CNJ Station Freehold

A contractor has removed all the rail and switches at the CNJ (not PRR) station in Freehold, looks like development has gotten the best of it.

Al

Is that the station, that sits off of Co Route 537 and where the NJT Busses' has a stop.

If so, if your writing; in regards to the new, MOM line; it wouldn't have been an effective stop for Freehold, no or little long term parking.

hajelliott wrote:A contractor has removed all the rail and switches at the CNJ (not PRR) station in Freehold, looks like development has gotten the best of it.

Al

The CNJ station was a few blocks away from Downtown, off of Mechanic st maybe, and there were still many many rails and tracks buried in the dirt around the station area.

I would think (I hope actually) that it is actually Monmouth County finishing the rail removal on the Freehold Branch for the continuation of the Henry Hudson Trail. I can't imagine that the station would be torn down or anything to make way for devleopment, it has to be on a historic structure list or something somewhere, as its a really beautiful building

"Trap Rock" owns the property, right up to the cement station platform.
They have cleared the whole area of ties, rail etc.
There is no more rail.
This was one of the MOM routes, but based on this, and the fact that they are paving the line in sections from Freehold to Mattwan, it is highly unlikely any MOM traffic will come this way.
The PRR tracks are within view though, and that is part of the MOM.

I have old 19xx picture of a train at this station, Mother Hubard.
Sadly, they keep tearing up our heritage.
Al

NJ Transit still owns the Freehold Branch, from Matawan Jct to Freehold, along with the Henry Hudson Trail, from Matawan to at least Atlantic Highlands, and maybe further. They are leasing the lines to the Monmouth county park system for like a dollar a year, to allow the construction and operation of the Henry Hudson trail (both sections, Leonardo to Matawan, and Matawan to freehold - currently being built). However, as I understand it, NJT reserves the right, to take the lines back at any time for the reinstitution of rail service, and the Monmouth County park system knows that.

What's the status of the line near Vandenburg (sp) Rd in Marlboro? There is a business that claims the line is its property, IIRC.

If MOM happens and it serves Freehold, which I am confident it will, Freehold will be a good station to serve. In fact, since the current station is a bus terminal, they could have an intermodel transit center just like Asbury Pk with a high level platform. The only thing is where to build the new facility. The old station, is very small to handle both bus and rail.

There are two stations in Freehold, one PRR, the more visable one, and the CNJ station next to the "Rug" factory.
Trap Rock loaded half the rail on a flat bed, destined for the scrapper in Camden.
They are suppose to load the remaining stuff, tuesday.
the rail is 112 Lbs, dated 1902 (most anyway).
Most in rough shape.
When they are done, you will never know a thriving RR terminal even exhisted there.
(The station is stil there, privately owned)
To think, the trails people wrangle millions of our dollars via grants every year, to take away our heritage. (No I do not believe this section will become a trail)
Al