Sparta Junction Activity

The adventure srated on December 16, 1973 when the train left Whippany.......the weather started getting rough.

The train stalled near Sugarloaf and the L&H sent a 3 engine set to shove the train over the grade (you can see this in the Rise & Fall MCC video)

Several weeks later, the L&H track was swung over to the NYS&W at Sparta Junction, the train parked just before the 517 crossing.

On March 16, 1974 the Rt 517 crossing had been paved over and the DOT jack hammered the pavement off so the train could cross the road that day.......385 & 4039 pulled the train to Newfoundland.

1. I guess this back when the NYSW had some washout west of Butler, so they had to go this long way around to get there from M&E???????

2. From the M&E, Did they get to NJT West end via NJT Morris/Essex line trhough MOrristown (and then SUmmit??), or
via the Roseland end of M&E to Caldwell Erie Branch to to Boonton line
(maybe this connection was still there back then???)

2. WHere on the LHR is Sugarloaf?

3. Was the LHR still operating regularly back then? WHen did
they call it quits entirely?

4. Was there no connection/interchange track between NYSW and LHR
at that time? Previously there was one of course (but facing west on NYSW I think,
so then they would have had to reverse to get to Newfoundland,
but still sounds easier than cutting rails...)

Thank to whoever knows all this history, JS

JS

A hurricane around 1970 left a large washout near the "low-rent district" of Smoke Rise NJ on the NYS&W......this was another reason the MCC took the "scenic route".


The MCC left Whippany heading east to Essex Fells NJ onto the old Caldwell Branch

Sugarloaf is north of Warwick

The connection with the NYSW and LH at Sparta junction was removed.....

It was faster to swing the rails for the temporary connection to allow the MCC onto it's new home.....and the locomotives ran in reverse into Newfoundland.

Some great footage of this can be seen on the video:
"Rise & Fall of the Morris County Central" (not available on Bata)

Check the internet for history of the LHR......