Pompton Industrial

[washingtonsecondary]

I was down in Pompton Lakes today. I went and checked out the Pompton Industrial. Doesn't look like anything has run on the rails in a long time! I knew the tank yard has been closed for a few years and I heard Morris pipe has switched to trucks. Has the line been officially abandoned? Looks like some ballast cars were stored up near Tilcon at the diamond.

[cjvrr]

Not yet...but it was placed on the list put out last year as those that potentially may be abandoned.

It had been used for short term car storage earlier this year.

Morris County also reached an agreement a few months ago to place a trail next to the line in Pequannock and Wayne.

Chris

[Tri-State Tom]

cj -

Morris County also reached an agreement a few months ago to place a trail next to the line in Pequannock and Wayne.

Next to or on the ROW ?

Is there still track neatly in place thru Pequannock in/around the PV Park area ?

[cjvrr]

Tom,

The trail would be within the ROW but next to the track. For the most part on top of the Wanaque South pipeline.

Sections of track have been removed. From Woodland Place to Jackson Ave some has been removed. South of Jackson to the next crossing, some pieces were removed. And from the Newark Pompton Turnpike South to the bridge into Wayne I believe all has been removed. I never check in Wayne itself. I think they took out the rail that was convenient to remove.

Chris

[washingtonsecondary]

I have a question about the diamond and the track to get on the industrial. Is there only one track and switch to get on the industrial? From Google Earth, it looks like a train coming from Little Ferry would have to reverse onto the connecting track. Is this correct?

[CAR_FLOATER]

Correct, I think the interchange track was in the upper lefthand corner of the interlocking if you were coming north on the Erie, if I recall correctly, unless the NYS&W changed it.

CF

[cjvrr]

That is correct.

Long, long ago there was a NB Erie to WB NYS&W conection which must have involved a bridge over the Pequannock River. It would be my guess that this was in service when the NJ Midland Railroad was using the Greenwood Lake Branch as part of its line to Oswego.

You can see some remnants of the grade and back in the 1970's you could see some railroad ties, but the bridge over the river had been obliterated.

[washingtonsecondary]

I wonder why the NYS&W never changed this to favor a train coming from the east. Is it a topography issue?

[cjvrr]

WS,

My guess would be it was never a priority.

By the time the NYS&W gained control of the industrial, there was only one customer in Riverdale proper. They received covered hoppers filled with plastic pellets. Maybe one or two cars per week and it was within sight of the diamond. This was also before the NYS&W line re-opened west of Butler.

There is a run around on the north side of the diamond, and another in Butler that were used to get around the cars, so again, no need to restore the connection.

Re-installing a bridge at that location would be difficult at this point. Not only would a new bridge be required, the alignment would cross a small portion of a man made wetlands installed during the Interstate 287 construction to re-establish wetlands destroyed by the highway. I don't think the State would let anyone touch that.

[BlockLine_4111]

Alot has changed.

When I used to live up there I remember the plastics company, tank yard, and Morris Pipe. Also catching a WS-4, SU99 meet late one night at the diamond.

Also recalled when they ran WS-4 using a B40. Fortunately the bridge did not collapse and the shabby track did not spread.

[washingtonsecondary]

One morning (and the ONLY time) I spotted a WS local on the industrial they were switching cars at the tank yard, they used one of the SD45's. So they must have really been pressing their luck.

[cjvrr]

Alot has changed.

Sure has....I remember seeing an EL geep with a caboose crossing Riverdale Road back in the 1970's.

Saw the NYS&W high hooded Alco bring in many flatcar loads of concrete pipe for the Wanaque South pipeline project (which is adjacent to the track and in the same right of way).

Chased the first "train" to Morris Pipe when they decided to get service again.

Saw the bulk transfer facility constructed, well used, and then abandoned.

Last customer left is the same customer that existed in the 1970's, the plastic injection plant in Riverdale.

Chris

[gravelyfan]

While in High School, I used to work in Marco's in Pompton Plains (1979-1981). I remember hearing the bells ring for the Jackson Ave crossing from inside the store, we'd open the rear (delivery) door to watch the train go by. At that point the only customer was BER plastics, and I think the feed place in Pequannock was still getting a boxcar from time to time at the team track east of the Turnpike Crossing.

One time I saw the train and it had one of the Conrail EMD-powered RS3's. I recall jumping in my car (at that time a 1970 Chevy station wagon) and driving down to Wayne to get a photo.

[Sir Ray]

Any reason why the bulk transfer facility was closed? Was it superceded by newer/larger facilities?

[cjvrr]

Any reason why the bulk transfer facility was closed? Was it superceded by newer/larger facilities?

The railfan rumor mill said it was closed due to consolidation by the customer. If I remember correctly they were transloading corn syrup from tanker to truck. It was also my understanding this was the same customer that is off of West Oakland Avenue in Oakland.