Bayonne Area Tracks: what's left

I am trying to figure out what's left of the LV, CNJ, and National
Docks in the Bayonne area and southern Jersey City --
from Communipaw south.

I think the CNJ mainline from communipaw area south is HBLR (down
to 22nd st, 8th st extension planned? ).

What I'm reallly mixed up on is the freight line(s?).

From Waldo tunnel to area of Communipaw/Liberty State Park HBLR station: National Docks/NJ connecting RR

From Communipaw area/Liberty State Park HBLR station area to area of the lines from the PRR/LV bridge to Newark Bay bridge: I am confused between ND (National Docks) and LV --
what is it -- some combination?? North of Bidwell ave, I think LV used to run west of CNJ, but the freight tracks are now always east of CNJ.
So I assume this part is ND. SOuth of Bidwell ave I am not sure.

South of PRR/LV Newark Bay Bridge:
From Aerial photos, looks like the separate freight ROW on the east side of the CNJ is gone, starting from about 50th st and going south.
Is indeed the ND gone down there?
All that seems left is CNJ. Are there separate tracks om the CNJ RoW for freight (going down to constable hook) and the HBLR.?

Please help me out.

Thanks, JS

Hey Pumpers -

Well, first off, the National Docks WAS the LV, but if you mean the LV "main line" as opposed to the LV Nat. Docks line, then that makes a difference.
The main line out of the Johnston Ave. terminal is all gone.......What CSA uses today I believe is a mix of ND south from the Erie tunnel to about where the CNJ and ND went unde rthe PRR, and it becomes CNJ track.
I can try to dig up a map to link to or scan if you still aren't clear on things, OK?

Car Floater
M.P. 28.5 on the LVRR NY Division

Yea, I'm a little confused too.

I have followed the tracks to where they crossed Newark Bay from Bayonne. You can still see the piers behind the shopping center. I think those were the CNJ tracks. Then I see a bunch of tracks serving the tank farms on the east side of Bayonne - I'm not sure who they belonged to, although they look like they come from the old CNJ ROW.

There's also a few tracks going out out to Motby and then there's a bunch of tracks out on the old base itself. Most of those are being pulled up. They also look like they came from the CNJ mainline. It's a shame all those tracks are being removed... I think they'll regret that at some time in the future.

What other tracks ran through Bayonne?

Well, I can tell you according to the maps in Jersey City Westbound, that the CNJ ROW is the one alongside 440 (and it does NOT share trackage with HBLRT), and besides going across Newark Bay had a branch south (Ave A. Branch) to the former Best foods plant at the South of Bayonne (which they claim is to be used by another industrial concern which uses rail - we'll see) - also you can see remants of a branch off the Ave A. branch heading Eastward (or at least you could a few years ago).
I believe the LV ROW to Constable Hook was East of the CNJ, and so is now occupied by 440. Constable Hook is served by the East Jersey[?] railroad out of that yard east of 440 (where the rail bridge crosses 440 - the direct link via LV is long gone).
I vaguely remember a grade level crossing (long abandoned) parallel to the CNJ mainline somewhere around 29th St?

As for the former Military Ocean Terminal (sorry, the 'Peninsula at Bayonne'), Bayonne politicians seem to think that they will create some sort of urban oasis over there - some uses, like a deepwater port and cruise ship terminal, and using the larger buildings for film production, make sense. Others, like the 'Urban Villages' (The Loft, Bayonne Bay, Harbor Station) are rather stupid, and will most likely end up as yet another bunch of waterfront luxury townhouses in the style of Port Liberty or Society Hill

The CNJ branch alongside Avenue A originally terminated in the Texaco tank farm at Bergen Point. A spur went east down the middle of W 2nd Street to a industrial building just west of Avenue C, and there is evidence of where the track entered the property. There may have been other customers served but that would have been quite some time ago. The Avenue A track is still in use to about 5th street as a customer receives a single tank car on a very short siding.
Route 440 is now on the CNJ main line alignment where W 8th Street station had been, but is on a new r-o-w where the yard begins.
As the road turns north the tracks to the right are the East Jersey Terminal RR but CSA apparently does the warehouses around Hook Road.
On the right just before E 21st there are stub end yard tracks following a curved fence line. This was the LVRR access to Constable Hook and their Freight House survives on E 22nd. It is visible to the west from Route 440 and is used by a contacting firm.
Route 440 is built on the LVRR right of way from E 34th Street to Pulaski Street. There is still trackage on the alignment north of this point and is plainly visible when heading north. Military Ocean Terminal trackage is out of service and there is talk of using some ex Newark City Subway PCC cars for service out there.
The light rail and the single freight track alongside Route 440 occupy what had been the CNJ four track main.
The LVRR main line actually went directly to the waterfront but was served by transfer moves from Oak Island. This alignment had a junction with the National Docks immediately east of the bridge over the CNJ and was on fills and trestle structures all the way to Communipaw Avenue. The fill was from Gates Avenue to Richard Street between the National Docks and the CNJ, trestle and bridge structures crossing over the CNJ, then on fill again west of the CNJ to a bridge over the West Side Branch. One bridge abutment survives and can be seen clearly from a light rail car. The line crossed Communipaw Ave at grade and a telegraph pole survives in a tree just south of the crossing site.
NJTs park and ride lot is the location of the LVRR "coach yard" and later piggyback yard.
The National Docks bridges over both the LVRR and CNJ mains have been removed but were located in the general area of the light rail station.

Thanks to all, especially Rich.

SOunds like the short answer is freight runs on the National Docks
north of about Pulaski St, and the CNJ right of way south of that.

When did they rip up National Docks south of Pulaski
and build 440?

When did they abandon/rip up the LV main north of Greenville Yards?

JS

Here's a map link that shows most of the lines we are discussing here. I think this was dated sometime around 1898.

http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=NJ

That map is one I haven't previously seen. It predates the PRR Greenville Yards and the LVRR main located on the fills and bridges.
Duplicate trackage was eliminated over time with the formation of ConRail in 1976.
In my previous post it is stated Route 440 enters the ex LVRR alignment at E34th, it is actually at E 30th Street.

>>When did they rip up National Docks south of Pulaski
and build 440? <<

Route 169 (now 440) was built about 1959. It was two traffic lanes and the 4 track CNJ main was on the west side of it. The LV single track taht went into Constable Hook was on the east side. About 10 or 12 or so years ago 169 was widened to the present roadway and redesignated as 440, which to that point was Kennedy Boulevard. In doing so the widening occupied the LV track and one of the CNJ tracks.

...a great map put out by the NY-NJ Port Authority that showd all yards, teams, interchanges, docks, stations, etc. I know it was published into the '80s but don't know how much it has been updated if at all.

To add to Rich T's excellent synopsis:

"The LVRR main line actually went directly to the waterfront but was served by transfer moves from Oak Island. This alignment had a junction with the National Docks immediately east of the bridge over the CNJ"

Known as Constable Junction

"and was on fills and trestle structures all the way to Communipaw Avenue. The fill was from Gates Avenue to Richard Street between the National Docks and the CNJ"

Some of that former r.o.w. is now an auto salvage yard, located on what was the former LV r.o.w (after the fill was removed mid 1980s). Incidentally, the LV elevated fill ("Mainline Extension") , was constructed on the former alignment of the Morris Canal (approx 1925). In the early 1940's, an additional LV track was added alongside the CNJ main from Constable Jct to E. Claremont, allowing Constable Jct diamond to be removed. Kind of tough to describe w/out a map. There was some other realignment in that area during that time frame.

"trestle and bridge structures crossing over the CNJ"

Area known as "Point of Rocks"

i was down there a few weeks ago.the shortline that works the tankfarms has a neat 44 tonner,they were friendly.no probs taking pictures,you would think a refinery area would be high security.

Friendly.....Yeah Right!!!

I used to work at Gordon Terminal (at the end of Hook Road) and we were services by Conrail Shared Assets. The short line down there, East Jersey Railroad, primarily serves IMTT. As for friendly, I can tell you that there are a few guys working there who are truly railfans and may even pose the engine for you to shoot it if they're not busy. However, as with anything around here nowadays, a few guys get all uptight when they see a person with a camera and will call security and the Bayonne Police (who are only within 1/4 mile away at an annex).

Also - From working at Gordon Terminal, I rmember we used to get out Conrail drill between 4-5 PM and these would derail at least once every two weeks (turns are too tight and Conrail uses its larger motive power nowadays rather than the switchers)....might make for some decent pics.

Jim F.
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