"The Rahway Valley"
by Steven Lynch 03/2006 Railroad
Model
Craftsman
RVRR #15 Ashwood Ave, Summit,
NJ
Frank Reilly
Collection
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Photos: Tom Piccirillo
RVRR action as #17 in green livery is crossing Kenilworth Boulevard in
1970
Rahway Valley Bridge
1972 - Cab View
by Donald A. Maxton
Arcadia Publishing
ISBN:0-7385-1008-4
1-800-313-2665
Models & Photos: Tom Piccirillo
O scale model of #17 in green livery
that I painted for my model railroad. The model was imported by Yoder Scale
Models in 2003. The lettering was custom printed on Micro-Mark blank decal
paper from artwork I produced myself. The paint was a custom blend of
Floquil colors that I matched against the original color slides.
2004.
Tom Piccirillo
RVRR 1907 Leather Pass Book
RVRR 1907 Pass Book
Inside view
RVRR #17 N. 12th St.
Kenilworth, NJ 08/23/77
Photos Page
Freight Station, Springfield, NJ
Freight Locations
The Rahway Valley Railroad, which had connected the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Roselle Park and the Central Railroad of New Jersey in Cranford with the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western in Summit, was one of the most successful short lines in US history, even turning a profit during the Great Depression. During its lifetime, it was instrumental in the development of Kenilworth, site of its headquarters, as well as Union, Springfield, and other towns along its route. The railroad was created as part of an industrial development of New Orange (now Kenilworth.) The New York and New Orange Railroad extended from Aldene with the Central Railroad of New Jersey and from the Lehigh Valley is Roselle Park to New Orange, four miles. The line was foreclosed on in 1901 and was sold to the New Orange Four Junction Railroad. The NOFJ eventually went bankrupt in 1904. And was acquired in 1905 by Social Register publisher Louis Keller to provide passenger rail service to Baltusrol Golf Club, of which he was a founder. Later run as a freight-only line, the Rahway Valley was vital to industry in the area, with customers ranging from small fuel companies to Monsanto Corp. As customers switched to truck freight, moved away, or went out of business, the Rahway Valley Railroad withered to the point that service ended entirely in 1992.
Rahway Valley RR 1906 Map of the Kenilworth - Roselle area Stations
Prepared by
Union County Engineer
Surveys & maps &
(for)? Fidelity Trast (sic)
Note 1: Kenilworth, Warren Street Station - There was no actual Warren St. in Kenilworth, it was in the original plans for New Orange though. Warren Street Station is simply marked "Station" on the map.
Note 2: Kenilworth, Central Station - There were no facilities at the Kenilworth Station until about 1919
Note 3: Michigan Ave. (flag stop)
Note 4: Aldene
Research: Rich King
| Rosters: Locomotives 02/14/09 Passenger Roster 02/14/09 Freight Cars 08/16/09 RVRR Caboose 09/01/09 Locations:
Maplewood 09/21/09 RVRR Data: RVRR
Bibliography 03/10/09
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RVRR History: RVRR
Company History 02/14/09 Early
History: NY&NO and NOFJ 03/07/09 RVRR News Articles 03/03/09 RVRR
Magazine Articles 03/10/09 |
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Published Material: Doin'
Fine Thanks! Crown Sheet 09/1944 William S. Young
02/26/09 |
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Rahway Valley Memories: Steve Rodick c.1960's
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I have
circled in RED the area, I believe, that is the location of the above
locomotive photo. The yellow dashes mark the path I used to take every
weekend in order to go from my home on Liberty Ave in Union, NJ, to
Galloping Hill Golf Course, where I was a golf caddy for 5 years. It
took me onto the RVRR right-of-way that ran along "what would appear
that water area". Mind you, I caddied in the early 1960’s and
that photo goes back to the days when locomotives were running – which I
believe had to be before 1955 (I absolutely recall seeing what may have been
the last locomotive cross Liberty Avenue in that pre-1955 time frame).
As such the terrain had changed by the 1960’s – with far less water
adjacent to the tracks – but the slopes still existed – and I recall
shimmying down those every weekend! What memories.
My trek each
weekend along those tracks was always an adventure – especially when I had
to cross ROUTE 22. Had my parents known I was doing that my life would
have ended as I knew it then! LOL!
Also – I recall seeing at Liberty Avenue what had to be the leftover foundation of Arion Station or Kate Miller Station – although at the time, I thought it was something remaining from a ramp and not an actual “station.” As it turns out, Google maps provides a precise photo location directly on Liberty Avenue at the intersection of the RVRR tracks. Here's both a SW and a NW view from that Google photo location.
 The NW view simply shows the overgrown tracks heading north with the Watchung Mountains beyond Springfield and Summit in the background; to the right is Breeze Corp. and to the left is Western Electric; (when it was there.) |
 The SW photo shows the tracks and what still appears to be the “ramp” to the right, which today is adjacent to a parking lot. |
Anecdote/Maps: Steve Rodick
ALDENE PLAN - Sunday, April 30, 1967
Considerable work had to be done before service began on April 30, 1967,
mostly on the former Lehigh Valley, where a station had to be built at
Roselle Park, along with the elimination of several grade crossings.
(Chestnut Street and Locust Street for example) In addition, a connecting
track had to be built at Aldene (the embankment was wide enough for two
tracks, but only one was installed), connecting the CNJ with the LV, and
since the volume of trains was too large for the two-track Lehigh Valley,
signaling improvements were made so trains could run either way on both
tracks (rule 261-TCS). A gauntlet track (installed by Conrail) was needed on
#2 at Roselle Park (the old LV Roselle Park station was razed), since wide
shipments would be too close to the island platform. And last, but not
least, a coach yard had to be built at Harrison, NJ (just east of Newark) to
store equipment between trips. Since the CNJ/LV connection at Aldene was
only a single track, it often became a bottleneck at rush hour, with eastbounds sometimes waiting for westbounds before they could "go up the Hill."
Two tracks were planned, but never installed, contributing to headaches for
the operators at "EXCEE" and "NK" towers.
Former CNJ Bay Head trains ran over the PRR tracks from Newark to Perth
Amboy, via Rahway and the PRR's Perth Amboy and Woodbridge branch.
So, with all the equipment in place, the Aldene Plan was operational on
April 30, 1967, which was a Sunday. Trains operated on a weekday schedule,
giving crews, towermen and some commuters a chance to give it a "dry run."
Map shows
the single track Aldene cut-off from north side of CNJ 4 track main to
LV. The Aldene Plan also relocated the trailing point
(westbound facing) Rahway Valley connection to the CNJ to a facing point
eastbound switch. Presumably was this to provide easier switching access?
RAHWAY VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A battle is underway to determine the future of the Rahway Valley Railroad's rights-of-way, as Union County seeks to possibly reactivate the line, while the towns along the route seek to prevent this and otherwise dispose of the remaining land. Whether as part of some future railroad route, as part of a rails-to-trails program, or as parcels of real estate granted to neighboring properties, the historic Rahway Valley Railroad is on the verge of being lost forever. In light of these developments, the idea came about to form a Rahway Valley Railroad Historical Society to preserve and commemorate "New Jersey's Streak o' Rust." Interested persons are needed to help found the society, which will seek to gather or borrow artifacts, photos, and other items in order to mount exhibitions in local museums and historical societies, with the eventual goal to acquire a small exhibit space of its own (preferably in the Rahway Valley Railroad's lone surviving station on Mountain Ave. in Springfield). Interested parties should contact Alan Binenstock at RVRRHS@comcast.net
"The State of
New Jersey, in conjunction with Union County, purchased the former
Rahway Valley right-of-way from the Delaware Otsego Corporation about
four years ago. This line has been reduced considerably since the early
1980's. Much of it is now gone. (click map to enlarge) Three once
important spurs have been cut back and abandoned. The LVRR interchange
branch, the Maplewood Branch (cut back to Morris Avenue)
[used to go all the way down Rutgers street in the industrial area. The
railroad terminated in this area near Wooley Fuel, and this is how
Wooley Fuel got their
coal shipments. In fact, it's the reason why this is where industry
developed in Maplewood], and the Monsanto Branch.
Rahway Valley Abandonment Map
Research/Created: Richard J. King 09/2009
The primary interchange with the RVRR was at the former Lehigh Valley junction in Roselle Park. LV Interchange with Rahway Valley Railroad Carloads Shipped/Received:
Year: 1969 1970 1971 1972
Cars: 1513 1638 1337 1005 Info: Ed Schaller
The DL&W interchange in Summit was the
first casualty in the post Conrail world. The last customer in Summit
was the Foster Bell plant along the Springfield / Summit border. The
plant closed in the 1980's. With its closure, the active portion of the
RV was cut back to just south of the Rahway River bridge on the
Springfield/Union border.
When Delaware Otsego (NYS&W) took over in 1986, the Primary interchange
was moved from the LV interchange to the former CNJ interchange at
Cranford (actually Aldene in CNJ days). The RV had embargoed (not
abandoned) the CNJ interchange with the coming of Conrail. This track
was restored by the Delaware Otsego Corp. By 1987, the RV/LV interchange
was no longer used.
In 1992, when service on the RV was finally discontinued, the LV
connection near the Roselle Park Fire Station was ripped up and the land
sold to a developer who built the homes on top of the former right of
way. This forever severed the connection to the LV. (The
houses next to the Firehouse were built before the the tracks were
pulled up and trains were still running. The houses were built on
ex-town property... Mike Cray 12/10/01)
As for the Maplewood Branch, the construction of Interstate 78
chopped the line back to Vauxhall Road in Union. Recent housing
development cut the line back to Morris Avenue. Jaeger Lumber off of
Morris Avenue was the last active customer north of Rt. 22 They stopped
receiving cars in the late 1980's.
When the State and Union County bought the property in 1994, they faced
a couple of immediate problems. Two bridges along the line didn't allow
14' clearance underneath. These are the two bridge in Summit that were
removed. Since it was felt that there would be no immediate need to
restore this section of the line, the bridges could simply be removed
and replaced "when necessary" (read: never).
At the same time the Delaware Otsego was selling the right of way to the
LV so that homes could be built, they also sold the entire Monsanto
Branch right of way to eager adjacent homeowners who finally got their
wish of seeing the "eyesore" railroad disappear. I believe that the
removal of this segment will be the one that will be most regretted in
the future.
All that was left is what you see today. I must say, it is horrible fate
for such a once prosperous railroad. While the politicians might be
successful in rebuilding some of it, I feel that commercial real estate
interests will conspire to keep much of it useless..." Commentary: 05/16/2000 Eric S. Strohmeyer
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THE DIAMOND CROSSING MYSTERY SOLVED
The entire
line in that area was to run at "yard speed" and that limited
them to a max of 15mph being able to stop short of any obstructions. A
switch that had about a 10 foot high switch target on it. (Note: It
was not connected to anything but the high target.) It was set one
way while the Upon throwing the switch it would show
clear to go across the diamond for the
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RVRR #16 sidelined at Whippany, NJ 01/15/05 Photos: Tom Piccirillo |
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