Bloomfield Station - Montclair Branch

The rehab effort at Bloomfield has yielded some points of interest for rail fans and Lackawanna historians.

As part of the rehab and eventual re-use of the concrete eastbound waiting room, crews have completely cleared the heavy brush and large trees that had previously obscured and made this structure inaccessible at ground level down behind the eastbound platform for over 25-30 years !

Explored this on Saturday ( recommend using the far end of the CVS parking lot off Glenwood Ave. ) and was pleasantly surprised to find a ground floor doorway entrance, window openings and a large indentation with door/passageway ( west end of the building ) that appears to have once lead to a tunnel under the elevated ROW over to the larger westbound ground level station area !

Of equal interest is that this clearing effort has uncovered - INTACT - the rail siding that once served the industrial building behind and below the eastbound platform as well as a switch - ALSO INTACT AND NEATLY IN PLACE - to a 2nd short siding that I never knew existed ! The siding rail is in place for about 40 yards from adjacent to the shelter building up-grade east to just over this siding's separate concrete bridge above Wasington Street. Beyond that point is where NJT, some 15-16 years ago, severed and removed the reverse switch off the eastbound main as well as the long stub-ended lead that once existed here ( note the width of the catenary poles ) further west.

Lackawanna fans will want to check this out before Spring/Summer ground growth begins to fill in this area once again.

Re: the tunnel under the ROW at the west end of the station. Prior to the 1930's the Bloomfield post office was located directly across the street from the station, on Lackawanna Plaza between Washington & Glenwood. My dad started working there in 1920's and I remember him telling me that they sent and received most of the mail via the DL&W, hence the location as close to the station as possible. I believe this tunnel was used to move the outbound mail to the eastbound track. Incoming mail arrived via the westbound track. Keep in mind this was set up long before trucks were commonplace and they mostly just wheeled it back and forth across the street on carts. By the 30's the town had outgrown the post office building and trucks were used a lot more so the current facility was built on the corner of Bloomfield Ave. and Municipal Plaza.

snave -

Interesting info....

AIR, and am not sure about this, Bloomfield's main PO is just about a quarter mile away out on Bloomfield Ave.. It's a typical looking ornate building....was it perhaps built after 1930 ?

That tunnel/passageway -

The main waiting room is/was at street level on the westbound side. Never was in there even during the time it was occupied by a retail establishment. It's been boarded-up now for maybe 7-10 years.

Presumedly there were stairwells within leading up to the track level westbound shelter. I wonder if there were also stairwells to the eastbound shelter - would logically think so. With what's recently been uncovered at ground level on the eastbound side ( freight siding plus another siding, an office/store or freight room and now 'mail handling' ) I'm guessing the mail may have been processed/loaded back down there and retrieved during the day/night by an eastbound train.

Lastly, I suspect that tunnel may have been shut at some point when the waiting room ceased operation ( year unknown ) and the respective shelters were boarded-up ( maybe in the mid-1970's ).

At any rate, those construction crews presently on site are certainly uncovering some dandy Lackawanna history !

Tom, the current post office was built as a WPA project during the late 1930's. And, yes there was a passageway from the waiting room under the ROW to the stairs up to the EB track. As a kid in the late 50's I remember frequently taking the train from this station to Hoboken and then the ferry to NYC with my dad to explore the city. I recall the waiting room/ticket office was typical DL&W classy style, wooden benches, grillwork, lots of varnish and brass. You entered from Lackawanna Plaza and walked straight through the tunnel to get to the eastbound track. The waiting room was off to one side of the tunnel and could be locked up when the station was closed but still allow passenger access through the tunnel. It was a toss up for us to either use the DL&W station or the Erie Rowe St. station, but I think the Montclair Branch had better weekend service so we usually wound up using it. I preferred the Erie because there was more interesting stuff to see during the ride, but the DL&W was ok too.

snave -

Sounds like we're of the same generation....

I grew up in Montclair and my Dad commuted to NYC from the early 1950's through the early 1970's. Based on his schedule, he often took the DL&W in the a.m. from the old and beautiful Lackawanna Plaza terminal in Montclair and returned in the p.m. via the Erie Greenwood Lake to Walnut Street. He preferred the MU's over the Stillwells for a cleaner ride and better comfort of the wicker seats versus the vinal particularly in the Summer. As a kid I loved to accompany Mom driving Dad to/from these stations and also loved the variety of Lackawanna MU's to Erie RS3's and GP7's hauling the Stillwells. To this day I still visit these areas and recall the good old days.

Like you and your Dad, I also traveled with mine a couple times a year for a day at his office. Boarding and riding across the Hudson out of Hoboken Terminal on one of those big old ferrys was always a bonus treat with the train rides each way. I loved to watch the trucks and cars drive on/off on each side of the river.

" I recall the waiting room/ticket office was typical DL&W classy style, wooden benches, grillwork, lots of varnish and brass. You entered from Lackawanna Plaza and walked straight through the tunnel to get to the eastbound track. The waiting room was off to one side of the tunnel and could be locked up when the station was closed but still allow passenger access through the tunnel. "

I really regret not ever going in this station. Your description of the interior and layout make it most enjoyable to envision. As mentioned previously, I'd be curious to know what the on-going current restoration/refurbishment project has yielded regards 'what has survived' from what you have described from the 1950's....the brass ticket window grills, brass rails in the stairwells, maybe even a varnished bench or two ? Another poster on the NJTransit board stated that initial work on the track-level eastbound shelter ( removing the plywood and locks on the windows/doors that had been in place since the mid/late 1970's ) indicated a fire had occured some time ago ( damage to the roof - since repaired ). I've taken some quick trips there to check progress over the past few months but work equipment/scalfolding prevented a peek inside that shelter for investigation.

Anyway, I'll try and get down there for an update in the next week or so.

Another interesting thing about the station was that every year a Christmas tree vendor would set up shop in the curved driveway in front of the building. He'd string those outside lightbulbs that they all use and fill the drieway and lawn area with Christmas trees. I guess he rented the space from the railroad. Anyway, we always bought our tree there and he did a terrific business. I haven't been around Bloomfield in over 25 years now, but I don't suppose they still sell Christmas trees at the station anymore.

snave -

I presume by your comment that you are now and have been out of state for awhile now, yes ?

Aside from the things we've discussed, Bloomfield station is basically unchanged from what you recall pre-25 years or so ago. In addition to the combination of the Montclair Branch with the Boonton Line with the MidTown Direct service option, this refurbishing project by NJT is also tied into the town embarking on a substantial commercial renewal plan in the immediate area. Better days are hopefully ahead for Bloomfield....they need it since the biz district has gone downhill badly over the past 20 years.

Tri-State Tom wrote:snave -

I presume by your comment that you are now and have been out of state for awhile now, yes ?

Aside from the things we've discussed, Bloomfield station is basically unchanged from what you recall pre-25 years or so ago. In addition to the combination of the Montclair Branch with the Boonton Line with the MidTown Direct service option, this refurbishing project by NJT is also tied into the town embarking on a substantial commercial renewal plan in the immediate area. Better days are hopefully ahead for Bloomfield....they need it since the biz district has gone downhill badly over the past 20 years.

Yes I can vouch firsthand that the biz district drastically changed between 1987-1994 and 1994-present. HOPEFULLY NJT can inject some fresh new life into this locale. Let's hope so.

I'm still in NJ but have been out of Bloomfield area for 30 years now. Live in Ocean County and rarely if ever get back up north. I passed thru the Center a few months back late on a Saturday night and it sure didn't look like the place I knew as a kid and teenager. Hope it gets better.

snavely wrote:I'm still in NJ but have been out of Bloomfield area for 30 years now. Live in Ocean County and rarely if ever get back up north. I passed thru the Center a few months back late on a Saturday night and it sure didn't look like the place I knew as a kid and teenager. Hope it gets better.

Don't count on it. I was born and raised in Bloomfiled and leafet in 1990. It has gotten worse and unfortunately, it won't get better.

Do you remember when the EL crossed Bloomfiled avenue?

Ken

Sure, the E-L Orange Branch crossed Bloomfield Ave. between Berkeley Place and Grove St. In fact, it still does, doesn't it? I think Hartz gets one or two moves a week from what I hear. The crossing gates at Bloomfield Ave. were about the last to be automated. They were manually operated from a small tower which was still there in the 70's, maybe later.

snavely wrote:Sure, the E-L Orange Branch crossed Bloomfield Ave. between Berkeley Place and Grove St. In fact, it still does, doesn't it? I think Hartz gets one or two moves a week from what I hear. The crossing gates at Bloomfield Ave. were about the last to be automated. They were manually operated from a small tower which was still there in the 70's, maybe later.

Yes, that's the one and that's what I heard. Two deliveries per week and I believe NS handles it and I believe they can only get deliveries after 12:00 am since they come across the City Subway tracks; something to do with class I using these tracks.

One of the crossing gate (small one) was split as some driver ran into it.


I intend on hiking the Orange Branch up to where the Montclair branch meets. I believe prior to NJT that the Erie Lackawanna had passenger service but I'm not sure if freight service ran on this line.

The Ampere station has been removed. I can remember going to the platform as a kid and could see the signs for Worthington Pump and Tastycake.

Did these two trains run at the same time? If so, I presume there must have been some signal there, correct?

I can see the tracks were removed after Hartz Mountain up to the bridge on Arlington avenue.

Vike -

" I intend on hiking the Orange Branch up to where the Montclair branch meets. "

Two comments -

Best to attempt a walking tour in the late Fall or on one of those fairly mild Winter days. The brush/trees/poison oak has gotten very thick from Hartz over ( and under the Arlington Ave. bridge ) to what's left of the ROW toward the ex-DL&W Montclair Branch.

Also, bring 4-5 companions. The area from the Orange/Silver Lake Branch's connection with the ex-Erie Greenwood Lake Branch thru to Hartz has gone waaaaay down hill resident wise over the past 20 years. Frankly don't know of a good place to park your car while on tour.

" The Ampere station has been removed. I can remember going to the platform as a kid and could see the signs for Worthington Pump and Tastycake. "

Me as well....always wondered why the catenary structures were constructed with wire over the freight lead thru the station in mind. The island platform and 3 tracks gave Ampere a 'main line' look.

" Did these two trains run at the same time? If so, I presume there must have been some signal there, correct? "

Presume you mean those on Erie and DL&W, yes ?

They did indeed....but no signal was needed as the single-track Erie passed over the depressed two-track Lackawanna ROW. The bridge for this is long gone....at least 20 years ago or more.

Vike, yes there was passenger service on the Orange Branch up until the mid 1950's or so, then it was replaced by an Erie sponsored bus. Picked up passengers by the Bloomfield Ave. crossing. The original station was between Bloomfield and Grove. On the Erie forum there is a link to an article from the old Newark Evening News about the last passenger run on the line, complete with photos. Dig around, you'll find it. Also I have seen maps and timetables for the Orange Branch on the web too.

Tri-State Tom wrote:Vike -

" I intend on hiking the Orange Branch up to where the Montclair branch meets. "

Two comments -

Best to attempt a walking tour in the late Fall or on one of those fairly mild Winter days. The brush/trees/poison oak has gotten very thick from Hartz over ( and under the Arlington Ave. bridge ) to what's left of the ROW toward the ex-DL&W Montclair Branch.

Also, bring 4-5 companions. The area from the Orange/Silver Lake Branch's connection with the ex-Erie Greenwood Lake Branch thru to Hartz has gone waaaaay down hill resident wise over the past 20 years. Frankly don't know of a good place to park your car while on tour.

" The Ampere station has been removed. I can remember going to the platform as a kid and could see the signs for Worthington Pump and Tastycake. "

Me as well....always wondered why the catenary structures were constructed with wire over the freight lead thru the station in mind. The island platform and 3 tracks gave Ampere a 'main line' look.

" Did these two trains run at the same time? If so, I presume there must have been some signal there, correct? "

Presume you mean those on Erie and DL&W, yes ?

They did indeed....but no signal was needed as the single-track Erie passed over the depressed two-track Lackawanna ROW. The bridge for this is long gone....at least 20 years ago or more.

Thank you for the reply and suggestions. Yes, that area has been gong downhill since the late 80s.

Over the winter, I temporarily parked where the Post Office building is and walked down and all I could see were broken bottles.

I will have someone drop me off and take the tour, hopefully with others, to explore here.

Ken