PAterson, NJ Station

I take Waite Street home, and see steps to a possible station, basically at the corner of Waite and River Street. Any body know the history of this station?

That was the River Street Station on the Erie Mainline they were still using it as a stop as late as 1965 during the EL era.

I believe River Street was still being used at least until 1968 as I recall.Approaching the station,conductors used to tell riders to pull down shades as trains were constantly pelted with rocks.
Station was across the street from the somewhat infamous
Boom-Boom Room where at the height of 60's racial tension a motorist was pulled from his car and beaten to death.I remember being on a train
in the winter of 67-68 with friends while we were in highschool and just after conductor made the announcement a rock crashed the window where one of them was seated and was stopped by the shade.

The rocks still happen on the mainline today, especially after dark and on Friday nights!

What i don't get about this is that the line is elevated through Paterson. Wouldn't this deter those who throw rocks at trains? Trains are in an open cut in Roseville in Newark and this stops idiots with rocks.

M&E -

" Trains are in an open cut in Roseville in Newark and this stops idiots with rocks. "

Rocks are not the problem here as much as discarded mattresses, shopping carts, bags of garbage and old tires !

M&Eman wrote:

What i don's get about this is that the line is elevated through Paterson. Would'nt this deter those who throw rocks at trains?

I suppose the challenge of the elevation is part of the motivation!

You guys are all correct about the area. I was born and riased on Putnam St. one half block up the hill from the River Street station. The stairway is actually at the crossing of River St., Waite St. and Putnam St.
Being born in 1943, and not leaveing that are until 1966, I was fortuneate enough to have taken many commuter trains from that very station. With steam locomotive on the point. K1s mostly. And terminateing in Jersey city not Hoboken. I can still remember the first time I saw an
RS2 or 3 on a commuter train instead of a steamer.
I hope my personal memories of the Riverside area of Paterson don't bore everyone here.

Take care,

Bruce

Bruce -

I for one would welcome hearing about your memories of the area !

I second that ,as I worked there and lived in proximity for many years.

Gentlemen,

Sorry I did'nt jump right back in here. There are so many life expieriences that I could recount here from liveing there on Putnam St.,
almost in the shadow of the Erie station.
When I was a small kid, and we would take the commuter trains to Jersey City for a either a day in NYC or a trip to Coney Island, my Grnadmother would warn us to hold onto the railing that looked out toward Waite St. The old theory was that as a locomotive came roaring through the station, not all of the trains stopped at River Street, we would get sucked into the driveing wheels.
So, of course, my sister and I would hold on for dear life to the railing.
With my Mother and Grandmother shielding us from that big nasty engine.
In those long ago days, there were many commuter trains going in both directions on the Erie main, as I recall. Please keep in mind, I'm recalling from fifty five years ago.

Take care,

Bruce

Bruce,
When you were going out to Coney Island did you by any chance take
a day boat that ran out there from Passaic?I read somewhere there had
been one at some point.

Mick

Hey Mick,

To answer your first question about how we got to Coney Island. We would go via asnd Erie ommuter to Jersey City, then the ferry across the Hudson, then some kind of bus, then the subway to DeKalb ave.
Change trains to the Brighton Beach line. I think that would bring us to Surf Ave, I think. Its been a long, long time since these journeys.
And, WOW, I had no idea there even was the possibility of a day boat from Passaic. Thats a new one on me. It would be fun to find out more about it though.
Thanks for your interest.

Take care,

Bruce

M&EMan wrote:

What i don't get about this is that the line is elevated through Paterson. Wouldn't this deter those who throw rocks at trains? Trains are in an open cut in Roseville in Newark and this stops idiots with rocks.

Do you really think the people who throw rocks at trains are concerned with things like that. They only have one priority....to damage property or to hurt someone. They're not going to stop and think 'Oh...that's an elevated line. I better not throw a rock because I might miss the train and hit something or someone else.'

Being an emergency services dispatcher, people like that just ensure my job security!

My Grandfather worked in Bellville for about thirty years. He took the train from the River St. station every day. He would transfer to the Newark
branch train in downtown Paterson.
One evening, he got home with a big bandage on his forehead. I can't remember now if some evil person threw a rock through the window of the old Stillwell on the Newark branch, or the elevated track in Paterson.
Gramps got hit with flying glass, which cut his forehead. I guess the conductor put the bandage on his wound.
From that day till he rietired in 1964 at seventy four years old, he rode the train with the shade down.
Needless to say, my family members were pretty upset to see this kind and gentle man bleeding from his head. I'll never forget that episode.

Take care,

Bruce