Northern Branch customers through the years

Yes, Wilds is where Balthazar is now. They had 2 spots for the airslides...pneumatic unloading tubes at the track outside. That short paved looking area just behind the Balthazar building is where the track was, outside. Dont know anything about magic mix. They may have had another corporate name. Never saw a car consigned to Magic Mix. Were they next to Wilds, or what?

On the 4 page map I posted earlier Magic Mix used the spur that Supreme Oil uses for their plastic pellet unloading. I was also told that after Magic Mix and before Supreme it was used by Celloplast Plastics.

Again thank you to everyone for this interesting discussion! The Northern Branch had an eclectic mix of industries and shippers. Many of these industries so far as I can determine developed either before WW2 or shortly thereafter in the post-war era (1945-1960). Today though this is all just about gone. I previously pointed out that ridership on the 3 commuter trains was stable through the 1950s but dwindled substantially with the switch to Hoboken Terminal. Here is a tidbit that has not been discussed yet: the Saturday freight train came north through Englewood in mid to late morning and typically had an SW type locomotive in contrast to the weekday freight train which typically had a GP type locomotive (in the 1950s-60s).

I might be misremembering things, but wasn't there some sort of issue that complicated the routing of the Erie Northern Branch trains to Hoboken terminal? Somewhere on one of our older threads I recall reading something about that.

Can anyone enlighten us all on that?

Something about a really long switch back into Hoboken I think.

OK. passenger trains....

Direct connecting tracks were built for trains to get to hoboken from the old erie main (HX to Bergen Jct connecting tracks), and from the Greenwood lake br trains. (DB to West End) . There just was no easy way to build a connector from the northern. So after pavonia (the erie) terminal closed, NYSW passenger trains terminated at Susquehanna Transfer, where passengers cud transfer to a Bus to Port Authority Bus terminal, or get on a Northern Br train to HOB. The Northern Passenger trains would pull down on to the lead to the bergen tunnel just past KW, then back up on the connecting track from KW to Bergen Jct, then fwd to HOB. It was less than a mile back up. I never thought it was that big a deal. It took about 10 minutes. The switches and signals at KW were controlled by Erie Grove St tower. Bergen Jct was controlled by the HOB dispatchers office.

There was a plan for the Northern trains to get to Hoboken by going south thru Bergen tunnel to the NY connecting RR tracks, then north to Hoboken Yard, and on to the tracks to HOB terminal. I was told it was tried ...but didnt ride it...so dont know if it actually happened, If it did, it was only a test, never implemented.. Freight transfer runs from Croxton to Hoboken yard used this routing. There was a pretty steep grade from the NYCRR tracks at ground level to the Hoboken yard throat, which was elevated at the height of the passenger tracks to the terminal.

After Northern Passenger trains ceased, Erie Grove st tower was decommissioned, and all the switches changed to hand throws at KW. In either 1967 or 68, all the signals on the northern were decommissioned, and all the spring switches changed to had throws, and all double track become single track and runarounds.

How did Northern branch trains leave Hoboken? It seems like trains headed to Hoboken had the engine at the front of the train would back down this lead track then head forward. Does this mean when the train headed to sparkil or nyack the engine would push the coaches to this lead track then proceed forward up the NB?

Also I don't know why I didn't ask this earlier but does anyone have information on Bauer & Black in Englewood, car types and commodities? They occupied the inside spur that Supreme uses for their tank cars. Any luck with Magic Mix as well?

rscott417 wrote:How did Northern branch trains leave Hoboken? It seems like trains headed to Hoboken had the engine at the front of the train would back down this lead track then head forward. Does this mean when the train headed to sparkil or nyack the engine would push the coaches to this lead track then proceed forward up the NB?

Also I don't know why I didn't ask this earlier but does anyone have information on Bauer & Black in Englewood, car types and commodities? They occupied the inside spur that Supreme uses for their tank cars. Any luck with Magic Mix as well?

The reverse move was a switch back. EBound...fwd down the NRR to KW, back up to bergen jct (mile or less), then fwd to HOB. WBnd...Fwd to Bergen Jct, back down to KW, then fed up the northern.

I remember Bauer and Black, Id have to dig thru old paperwork to see what cars they got and contents..

pdtrains wrote: The reverse move was a switch back.

That makes sense..brain fart.
What ever you can find out on Bauer & Black would be greatly appreciated. If you happen to stumble upon Magic Mix in your search let me know as well, thanks again for your input.

rscott417 wrote:

pdtrains wrote: The reverse move was a switch back.

That makes sense..brain fart.
What ever you can find out on Bauer & Black would be greatly appreciated. If you happen to stumble upon Magic Mix in your search let me know as well, thanks again for your input.

From what i remember Bauer & Black received FGE type insulated box cars (not refrigerated). I have no idea what was in them or what the company did. I'm more of Conrail on guy, I don't remember Magic Mix receiving cars in my time.

In the time I grew up in the area (graduated HS 1962) I do not remember the local freight being so late that it had to wait for the evening passenger trains. In the summer of 1963, worked for Orangeburg Pipe and local freight was always there midafternoon heading west.

John

DocJohn wrote:In the time I grew up in the area (graduated HS 1962) I do not remember the local freight being so late that it had to wait for the evening passenger trains. In the summer of 1963, worked for Orangeburg Pipe and local freight was always there midafternoon heading west.

John

Oraneburg pipe was worked the by the piermont job out of suffern in 1963. They were outta town thru sparkill in the afternoon, before the passenger rush.
Normally, the piermont job would use the wye to go east just past the spring switch at the east end of double track on the northern, then shove back to piermont on the piermont branch. They would also throw the hand throw switches at the west end of the double track for movement up the northern to Nyack, for the passenger trains.

I'm back at this topic after a few years and re-reading some of these threads. PD you said...

pdtrains wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2017 2:21 pm ...The big operations in the 1960's/70's in englewood were Joe Lowe, GM, and Sexton. They were switched 6 days a week. Everything else was a 2 car a week operation...

what car types did these three industries receive? I found out that the Sexton plant made coffee and spices, what was the operations for the GM, is this general motors?

I've decided that I'm never going to be able to include all the great features that the NB has to offer so the layout will be focused mainly on Englewood and Ridgefield.

GM was the "GM Newark Warehouse. lots of 60' Auto Parts box cars. The unloaded inside their building. Held maybe 8 cars??
Sexton (the company is still around, I believe) makes those individual serve packets of food u get at restaurants or fast foods places. Salt, Pepper, mustard, ketchup, etc. It was a 50' box car place.

Joe Lowe made popsicles. Inbound raw materials. Another mostly 50' box car place. Their siding was cool...
There was a runaround on the east side of the tracks near the rte 4 overpass. It was called the "Joe Lowe Runaround". their siding came off the inside of the runaround heading west, crossed the main, went street running for several blocks (heading west) , then dipped to the south a little leaving the street running, then made a 110 degree turn to the north, and split into 2 tracks to serve the Joe Lowe factory.

What else u wanna know?

Its so sad that everything has been obliterated for condos today.

pdtrains wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 11:13 pm GM was the "GM Newark Warehouse. lots of 60' Auto Parts box cars. The unloaded inside their building. Held maybe 8 cars??
Sexton (the company is still around, I believe) makes those individual serve packets of food u get at restaurants or fast foods places. Salt, Pepper, mustard, ketchup, etc. It was a 50' box car place.

Joe Lowe made popsicles. Inbound raw materials. Another mostly 50' box car place. Their siding was cool...
There was a runaround on the east side of the tracks near the rte 4 overpass. It was called the "Joe Lowe Runaround". their siding came off the inside of the runaround heading west, crossed the main, went street running for several blocks (heading west) , then dipped to the south a little leaving the street running, then made a 110 degree turn to the north, and split into 2 tracks to serve the Joe Lowe factory.

What else u wanna know?

Its so sad that everything has been obliterated for condos today.

So right now as far as the layout goes, Ridgefield is definitely going to be included and it's a decision between Closter and Englewood. I have the track plans drawn out and I'll post it later today. If we go back to Ridgefield, on the maps that I posted a while back shows company's called Cont. Folding paper box, Relph Mat'l, Whittier-Ruele millwork, Standard Pkg., and J Turner & Co. Do you (or anyone else) have any insight on these industries like rolling stock, commodities, facility etc.

Also in Englewood "Englewood yard" lists Sam Braen which I think still is a mason or stone supplier. Interstate transportation co and Standard Bergen plumbing supply. Any ideas on these 3 as far as rolling stock, commodities, facility etc.

I think I'm good on Closter and I'm actually leaning more towards including that town over Englewood just because of its simplicity but not set in stone yet. I think once I actually start building the bench work I'll have a better idea how everything will fit.

Also as far as the NB jobs go, in the early-mid 70s I believe there were 3 different crews working the branch. What were the duties of each job, what towns did they work and any other information on these crews would be helpful.