CNJ Southern Division Exploration Trip - Saturday, June 19th

Hey everyone,
This is installation #5 of 6 total trips by myself and Florida "King of South Jersey History" David (with guest "Waterford" Jay coming along on two of them so far). This trip took place today, and covered the ex-CNJ Southern Division mainline between Lakehurst and Winslow Junction, with a small side trip over to Toms River as well as a stop down at Pemberton right in the middle of the trip. Details can be found below.

The day started out at 9AM today, as we left the campground down at Atco to head north to Lakehurst. We actually didn't go straight there, but made a few stops along the way as we headed north. As we headed north, we first made a stop off at Chatsworth, where the last station building on the line remains:

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/C ... tation.jpg

Moving to a location just north of there, we stopped by the sand plant at Woodmansie, which we actually found in use (I have no idea about this, but David claims it wasn't in use last time he went by there). This was the company that purchased the Southern Division between Lakehurst and WOodmansie back in the 80's to move sand trains. Due to the large "no tresspassing" signs and presence of many workers and trucks and such, I didn't shoot any photos here. But what we did do, was stop at another small location just north of there called "Pasadena", where I shot the following photograph of the amazingly clear rails there:

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/P ... _Track.jpg

Now, compare with this photograph from the great site http://www.thebluecomet.com , from pretty much the same location in 1975, one year before Conrail took over operation of this line and knocked service down to one local each day:

http://www.thebluecomet.com/cnj2506pasedena.jpg

Our next stop was Whiting, the location where the CNJ Southern Main, the PRR line to Toms River, and the Tuckerton Railroad all met. There was a station building here, and at one time, a turntable for the Tuckerton RR. The foundation for the station building can be seen in this view:

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/Whitings.jpg

After that, we shot north in a pretty much straight line to Lakehurst (no stops in between), where we caught the SA-31 laying over there just north of the old junction between the Southern Division main and the Barnegat Branch. Power was NS 3055 and CSX 1537 (that 3055 sure is freshly painted)...about 20 cars behind the power. Two seperate views can be seen below:

View facing north of the southbound facing train, showing the main and the location of the old passing siding:
http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/S ... ehurst.jpg

The SA-31 sits just north of the old signal bridge at Lakehurst, as if waiting for a signal indication to head south to Winslow Junction, or over to Toms River or Barnegat:
http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/S ... Bridge.jpg

Now, check out this photo from http://www.thebluecomet.com , of CNJ 3068 there at Lakehurst, in almost the same spot as the train above:

http://www.thebluecomet.com/cnj3068lakhrst76.jpg

After we were finished here, we followed the Barnegat Branch over to Toms River, where the current end of track exists. There, we found the junction of the old Toms River industrial spur with the Barnegat Branch (now just the Toms River IT all the way to Lakehurst), which is seen here (the Barnegat Branch continued straight):

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/T ... nction.jpg

Also in town there is the most increadible crossing protection I've ever seen...that's one heck of a set of signals (over I believe route 37):

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/R ... ossing.jpg

Right by this crossing, there is a lumberyard. Does anyone know when they last got cars in there? The rail looks as if it was used in the not too distant past...within the past 1/2 year maybe? Anyone know?

As you go down further past that crossing, you come up to the gate to the old Giba-Geigy Corp (now abandoned). The industrial is completely overgrown here, but the gate itself is in decent shape:

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/Giba_Gate.jpg

This finished up our trip to the northern part of the CNJ Southern Division. With that, we headed back south. Along the way, we ran into Pemberton, where we stopped off at the old PRR station there. The following two scenes are from that location:

The station at Pemberton, now restored to beautiful condition and housing one heck of a railroad antiques and historical artifacts museum:
http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/P ... tation.jpg

Equipment stored on-site at the Pemberton station, the beginnings of what is hoped to one day be a complete complex there, replicating the compound that could be found there years ago:
http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/E ... berton.jpg

After that stop, we proceeded to finish up with the CNJ Southern Division business. Our second to last stop along the line was at Atsion, the former junction between the Southern Main and the line running to Atco (I can't remember the name of this railroad when it was constructed, David would know). This was the location of the station, as well as a passing siding by the building and that track off to Atco. See the image below, facing north from that location:

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/Atsion.jpg

And, the last stop for the day along the CNJ was Winslow Junction, SRNJ's base for operations out in Pleasantville and down on the rest of the CNJ. They had 3579 attached to 414, and 102 was attached to 3578 on the old Southern main. 3519 was sitting alone on the engine ready track by the office. That locomotive can be seen in the following view:

http://members.aol.com/jjmdimunno/CNJ/S ... inslow.jpg

And that about sums up our trip for today. We'll be taking trip number 6 (it's your last chance to come along, everyone) to Cape May (and the rest of the Cape May branch) on Tuesday. Details will be posted as that time comes a little closer (tomorrow I'll post details actually).

Take care everyone.

Mike DiMunno
www.SJRail.com: All about South Jersey Railroads!

OCtrainguy wrote:Builders General Supply in Toms River has not received any rail shipments in about a year and a half. All of their shipments are sent to their Freehold location, also served by the SA31, and trucked down to Toms River. Conrail felt it best to consolidate deliveries for Builders General Suplly locations in Little Silver and Toms River to Freehold, then have the loads trucked to each Location.

Ah, it's a shame too...that track looked pretty nice down there (until you get to route 37). Looked better than most of our industrial tracks down here further south by Camden...

I take it that track isn't formally abandoned though? Seems like some upgrade work was done on that maybe just before they stopped receiving shipments there...

Mike DiMunno

The station, now used as a home, is located at the center of town in Chatsworth. You can find it by looking for the old Buzby's General Store, now the Cheshire Cat.

This is between RT 563 and RT 532. While you there, go inside the store. The owner, Marilyn Schmidt, has some very nice RR books from the West Jersey Chapter.

Be very careful is traveling down Savoy Blvd. as that sand company has trucks that speed up and down and I would caution youto know where you are going and not stop looking at your maps.

If you go back to Pasadena, there's an area where you can pull off to the side and see the remains of what used to be either a Terra Cotta Factory or the Briksbrae cement company

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/forums/mod ... _album.php

Thanks for sharing. Looks like you guys had a great time. Wish I could have gone but....

Please let me know if you ever go again.

Also, did any of you travel up Savoy Rd and notice the CNJ tracks lead to some abandoned factory in Chatsworth? I have been driving this road for quite sometime now but recently, I decided to look at some of these old buildings. I wonder what this place used service for?

Ken