Cliffwood - Keyport

I noticed on one of my SPV maps that there was a line between Clifwood and Keyport, NJ. Was this for frieght, passenger or both? When was it taken out of service and who were customers here?

Thanks

Do you mean direct, and not via Mattawan?
The 1901 government map at this link doesn't show a direct line, just the New York & Long Branch RR Cliffwood-Mattawan and the Jersey Central RR Highlands Branch Mattawan-Keyport.
http://historical.maptech.com/getImage. ... g&state=NJ

I looked over "Trail of the Blue Comet": that line isn't in there, probably an error in the atlas.

A direct line, while shorter, would involve a crossing of Matawan Creek and its swamps, now called wetlands. There could be traces of the embankment, if it was ever constructed.

Could it be the trolley line?

There was a line that went to a pier in Keyport, i think it was abandoned in the late 1890s. I THINK it followed the Clark St (how to get to GSP south from Rt 35/36) and Florence Ave, then turned northward. It was the original line from the Freehold and NY RR (the Freehold Branch)

Could this be what you are seeing? It would be south of Cliffwood though..........maybe it is a trolley line?

The 1901 map linked in my earlier post shows a branch North onto a pier in Lockport, NorthEast of Keyport, but it heads out into the ocean. It would make sense that it was the original terminal of the line from Freehold.
Now, was the line from Lockport to the East a branch of the railroad from Freehold to the Lockport pier, or a late 1800s branch of the New York & Long Branch RR from Cliffwood that crossed the Freehold line to reach points East? The hypothetical damp portion in the swamp between Cliffwood and Keyport could have been quickly abandoned after consolidation and before 1901.

JimBoylan wrote:The 1901 map linked in my earlier post shows a branch North onto a pier in Lockport, NorthEast of Keyport, but it heads out into the ocean. It would make sense that it was the original terminal of the line from Freehold.
Now, was the line from Lockport to the East a branch of the railroad from Freehold to the Lockport pier, or a late 1800s branch of the New York & Long Branch RR from Cliffwood that crossed the Freehold line to reach points East? The hypothetical damp portion in the swamp between Cliffwood and Keyport could have been quickly abandoned after consolidation and before 1901.

Jim,

This is what I believe I'm seeing. It runs through somewhere in Cliffwood Beach and makes a run to Keyport. I don't know much more than that at this time.

Does anyone have an actual *contemporary map* of this, or a trace on a topo? It appears to me that we are gassing about a line that never was and never will be.

choess wrote:Does anyone have an actual *contemporary map* of this, or a trace on a topo? It appears to me that we are gassing about a line that never was and never will be.

I'll see if I can scan it sometime tomorrow. If oyu hae a SPV map, it's in there. I believe I also looked for additional information in the
"Trail of the Blue Comet"

More to follow....

I'm pretty certain that this line as shown in SPV's atlas is a mistake for the trolley line. Since I'm involved in the historical side of revising for the new edition, I've listed as "delete", or perhaps to be shown as an electric railway.
The latest editions of SPV have shown all the interurbans featuring in "Hilton & Due", and since the Perth Amboy to Long Beach system is mentioned it will probably be drawn in.

SPV's "Northeast" is likely to be out of print soon, and the new edition out sometime next year. There's a LOT of historical stuff to be added.

salminkarkku wrote:I'm pretty certain that this line as shown in SPV's atlas is a mistake for the trolley line. Since I'm involved in the historical side of revising for the new edition, I've listed as "delete", or perhaps to be shown as an electric railway.
The latest editions of SPV have shown all the interurbans featuring in "Hilton & Due", and since the Perth Amboy to Long Beach system is mentioned it will probably be drawn in.

SPV's "Northeast" is likely to be out of print soon, and the new edition out sometime next year. There's a LOT of historical stuff to be added.

Did they ever consider adding roads to it to make it a little easier to find these ROWs?

I also don't believe there's an error. I believe I've seen something in the "Trail of the Blue Comet" like a map. More to follow....

The author's been asked several times if putting in some roads would help people orient themselves. The answer has always been "no", because they would be confusing in b/w. If the atlas were in color, perhaps -but the publishers say that would be too expensive.

salminkarkku wrote:The author's been asked several times if putting in some roads would help people orient themselves. The answer has always been "no", because they would be confusing in b/w. If the atlas were in color, perhaps -but the publishers say that would be too expensive.

Hmm, that's unfortunate.

How about making something available for a NAV system?

NJ Vike, you'll be wanting to look at Chapter 9: a map of the relevant area is on page 165. No Cliffwood-Keyport line...