Railroad Forums 

  • The SIRR and RVRR V

  • Discussion about the M&E, RVRR and SIRR lines of New Jersey, and also the Maine Eastern operation in Maine. Official web site can be found here: www.merail.com.
Discussion about the M&E, RVRR and SIRR lines of New Jersey, and also the Maine Eastern operation in Maine. Official web site can be found here: www.merail.com.

Moderators: GOLDEN-ARM, cjl330, mikec

 #158641  by mikec
 
I agree, Good Job Al

 #158700  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
I have "lurking", reading this stuff, and it is all super ! I would only question point number 1, in Al's paragraph above. The original LVRR station did not sit at the location of the present NJ DOT station. Before the elevation of the LVRR tracks, from Aldene, east back towards Hillside, the station was down at street level, with steps leading up to the railroad, that ran on a slight fill, but with street crossings made at grade, not underneath the Valley, as they are today. The layout of the yard was also different, at Roselle Park, and there was a freight station (LVRR) also at street level, in the area of the current (still there ?) RV/LV interchange yard. It was my recollection (I am in Conn., miles away from my LV paperwork) that the LV had a double-ended siding, that made interchange at the Roselle Park yard, theoretically making it possible for a train to come off the RV, and pull east onto track 1, at Locust street. I am not saying this ever happened, but the diagram showing the Roselle Platform, looks to be from the early 80's, and definately not how the area looked, pre-Aldene. Having been both a RVRR engineer, as well as a CR engineer, I am loving following this stuff. Keep up the good work, Al. Regards :wink:

 #158716  by rvrrhs
 
GOLDEN-ARM wrote:I would only question point number 1, in Al's paragraph above. , etc., etc., etc.
I bow to your first-hand knowledge, Golden-Arm. Plus, point #1 is least important in settling the "argument" over the Aldene station postcard.

 #158728  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
Thank you, kind sir ! I have an extensive collection of LV postcards, but I never thought of adding CNJ, or others , that had the LV in the pic. The PC shown is definately on the "other" side, where you said it was. It would be nice to find a topo map, from the early 30's, or even a detailed street map, from that era. When I lived at 137 Jerome st., apt F, I would regularly walk the lines, when not on duty. I walked the RVRR dozens of times, all year round, looking at old sidings, abandoned branches, etc. I even walked the CNJ, to the Bayonne bridge, and back, on a few occasions. Lots of history out there, for those with time, and energy, to go out and see it. Walked the Valley, to Potter, and back, as well as to the old Meeker ave station, down in Newark. It was sad to see the old RV "roundhouse" (squarehouse ? :wink: ) razed. We lost the plastic business there,(Kenilworth) and the final loss was the lumber yard, down there at Rt. 22. I had the pleasure (not much of a pleasure, though) of pulling the last revenue car off that line, before service was ceased. Locos went to Bingo, roundhouse was leased to a couple of guys, who stored some E-8 units there (I worked on them, after hours, before they were shipped out to a commuter line. You wont believe how fast we had them running, on the "BIG CURVE", coming up to Kenilworth Ave, from Rt. 22 :wink: ) The Valley interchange was already being prepared, to be sold off, although we preferred to run this way, the Valley side was a lot better trackage, than the "ramble through the grass" we attempted, when running to the Central side. Conrail wouldn't let us come out, at Roselle, but NJT let us cross over at EXCEE, so this was the way we ran. Occasionally, the interchange was made in the Valley yard, and conductor Buda and myself pulled 14 loaded plastic hoppers out of that yard, and up to Kenilworth , with the 16, and no sand. Quite an accomplishment, I assure you ! Keep the info coming, it's good to hear at least one old line won't become a *&#@% bike trail. Regards :wink:
Last edited by GOLDEN-ARM on Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 #158732  by rvrrhs
 
Well, Golden-Arm, stay tuned re: the Rahway Valley Railroad Historical Society. You never know when we may need you! ;)

But, seriously, feel free to contact me at [email protected] regarding the Society. I'm more a history guy than a RR guy, so RR-related input would be a good thing.

 #158774  by CJPat
 
rvrrhs,

You definitely provided some interesting information. If I may also add this.

My father was born in Elizabeth in 1920 and grew up and lived in Kenilworth from 1929 until 1962 when he moved my family to Cranford. According to him, Romerovski is not the original tennant. The original tennant for who the factory was constructed for was Karagosian (sp?) Carpets. They spun the yarn in the Roselle Park/Aldene plant and shipped it down to their Freehold factory (the one that was located along the CNJ Freehold Branch currently being evaluated as one of the commuter routes from Lakewood competing with the MOM) to be made into the carpets.

He was unfamiliar with the Marconi tower so it must have come down sometime during the 1920's to make room for the factory. As I said before, the architecture of the building is fairly old.

The topo map appears to be late 1950 - 1965. Because it shows the GSP (constructed approx. 1950) but does not show the Aldene station building at all (I have pictures in my reference book from 1953 taken from the station and its pedestrian bridge). The map does show the Roselle Station. The map also shows the extensive yard facilties in Cranford which were mostly gone by the time the Aldene Plan was constructed.

I have read the reference to a 1st and 2nd CNJ/RVRR Aldene Stations but I don't know anything regarding the first station. Since the photos I referenced previously that were taken in 1946 and 1953 clearly indicated that the Aldene Station was located west of the LVRR fly over (I assume this is then the 2nd Aldene station).

Was there a previous station on the east side of the LVRR? Why would they move it? Didn't RVRR terminate passenger service around 1920? If the postcard is of a station on the east side of the LVRR, something must have happened to cause the railroad to move it closer to all the congestion of the Cranford Yard area. I understand that the Aldene Station was not a regular stop for the CNJ because it was too close to the Cranford and Roselle stations.

 #158884  by Sir Ray
 
Ah, history of the RVRR. Always fun.

<ramble mode on>
Kenilworth has one of my favorite 'ghost' branches on my now-ancient Hagstrom Union/Essex/Hudson atlas (which I will one day buy a new one when they actually UPDATE the darn thing), along with the Peddie branch in Newark (no actually 'track' symbol there, just the word 'CONRAIL' superimposedon Jelliff ave where the branch once turned North).
</ramble off>

Anyway, this Kenilworth branch has been briefly touched upon on the predecessor to this forum, and it's the line branching off the mainline at a junction at Galloping Hill Park, and heading West mostly between Monroe and Sheridan, jogging a bit southwest around 13th St to arrive at a complex of some sort at Washington and 8th st. I think somebody said there was a Flexiflo terminal (seems very unlikely), and that the neighbors (protoNimbys) complained about the trains running through their backyards (well, in fact, it did).
Can anyone refresh my memory as to what was served on this branch, and when service ended?

 #158911  by CNJFAN
 
I believe the branch you are referring to served Monsanto through the 1980's.
They could never reactivate that part of the RVRR because they have since built houses right on the ROW.

 #158926  by Sir Ray
 
CNJFAN wrote:I believe the branch you are referring to served Monsanto through the 1980's.
They could never reactivate that part of the RVRR because they have since built houses right on the ROW.
That late, huh.So it was just Monsanto, was there anything else?

I certainly figured it would never be re-activated as I'm pretty sure they sold off the ROW to the abutting homeowners anyway.

 #158928  by CNJFAN
 
I don't think it served anyone else as far as I know.
I only know about the Monsanto part of it because I went to High School close by there.
As far as I know, it didn't serve anyone else along that branch but I could be totally wrong about that.
I remember sitting in class and hearing the occasional horn blast as the drill made it's way to Monsanto.
It always seemed to be around the lunch hour.
That was between 1979-1983...

 #158984  by GOLDEN-ARM
 
Yes, Monsanto was the place. This was the only customer visible to us, on the line. It's funny, how those NIMBYS used to come running outside, to wave to the train, as we headed up the hill, running through the back-yards, to spot/pull the plastic. Holding up the kids, offering us food, if they were cooking out. (we ate more than a few hotdogs, and hamburgers, on that branch) What a turn of events, now that restored service is so close to becoming a reality. The little trains, that would sporadically run there, are no "threat", or real bother, to anyone. (just those idiots, with WAY too much spare time on their hands). Those same idiots will eventually go back to waving at the trains, while they focus their effort, time and money, on the next "percieved" threat. That's how I see it. Regards :wink:

 #159048  by BigDell
 
Those same idiots will eventually go back to waving at the trains, while they focus their effort, time and money, on the next "percieved" threat. That's how I see it.

I agree. From the loins of those NIMBY's shall come forth the next generation of railfans as their kids become enthralled with the "choo-choo" running out back behind the yard..........

BigDell
  • 1
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38