Abandoned line to Lawrenceville

[Bobby S]

I noticed this as part of a trail in downtown Lawerenceville and I traced it to Trenton via maps. What was this line and its origins? Passenger service? Please inform

[CJPat]

You need to give us a little more info about what you are referencing. Atleast some nearby streetnames so we can see it on a map ourselves. It may be possible that you are referencing the Princeton-Trenton Trolley?? That will probably date back between 1924-1931.

[amtrakhogger]

That "rail-trail" you speak of was originally part of the New Jersey-Pennsylvania Traction Co. (Interurban) that ran from Trenton to Princeton. From what I can gather, the traction company went out of business in 1935 but the Reading Railroad bought the line to serve freight customers off its Trenton Branch. I don't know when the line was fully abandoned but I would figure the Reading quit by early 1970's. I still think you can see rail still embedded in Olden Ave where the line crossed the road in Ewing. I have a book (Trolleys of Bucks County) that briefly mentions this line under the chapter covering the NJ-Pa. Traction Co.

[Kaback9]

The ROW actually goes right through Rider University if I recall correctly.

[pumpers]

The line was also known as the "Johnson line" after a guy Johnson who apparently was trying to go from PHiladelphia to New York.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-fr ... 946097D6CF
I don't think it made it north of Princeton ever. The Shabbaconk (sp?) creek they are talking about is actually just outside of Trenton, nowhere near Princeton yet despite their claim.
Here is a link to a NY Times article when it did reach Princeton in 1902.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-fr ... 946397D6CF

And a link to modern efforts to make a trail in the Rider U/Lawrence area
http://www.princetonol.com/groups/lawrg ... ws0012.htm

In Princeton it ran on what is now the south side of Community Park (just north of Birch Ave) and then ran up Witherspoon until about Spring St, a bit short of Nassau St. You can pick out a lot of the ROW between Lawrenceville and Princeton on aerial photos pretty well still.

What I don't know is how the coal for Lawrenceville School (which I read once was what kept the line going until the end) actually reached the boilers -- if there was a spur crossing what is now Route 206, or if the coal was unloaded on the north side of 206 where the line ran and then trucked to campus. (or if the boilers were by the train line and then the steam lines ran under 206 to the school. Anyone know?

Also, there was another trolley line from Trenton to Princton that ran on the other (south) side of 206. I forget the name. Near Princeton, the ROW was what is now the main path through the "Institute woods" behind Princeton battlefield I think, and it ran up Alexander Rd to terminate at the Princeotn train station on University Place. Near Lawrenceville, it ran along 206. DOn't know if this one had freight though.

I just found this map -- shows it both lines
http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/MERCER_COUN ... y_1918.jpg

Actually, maps.google.com still shows the line from Trenton up to Lawrenceville, through Rider, believe it or not!
JS

[JimBoylan]

The other line to Princeton was Trenton & Mercer County Traction, the city system. 5- 2" gauge, so it didn't have any interchange freight.

[Chessie GM50]

The other line to Princeton was Trenton & Mercer County Traction, the city system. 5- 2" gauge, so it didn't have any interchange freight.

Could someone provide which line ran by the now-demolished Mike's Tavern? I believe that one did, but the family member that owned the building only remembers that it was torn up Late 40's early 50's. I know that I asked this question about a year ago...

[JimBoylan]

the now-demolished Mike's Tavern?

Street, address, and locality, please.

[Chessie GM50]

the now-demolished Mike's Tavern?

Street, address, and locality, please.

I don't remember the exact address, but it was the 3ish story white building next to the shell station on bayerd lane/ Route 206 in Princeton, NJ. (If you know the area) There is now a Bank of Princeton Location there.

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

Found this pic of Trenton Princeton Traction car No.21:

http://davesrailpix.com/odds/nj/htm/tpt01.htm

from

http://davesrailpix.com/odds/nj/nj.htm

[JimBoylan]

Trenton-Princeton Traction Co./Pennsylvania-New Jersey Rwys. ran at right angles to the Bank of Princeton at 183 Bayard La. It probably ran just North of the end of the street, on its way from Lawrenceville to Witherspoon St. Passenger service stopped in 1939, I don't know if there was any freight remaining East of Lawrenceville to Princeton. Did you family's tavern get refrigerator cars of beer or wine?
Trenton & Mercer County Traction/Trenton Transit left U.S. Rte. 206 after Lawrenceville to run South of even Princeton Pk. for its entrance to Princeton via Alexander St. near the train station.

[Chessie GM50]

Did you family's tavern get refrigerator cars of beer or wine?

He has talked in the past about receiving shipments by rail, on an occasional basis, until '37 or so.

[Tom_E_Reynolds]

Check this out! A nice postcard pic of the Trenton Princeton Traction Co. car!

Be sure to check out the notes on the back of the post card.

[JimBoylan]

Comparing the Rutgers map linked above at:
http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/MERCER_COUN ... y_1918.jpg
with current street maps, it seems that T-PTC ran a bit closer to your family's tavern than I thought. They may have been the last freight customer East of Lawrenceville.

[pumpers]

Here is a Sanborn insurance map from 1918. The ROW is going across the top, Mike's tavern was on the northeast corner of Birch Ave and Bayard Lane, between the ROW and Birch.
Hope I do this right, first time using Imageshack and posting images, JS