New Rail Trail proposal for Hudson Couny

I think I know what they are talking about, but let me snip the key bits from the Jersey Journal Article (which will eventually be archived and no longer viewable by link)

Fun new use for old railway bed?
BMUA wants to build 2-mile bike trail
Monday, June 28, 2004
By Ben Reed
Journal staff writer
Talks are underway to develop a bike and jogging trail through Bayonne and Jersey City that could become a reality by as soon as next summer.
...
The strip of land runs from behind the shopping plaza at West 63rd Street in Bayonne to Route 440 in Jersey City. Long and level, with widths ranging from 20 to 130 feet, the property probably couldn't be used for other types of development but would be a natural fit for an asphalt rubberized track with benches, lights and landscaping, Gallo said.
The land was used as a railway in the past, but has fallen into disuse in recent years. The rail bed has since been removed, leaving what has essentially been a useless strip of land overrun with weeds.
The project would connect recreational facilities on Bayonne's West Side with proposed educational facilities at New Jersey City University, ending on the new campus the university is planning.
... And because the trail would be close to the West Side Avenue light rail station, the trail could be accessed by joggers and bikers from throughout Hudson County, he said.

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.s ... 614140.xml

The only ROW I could think of was the Lehigh Vally branch from the Greenville line north to, well, the CNJ NY & Newark branch (now partly HBLRT West Side branch). I had thought this ROW was covered by 440, but looking at my Hudson/Essex atlas I see a potential ROW between 440 and JFK Blvd (right to the east of Sycamore Rd). This would have went behind the myriad of Steel Company warehouses (3? 4?) that were located on 440 in Jersey City (but which now seem to be Furniture stores or big box retailers (e.g. Home Depot).
BTW, those companies (plus other factories in the area) seemed operational well into the '90s - was this LV branch still operational into the '90s also?

It was no longer used by 1990. It did not go behind the warehouses. It went from the LV between the stripmall and the PSE&G Bayonne Switching Station, crossed 440 and went north behind the housing development there (built on a filled-in swamp including the Morris Canal bed) and came back to 440 at the intersection of Danforth and 440. A branch from the branch crossed 440 therer to the industry that used to be located on the west side of 440, and the main branch continued north parallel to and immediately east of 440. It ended one block before Communipaw Avenue. I recall, vaguely, that the last customers closed somewhere around 1980 to 1985. The track the map may show behind the warehouses was a branch of the CNJ that came off the Newark and NY branch a bit west of West Side Avenue curved south and served into and the back of the warehouses. I don't think that there was a connection with the LV branch, if there was, it would have been a non-interchange connection on industrial-owned tracks inside a warehouse or factory complex there that could use either the CNJ or LV as its shipper.

OK, so the LV ROW did more or less parallel 440 north of Danforth. Nowadays, if I recall correctly, most businesses have extended their properties fixtures (such as driveways, fences, signs, etc.) right down to 440, which originally led me to believe the road was built over the LV ROW (which is labeled "Branch #1" on a interesting track map someone posted on this board a while back) Come to think of it, there seems to be very little of this ROW left clear, unlike what is described in the article ("leaving what has essentially been a useless strip of land overrun with weeds"), so maybe they plan to also use part of the ROW of the West Side Connecting RR (which I had asked about years ago on the predecessor to this board, when I had found some elevated ROW remenants off the HBLRT West Side line).

It was immediately next to 440, just the other side of the utility poles. A large pipeline was put in the ROW some years ago, including paving it. I don't remember any part fenced off except for the chemical co. customer near the north end that did so to protect tank cars spotted there. The right of way is 100% intact, and owned by the pipeline.

This branch was the Lehigh Valley's Jersey City Branch #4, also known as the Greenville Branch. It was built along side the Morris Canal ROW after the canal was abandonned.

Until development in the 1990's, companies like Inland Steel Container, Republic Container Corp, Joseph T. Ryerson Steel, Mueller foods, and Mallinkrodt Chemical were major LV shippers. I believe the Ryerson Steel building is still there, and where the Home Depot is is where Malinkrodt was.

There also was connection with the CNJ here, but I do not think it was an interchange persay, but rather to open Malinkrodt Chemical to reciprocal shipping off the CNJ near West Side Ave. - There even was diamond crossing involved.

Hope this helps,

Car Floater
MP 28 on the LV New York Division

According to the Kearny Observer another piece of the "Rail Trail" in Hudson County would utilize the ROW of the Newark Branch East, the fact that this ROW runs right along West Hudson Park would make it a natural for bike riders, hikers and the like.

I wonder if that plan would utilize the lower Boonton Line swing bridge over the Hackensack River??

Ken

PS While on the subject of Western Hudson County, the lower Boonton Line continues to morph into a weed infested trask lot as every week goes by, and the "Tracks OOS" sings are posted at all grade crossings in Kearny. The weird thing is that the grade crossings along the Newark Branch East still have their simple unlit Rail Road Crossing signs with no mention that the tracks are OOS or that the crossings are "Exempt", so in turn Busses and Haz Mat Trucks still have to stop at these crossings.

Just a bump, as I passed by this area today, and saw no work being done on the trail (well, in reality south of Danforth all they need to do is hack down some brush and add trail markings/signs - the ROW is fairly clear, easy to follow, and seemed to have no big trees or anything growing in the way.

Now, Ken W2KB, you are correct as to the ROW North of Danforth, it is a fairly obvious (once you know what you are looking for) strip anywhere from 10-15ft across adjacent to the East side of 440 (it usually looks like either a shoulder, or part of the adjacent properties). It is not emcumbered by anything major, although a few signs have crept onto it, until north of Culver or something - I think there is a gas station or repair place on it. What did cinch it for me is that you can still see the rail in the pavement at the intersection of Carbon Place and 440. There is also a round cement casing by Danforth - possibly an access point to the Pipeline. (BTW, the CNJ branch off the West Side Branch, which I forget the name of (I have it somewhere), but which ran elevated parallel and to the West of West Side Ave., is still mostly intact, ending at what I think is either part of JC University, or a charter high school - the bridges are long gone, but the elevated row fill and abutments remain.)

Still, one thing irks me - those industries (chemical, plastic, and steel) were still operating into the mid-90s (now many have been replaced by furniture stores, discounters, and Home Depot, but still others remain). Looked like there was still quite a bit of potential freight at that time, yet I do not remember any rail freight (or even tracks) along that route since I first past by in 1990 or 1991. Why did ConRail just give up on this business before it's time?

Why did ConRail just give up on this business before it's time?

To understand that would also mean to understand Conrail's other cuts, some rather devastating.

Sir Ray wrote: Still, one thing irks me - those industries (chemical, plastic, and steel) were still operating into the mid-90s (now many have been replaced by furniture stores, discounters, and Home Depot, but still others remain). Looked like there was still quite a bit of potential freight at that time, yet I do not remember any rail freight (or even tracks) along that route since I first past by in 1990 or 1991. Why did ConRail just give up on this business before it's time?

---------

My understanding was Conrail placed a surcharge on products moving to many little-used branches, which drove up the cost of shipping. That, in turn, led to the use of bulk-load transfers like NYSW's which make the last five mile delivery by truck. The horrors of the early 1990s, competition from Nucor, and foreign steel dumping drove many smaller steel companies out of business.

Ah…..memories…..

I grew up in Jersey City, right where you all are talking about.

My very first memories of trains were seeing the train crossing at the intersection of RT 440 and Danforth Ave in 1975-77? I thought that it was crazy how the tracks crossed the intersection of RT 440/Danforth Ave/Roosevelt Stadium entrance at almost a 45 degree angle. All traffic had to stop, and the flag man got off the train and had to stop all traffic from Roosevelt stadium too. (Today the stadium is all condos, I think). The train crossed in front of the gas station, and all the people in their cars looked panicked, and then in front of the Path Mark, (maybe Rickles too) on its way to Kellogg St.

I remember seeing the branch that crossed Danforth, and continued north on the right side of RT 440, and vaguely remember seeing cars there. Hopper cars maybe, but it’s been along time, so I can’t say for sure.

I went to school at Our Lady of Mercy, which was on Sullivan Drive, right along the same branch. I got my first “note” sent home to my parents when I wouldn’t stop looking out the window everyday the train went by the school. (2nd Grade)

I remember the train switching the steel plant that used to be next to the school, again, today its condos. Since I had to cross the tracks to get home from school, I used to put my pencils and pens on the track, and watch the train wheels crush them.

Back in 1995 or so I went back and too found the tracks still in Carbon Place/Rt 440; I am amazed that they are still there in 2004! I also found a few near Kellogg St.

Well, thanks for hearing my story. It would be nice to have a trail near that area, better than just letting it all go to waste.

Irish Chieftain wrote:

Why did ConRail just give up on this business before it's time?

To understand that would also mean to understand Conrail's other cuts, some rather devastating.

Ah yes, with 20/20 hindsight, I would say that Stanley Crane's (and his successors) policies didn't help ConRail that much in the short term, and really screwed up for the long term North Eastern railroading...
Anyway, perhaps those rails crossing Carbon Pl won't be there that much longer, as Jersey City is really reconfiguring the area around West Side Ave as part of the aforementioned Jersey City University and (I guess charter) Schools, while discount showrooms seem to be creeping up 440. As an example, about 6 or so years ago there was a pretty intricate diamond crossing (I think it was a diamond crossing) of spur tracks in the middle of an road in that area, between 2 (former) industrial sites. Since then several roads in the area have been repaved and rebuilt, and I'm pretty sure that crossing is gone (it was causing a hump in the road, IIRC). Well, I guess if you must have rail trails, this is at least a pretty good location, and will probably be well used.