Railroad Forums 

  • NY&LB Stations

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New Jersey
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New Jersey

Moderator: David

 #762126  by Conrail8124
 
I had an idea to do a project & document all of the passenger stations on the ex New York & Long Branch
Here are the ones I have so far -

Woodbridge -
Woodbridge station is the first station of the after leaving the NEC & although some people don't consider the NY&LB to begin until Perth Amboy, I included it in our photo tour. The platform has been rebuilt & looks very different from the Pennsy days.

Image

Image


Perth Amboy -
The offical start of the NY&LB - w/ CNJ trains joining the ROW just a bit east of here.
The station is located in a cut between Elm and Maple and between Smith and Market Streets in downtown Perth Amboy, and has two low side platforms. A ticket office is located at street level. The platforms are below street level in the cut.

The current station building was built in the 1920s and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 1984.The station was refurbished in the 1990s. It replaced an older structure built by the Central Railroad of New Jersey in the 1880s

Image


Image
 #762128  by Conrail8124
 
South Amboy -

While not a station, I thought I would include this tower in my NY&LB photo tour. Built in 1927, Essay tower, which takes it name from the call letters for South Amboy - SA, guarded the junction w/ the PRR Camden & Amboy branch. This branch is still used today by Conrail/NS/CSX & the tower is still active
Image

Although it doesn't look like it these days, South Amboy was an important point on the NY&LB for the PRR. up until 1983, this where the Pennsy would change out the GG1 electrics & MUs for Steam & Diesel. There was a big yard , an engine service facility, the junction w/ the Pennsy C&A branch & an interchange w/ the Raritan River short line - All long gone

NJT is in the process of installing high level platforms so this scene will be changing forever
Image

Here are some shots of the old engine facility - taken in 1997 -
Image

Image

Image


Image
 #762130  by Conrail8124
 
Matawan -
Matawan was to the CNJ what South Amboy was to the PRR. The station was built in 1875, the same year the NY&LB opened to Long Branch. The CNJ once had branches to Freehold & Atlantic Highlands which left the main line from here. There was also a freight yard. NJT replaced this building w/ an ugly square looking station in the 1980s & that was replaced the generic high level platforms in the early 2000s
Image

Middletown -
The Middletown station is an original NY&LB station that was restored. Today, however, passengers board trains on a high level platform on the other side of the parking lot.
Image

Little Silver -
The Little Silver Train Station was designed by the noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and built in 1890. It reopened after renovations in 2003.

Image


Spring Lake -
The Spring Lake station is an original NY&LB station from around 1880 that was restored & still serves passengers today as part of NJT's North Jersey Coast Line

Image
 #762133  by Conrail8124
 
Sea Girt -
Built in 1880, this stop was eliminated at some point during the 1960's due to its close proximity to the Spring Lake & Manasquan stops. Only the main building remains & now serves as the town library. Sea Girt was once an important junction where the PRR Freehold & Jamesburg branch joined NY&LB rails. There was even a tower here at one time. Today, one would be hard pressed to find any remains of a once busy scene-

Image

Manasquan -
Manasquan was another junction point w/ the NY&LB & the PRRs Freehold & Jamesburg branch. At one point there were 2 stations in this 1 square mile time. The original NY&LB station was built in 1887 & burned down during the mid 1980's. This replacement was built sometime afterwards.

Image

Point Pleasant Beach -
NJT installed high level platforms & this new station at some point in the early 2000s -
Image

Bay Head Junction -

Bayhead Junction is the last stop & there is a small yard just past the station. Trains are turned on a loop track to head back east. This station sits on the site of the orginal and is about the same size & shape. At one time, the Pennsy had a through service to Seaside Park & onto Trenton

Image
 #762149  by R36 Combine Coach
 
The current Middletown and Long Branch stations were built in 1988 during electrication.
 #762150  by Jtgshu
 
I remember reading somewhere that the "new old" station at Matawan is actually built in the Shape of NJ. Ive seen overhead pics of it, and I guess it could be, but from the ground, it don't look like anything like that hahah
 #762152  by R36 Combine Coach
 
The freight house survives at Matawan as well. It is barely visible in the left side of the photo. Matawan station was rebuilt during electrication as well.
 #762207  by JLo
 
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. :-D
 #762226  by Jtgshu
 
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. :-D
Now THAT should be made a flag stop, right at the Ark...ehhh i mean Route 35 Xing! hahahhahaah
 #762238  by Roadgeek Adam
 
Conrail8124 wrote:Matawan -
Matawan was to the CNJ what South Amboy was to the PRR. The station was built in 1875, the same year the NY&LB opened to Long Branch. The CNJ once had branches to Freehold & Atlantic Highlands which left the main line from here. There was also a freight yard. NJT replaced this building w/ an ugly square looking station in the 1980s & that was replaced the generic high level platforms in the early 2000s
Image
Considering I was at Abeerdeen-Matawan a couple weeks ago for photography, I can say that thing may be in the condemned department unless someone comes and saves it, because there's signs saying the building is unsafe.

Also, that newer, now unused station, seen here, is really boring:

Image
 #762305  by transit383
 
Jtgshu wrote:I remember reading somewhere that the "new old" station at Matawan is actually built in the Shape of NJ. Ive seen overhead pics of it, and I guess it could be, but from the ground, it don't look like anything like that hahah
Ehhh... thats a tough one to sell.

Old Matawan Station Building
 #762333  by Kaback9
 
What about Belmar and Bradley Beach? They have their original station buildings, North Asbury Park also survives.
 #763711  by GSC
 
The Sea Girt station used to have an open covered platform between the station building and the freight building, with a common roof. That's where the "bulge" in the center of the now-library building.

You won't get modern pics of the "missing" stations, but pics are out there for the Morgan, Branchport, Deal, Avon, and Brielle stations. North Asbury Park station building still exists.
 #763804  by Don31
 
Kaback9 wrote:What about Belmar and Bradley Beach? They have their original station buildings, North Asbury Park also survives.
Let's not forget Elberon either.
 #763818  by Kaback9
 
Don31 wrote:
Kaback9 wrote:What about Belmar and Bradley Beach? They have their original station buildings, North Asbury Park also survives.
Let's not forget Elberon either.
Good call!