NY&LB Stations

While doing some kinda last minute Christmas browsing (not shopping yet as I didn't ACTUALLY buy anything.....) I saw a new book which has a mention of the various Train Stations in Asbury Park.

http://www.amazon.com/Asbury-Park-Rebor ... 1609496809

Not really a picture book, although there are some great pictures, its more words than pictures But tells a brief histories of the various train stations in the area including the original NY and LB station, the "Lionel" station, and its replacement, as well as North Asbury Park station as well, which still stands inbetween Sunset and 5th? I think it is.

Will never understand how someone could raze such an amazing building and put up a pedestrian structure in its place. Asbury Park was such a beautiful looking station.

Mostly deferred maintenance. The Asbury Park "Lionel" station had a section of its floor rot and collapse due to years of leaking water at a fountain. Not sure why the old original stations were removed (the design of Red Bank, Matawan, etc stations) but I'm sure there were good reasons. Not cheap to raze a building and replace it completely.

Other gems went down too, due to deferred maintenance. The Mayfair and St. James theatres in AP were wrecks. Years of weather and flooding finally did them in, and once business got bad, the decision was easy. Tear 'em down.

[quote="GSC"]Mostly deferred maintenance. The Asbury Park "Lionel" station had a section of its floor rot and collapse due to years of leaking water at a fountain. Not sure why the old original stations were removed (the design of Red Bank, Matawan, etc stations) but I'm sure there were good reasons. Not cheap to raze a building and replace it completely.

Other gems went down too, due to deferred maintenance. The Mayfair and St. James theatres in AP were wrecks. Years of weather and flooding finally did them in, and once business got bad, the decision was easy. Tear 'em down.

How did you find that out because i can't nothing on that station

I found another image of the old asbury park railroad station heres a link and photo http://nyandlb.com/construction_progress3.htm

Stroudsburg99, Don Wood's "Unique New York & Long Branch RR" book has some good info on the Asbury Park "Lionel" station.

Speaking of stations, is there a good source of public domain photos of NY&LB, Southern Div, etc stations out there?

JLo wrote:I used to take the train from BH Jct when it was an ugly, green, boarded-up shack. But the short walk to The Ark on Sea Ave in PPB more than made up for the station's condition.

I took the train many times from Red Bank to Bay Head as a kid in the late 1960's. I had an aunt, uncle and cousins there and would visit for a weekend or sometimes holidays. I remember that old shack of a train station. I also remember all the old, beautiful original stations from the 1800's that were still in existence, back then, along the line. The one in Elberon was particularly nice, but I think it burned down long ago.

One of my favorite memories about the Bay Head depot was going to Dorcas' restaurant(only a block or two from the station and I think it's still there in an old Victorian house),after arriving or before departing, for a burger, fries and milkshake.

I also remember an old wooden trestle that was immediately south of the depot. It crossed a pond/marsh. You can still see a trace of it in google earth. It was the extension south to Seaside. But even in those days it was long out of use and the steel track gone.

drailed, the causeway and trestle south of Bay Head was out of service shortly after the trestle over Barnegat Bay burned in 1946. The trackage due south of the junction was used for storage, mostly MOW equipment, up to the stone causeway. After the fire, PRR service south / west of Bay Head to Toms River ended. Bus service started up between Point Pleasant and Toms River to replace the OOS section. When the Bay Head yard was upgraded (and when the old CNJ coaches and excursion car were removed), remnants of the old PRR line was removed and the parking lot was built. The trestle was removed as a hazard to navigation, but the causeway survives.

GSC wrote:drailed, the causeway and trestle south of Bay Head was out of service shortly after the trestle over Barnegat Bay burned in 1946. The trackage due south of the junction was used for storage, mostly MOW equipment, up to the stone causeway. After the fire, PRR service south / west of Bay Head to Toms River ended. Bus service started up between Point Pleasant and Toms River to replace the OOS section. When the Bay Head yard was upgraded (and when the old CNJ coaches and excursion car were removed), remnants of the old PRR line was removed and the parking lot was built. The trestle was removed as a hazard to navigation, but the causeway survives.

I recall there being a gantry crane over the remaining part a couple hundred feet south of the the junction some 30 or so years ago; may have also been used to transfer items from flatcars to trucks by the CNJ as a freight station operation.

Ken, I remember that crane. I never saw it in use, but it was there. And there was the block signal facing eastward outbound traffic that still protected the "junction" switch.

Ken / GSC -

Re: the crane

AIR, that was more a modest gantry than a crane and believe it straddled the single-track just about at today's entrance to the main parking lot. Was told years ago it was used to off-load small boats for delivery to local marine dealers.

BTW, on a mild winter day walk into the brush of the causeway ROW several years ago I uncovered ties and rails in place. Lotsa pricker bushes and rope vines that made exploration a bit of a chore