or somewhere on one of the side streets), then walk along the PSE&G dirt roadway from Inman Ave north to the tracks. Its a fun little walk (you can marvel how the folks living along the high tension wires have encroached on the PSE&G property and "live" under the electric fields of the wires). Its about a 5 or 10 minute walk - I forget, I haven't done it in a while - but you end up at the very corner of the golf course with a nice view of the mainline. You can walk along the main toward the golf course and pick out a good spot for your tripod or handheld. It was one of my fave places when I was a teenager. I haven't had any problems with PSE&G folks but you do have to be "aware". I've never had any problem with the golf course but I usually don't go on the course itself. You might find some interesting spots there. GREAT in the snow. It used to be an interesting walk along the tracks (never ON the tracks of course...) to Potters from that point...
BigDell

I worked as a greenskeeper at Oakridge Golf Course from 1986 to 1990 which is how I know about the spot. Back in that era you could see a dozen trains or more in an eight hour shift. The Tropicana Juice train was a fave.

I'd recommend asking permission before going to watch trains. I don't think anyone would mind provided you stayed out of the way of the golfers and told the ranger, manager or greens superintendent what you are doing ahead of time.

Besides watching trains, you might be rewarded historically, with a little exploration. The Staten Island RR, owned by the B&O, from the CNJ to Staten Island (natch) ran under the LV in Cranford...there was a connection (2 tracks, still in situ); walk the connection....interesing. Also, under the LV is the CNJ right of way, a major competitor with the Pennsy twixt NY & Philly up to late '50's. A well-bulit line from the mid-1800's, now just a sad shell, but just 50 years ago B&O & Reading mainliners, and CNJ locals & expresses, and many freights, used this important line. I'd hope railway interests include more than just present traffic.

I worked as a greenskeeper at Oakridge Golf Course from 1986 to 1990 which is how I know about the spot. Back in that era you could see a dozen trains or more in an eight hour shift. The Tropicana Juice train was a fave.

I'd recommend asking permission before going to watch trains. I don't think anyone would mind provided you stayed out of the way of the golfers and told the ranger, manager or greens superintendent what you are doing ahead of time.

I always made a point of staying off the course itself. There usually is enough room along the ROW to get a nice shot... BTW - I have a house but two minutes from the golf course on Applewood Dr. One of these days I have to go to Oakridge and take some lessons. I am CONSTANTLY asked to go on golf outtings at work and I simply do not play golf (played once, in Japan, in the shadow of Mt. Fuji - actually did very well...).

Anyway, I remember well from my teen years watching all the Maine Central, NW, LV and assorted other colorful and constant traffic through that double-tracked mainline! I LOVED train watching along there... So many good memories. Thankfully, traffic has picked up again in recent years (much to the chagrin of the locals who bought condos on the ROW at Potter's...)
:-)
BigDell

BigDell wrote: BTW - I have a house but two minutes from the golf course on Applewood Dr.

Small world Big Dell, an old grlfriend lived on Sandalwood Dr.