Jtgshu wrote:Wow, I never realized that the of name of "the Centre St branch" actually came from when it continued west into Newark!
Was the connection with the NEC at teh west end of Newark Penn where it dropped down just under the CNJ Bridge (where they are building the new extension of Track 5)? There were ties in the dirt until very recently.
The ties are the remants of two spurs diverging from a single switch from the mailine. One went to the indent in the Platform at the end of Track 5 (where the construction is) and I have been told, was used (1) for US Mail and express cars, and (2) to park private and PRR business cars without fouling a regular station platform.
The other spur, went down to street level for coal hoppers to a large boiler in a building next to Penn Station at Edison Place. That may have been a steam plant to serve Penn Station; don't know for sure.
I have been told that McCarter Highway, a/k/a Route 21 northbound lanes is essentially the alignment of the pre-raised PRR mainline; again, can't vouch for accuracy.