Raritan River Rail Road (RRRR) Field Trip #3
For the third time in as many years several of us that frequent the forums at http://www.raritanriverrailroad.com (thank goodness for Webmaster Joe!) got together to see what’s left of the old RRRR. In 2002 Nikcap, RRRR4, and I walked from New Brunswick to East Brunswick. In 2003 Nikcap, RRRR4, Tom_E_Reynolds (Tom), EMD19927, and I walked from East Brunswick to the South River side of the South River Swing Bridge (see http://www.raritanriverrailroad.com/fieldtrip03.htm for details of this trip). This year Nikcap, RRRR4, Tom, Pennsyjohn, and I got together to take part in RRRR Field Trip #3.
We walked from the Sayreville side of the South River Swing Bridge to the bridge that spans the old Crossman narrow gauge line (just east of Sayreville Junction [also known as the Parlin yard]), plus a few other side trips. The ground we covered is highlighted on the below 1947 RRRR system map (Figure 1) and 1986 topographical map (Figure 2). The yellow numbers on the topographical map are tied to the section numbering used throughout this report.
Figure 1 – RRRR System Map Showing Track Covered During RRRR Field Trip #3
Figure 2 – Topographical Map of Track Covered During RRRR Field Trip #3
The weather the previous day and night was terrible (lots of rain), but it really shaped up in time for our hike. I would estimate that the temperatures were in the 40’s for most of the trip, but the sun was shining and the wind wasn’t too bad as long as we had trees around us.
We met at the site of the old Parlin Freight Station at 7:00AM (#6 on the above map). However, we had a surprise guest. Mary, the mother of Oldkout, was there at the Parlin grade crossing to tell us that her son would not be able to join us. Mary, an avid RRRR Fan herself, extended a warm welcome to visit her at her house to share RRRR stories and see some RRRR photos, etc. Unfortunately, as the day progressed, we were pressed for time and were unable to take her up on her offer. It’s a shame, too, because Mary said an acquaintance of hers (“Pop Pop”) who worked for the RRRR came to her house to meet us. I’m sure we missed some good stories and RRRR info! Thankfully, Mary extended the offer to get together some time in the future.
We weren’t sure if RRRR4 was planning to attend so we waited until 7:20AM or so. We eventually hit the road in Tom’s car as he drove Nikcap, Pennsyjohn, and me to the Jernee Mill Road grade crossing (after a quick stop at Wawa for food and coffee).
#1) South River Swing Bridge - We ventured down the tracks to see the South River Swing Bridge (Figures 3 & 4) and to search for old spurs.
Figure 3 – Panoramic View of the South River Swing Bridge
Built in 1910, this structure is still hand cranked into position (even though the story Tom acquired and posted at indicates it might have been motorized by now).
Figure 4 – View of the South River Swing Bridge from the Sayreville Side
We were happy to see that the Raritan River (RR) emblem was still visible on the side of the bridge (Figure 5).
Figure 5 – RR Emblem on the South River Swing Bridge
#2) Active Customers Near Jernee Mill Road - After seeing the South River Swing Bridge we headed back toward Jernee Mill Road. We didn’t find much evidence of the old spurs that were once on the south side of the tracks. However, there was an active customer on the north side of the tracks with a boxcar at their loading dock (Figure 6). It was a pleasant surprise to see an active customer unloading a boxcar on the line. We hadn’t expected to see any activity. The Jernee Mill Road grade crossing is visible in the background to the right.
Figure 6 – Active Customer at Northwest Corner of the Jernee Mill Road Grade Crossing
After re-crossing Jernee Mill Road we headed toward the wye at the Gillespie Branch. Before reaching it, though, we first encountered another customer but this time on the south side of the tracks (Figure 7). This is a relatively new siding as I remember it being installed about 5 or 10 years ago.
Figure 7 – Active Customer at Southeast Corner of the Jernee Mill Road Grade Crossing
#3) Gillespie Branch Wye - Just east of the Figure 7 facility is the Gillespie Branch wye. There used to be two tracks along the mainline at the top of the wye, but one of those was removed in the past few years. You can see in Figure 8 how the track veers to the right. There used to be a switch here with a set of track that went straight (which was actually the mainline). Conrail Shared Assets (the folks that run the tracks in this area now) used to park cars on the track that was removed. This practice was stopped because folks living on Zaleski Drive, Oak Tree Road, & Creamer Drive in Sayreville didn’t like the railcars behind their homes. Tom has a story regarding the issue at http://home.comcast.net/~tom_e_reynolds/NJDOT2003PressRelease.htm. The article mentions that the cars will be stored elsewhere, which I would think would solve the residents’ problem with them. What I don’t understand is why the track was torn out.
Figure 8 – Missing Track (to left) at the Top of the Gillespie Branch
The Gillespie Branch is an old, active, and interesting part of the line with lots of history. Sometime in the 1990’s this part of the line was connected to Conrail's Browns Yard facility on Bordentown Avenue in Old Bridge so they could eliminate the connection through South Amboy. By adding a grade crossing and about a thousand feet of track to Browns Yard, Conrail eliminated two miles of track, two grade crossings, and maintenance concerns on two bridges in and through South Amboy (while gaining the ability to sell valuable property for residential development).
We chose to wait until a future trip to give the Gillespie Branch the time it deserves. We headed toward Parlin.
#4) Hercules & Duck’s Nest Pond - As we walked down the tracks we peeked into the spur serving the old Hercules plant (Figure 9). There were two boxcars there. We also saw Duck’s Nest Pond (Figure 10) at which parts of the movie “Jaugernaut” (or “Juggernaut”) were filmed in 1914. A trestle was constructed over the pond and a non-RRRR locomotive was run over it and into the water (see Pages 63 & 64 of Rails Up The Raritan [RUTR]). Figure 11 (courtesy of Ronald Burkshot per http://home.comcast.net/~tom_e_reynolds/RRRRinMovies.htm) is a photo from 1938 showing recovery of the locomotive when Duck’s Nest Pond was drained.
Figure 9 – Entrance to the Old Hercules Plant Figure 10 – Duck’s Nest Pond
Figure 11 – Recovery of Steam Locomotive from Duck’s Nest Pond
We then ran into RRRR4 who had arrived at the Parlin grade crossing after we had departed. He headed toward South River and successfully rendezvoused with us.
#5) Minisink Avenue Bridges, Dupont’s Old Back Entrance, & The “Drainage Tunnel” - We then checked out the three bridges spanning Minisink Avenue (Figure 12).
Figure 12 – Bridges Over Minisink Avenue
The north bridge (Figure 13) and south bridge (Figure 14, which feeds an old back entrance to Dupont) have not been used in ages.
Figure 13 – Minisink Avenue North Bridge Figure 14 – Minisink Avenue South Bridge
From the south bridge we headed toward the old back entrance to Dupont (Figure 15).
Figure 15 – Old Back Entrance to Dupont
Beneath the right-of-way (ROW) to this old back entrance to Dupont, as well as what looked like an even older ROW onto Dupont property, I found a drainage tunnel (Figure 16).
Figure 16 – Drainage Tunnel Under ROW of Old Back Entrance to Dupont
The odd thing about this tunnel was that it appears to have not all been built at once. The older-looking section of the tunnel was under what we think was a previous (older) ROW onto Dupont’s property. In Figure 17, taken from inside the tunnel, you can see the difference in the tunnel’s construction (the newer part of the tunnel is around and behind me).
Figure 17 – Interior of Drainage Tunnel Under ROW of Old Back Entrance to Dupont
The older-looking part of the tunnel was entirely lined with thick metal and its base lined with brick. After spending some time in it a thought popped into my head. I turned to Nikcap and said “What do you think, are we inside a locomotive boiler?” After surveying it some more we were all rather convinced that it very well could be a boiler.
For instance, take a look at Figure 18 which shows the ceiling of the tunnel. Could this be the exhaust port for a steam dome? Also, why would so many rivets be required along the seams for something as simple as a drainage tunnel? Why are the metal ends of the tunnel curved slightly inward?
Figure 18 – Ceiling of Tunnel Under ROW of Old Back Entrance to Dupont
Finding this made my day! Determining if this “tunnel” is actually a locomotive boiler is something I’d like to answer. I have yet to try lining up Dupont spur construction dates, typical boiler dimensions, and other pieces of information, but wouldn’t it be neat if this was the boiler from a RRRR locomotive! In fact, I’m already postulating that it could be the RRRR’s first #5 steam locomotive. Quoting from Page 51 of RUTR regarding this locomotive: “…toward the end of its career it was used as a stationary source of steam for pumps, etc., when the new South River draw was built in 1910”. It seems plausible that, when done with the South River Swing Bridge, they chose to dump it at Minisink Avenue to be used as an “instant” drainage tunnel for a spur onto the Dupont property. Intriguing!
#6) Parlin Grade Crossing & Site of the Parlin Freight Station - We eventually reached the Parlin grade crossing (Figure 19) and saw the spot where the RRRR’s Parlin Freight Station used to be (Figure 20).
Figure 19 – Parlin Grade Crossing Figure 20 – Site of Parlin Freight Station
On the way to Sayreville Junction (that is, the old RRRR classification yard in Parlin) we came across an automatic track greaser (Figure 21). You can see the thick coating of grease on the inside of the rails, which we almost got on our boots (Figure 22).
Figure 21 – Automatic Greaser at Parlin Figure 22 – Greased Track at Parlin
#7) Sayreville Junction - There wasn’t much to see at Sayreville Junction. The below composite of five separate photos (Figure 23) is a poor man’s version of a panoramic view of the yard. At top center in the center photo is a light pole. This pole was near the center of the yard. The tree line in the background behind the pole makes the yard seem smaller than it really was.
Figure 23 – Five Photo Composite of Sayreville Junction
Figure 24 is another picture of what was once the yard (the tracks head toward the Parlin grade crossing). For comparative purposes, Tom called to my attention a photo (Figure 25) that RRRR4 took in 1971 from almost the same spot. You can see the light pole that I referred to earlier in both photos. Kind of cool, isn’t it!
Figure 24 – Sayreville Junction 2004 Figure 25 – Sayreville Junction 1971
We surveyed the area trying to find the remains of the wye that was here and the beginnings of the Sayreville Branch. A few ties were all we found of the beginnings of the Sayreville Branch (Figure 26). We couldn’t find any evidence of the western side of the wye, but one of the guys (I think it was RRRR4) found an old brake hose near the center of the yard. It was intact all the way up to and including the valve!
Figure 26 – Remains of the Sayreville Branch at Sayreville Junction
#8) Bridge Over Crossman’s Narrow Gauge ROW - We continued on from Sayreville Junction going as far as the bridge that crosses over the old Crossman’s narrow gauge railway ROW (see Figures 27 & 28 and Page 11 of RUTR). We noticed that this bridge (built in 1937) recently had some concrete work done near its base. Given the amount of water that was running through here from the recent rains we could understand why. Also, given all the water, it was hard to believe that the space beneath this bridge was once solid ground on which a narrow gauge railway ran.
Figure 27 – Ground View of Bridge Over Crossman’s Narrow Gauge ROW
Figure 28 – Top View of Bridge Over Crossman’s Narrow Gauge ROW
After returning to our vehicles, RRRR4 and Pennsyjohn called it a day. Nikcap, Tom, and I picked up a bite to eat at the same Wawa we visited in the morning, we got Tom’s car, and then drove to the park at the end of River Road in Sayreville near the old power plant to eat lunch.
#9) The Sayreville Branch Near Sayre & Fisher Brick Company – The Sayreville Branch was last used in 1971, put up for abandonment in 1977, and had it tracks removed in 1978. After eating, Tom, Nikcap, & I tried to pick up the trail of the Sayreville Branch at the old grade crossing on lower Main Street. A few hundred feet from lower Main Street its ROW split. One path headed toward the old Sayre & Fisher (S&F) Brick Company and the other toward the power plant. We first found the ROW going toward S&F.
The Sayreville Branch briefly offered passenger service starting in late 1890 and this piece of the Branch had a station appropriately named “Sayreville Station”. However, after trolley service reached Sayreville in 1901, passenger service on the Sayreville Branch was discontinued. I once saw a picture of Sayreville Station and the name appears on some maps. However, the only other reference I’ve ever seen for it is on Page 26 of RUTR where it is stated that it was an “agency station”. Also, per some maps I’ve seen, this piece of the Sayreville Branch crossed River Road and went onto S&F property. Unfortunately, we could only find evidence of the ROW a few hundred feet short of River Road. The path through the woods shown in Figure 29 approximated the ROW and the most we could find were a few ties in the ground.
Figure 29 – ROW of Sayreville Branch Heading Toward S&F & “Sayreville Station”
After returning to the ROW split, Nikcap called it a day. Tom & I went on to find evidence of the ROW that headed toward the power plant. Again, all we found were a few ties in the ground (Figure 30).
Figure 30 – Remains of Sayreville Branch Heading Toward the Power Plant
A small washout helped us find a few more ties (Figure 31). Notice how there is a tie hanging on at the top of each side of the washout.
You may wonder why we get excited about a few ties in the ground. But, as Tom pointed out, the ties mark the exact path of the ROW. Once the ties are gone, guesswork becomes a factor in establishing the path of the ROW. With a few ties here and there, the path of the ROW is known without a doubt.
Figure 31 – Washout of Sayreville Branch ROW Heading Toward the Power Plant
As Tom & I left the area and headed back to our cars we passed an old building at the corner of lower Main Street and River Road. I couldn’t resist snapping a photo of the beautiful brickwork/stonework at the top of the building (Figure 32).
Figure 32 – Artisan’s Work on Building at Corner of Lower Main Street & River Road
This building (once the S&F Brick Company library) preceded the RRRR by five years and is in the heart of what was once S&F property. If you look closely you can see the “S”, “F”, and ampersand (&) intertwined in the center.
I don’t know how large a customer S&F was to the RRRR as I think most of their brick went out by barge, but it was a big facility. From what I’ve read, S&F was turning out 178,000,000 bricks annually by 1913. For its 100th birthday in 1950 it was estimated they had made 6,250,000,000 bricks. S&F closed down in the 1960’s and a residential development has since been erected on the main grounds of the site.
#10) Finale - To wrap up the day Tom & I tried to find whatever might have been left of the Sayreville Branch between lower Main Street and Sayreville Junction. However, there has been much residential development since the days of the RRRR and all we could find were a few ties near Hutson Road (Figure 33).
Figure 33 – ROW Remains Near Hutson Road
It was about 3:15PM when Tom and I decided to wrap things up.
EPILOGUE
RRRR Field Trip #3 succeeded in more ways than one:
This kind of interaction can only help spur our interest in the RRRR which will hopefully lead to new discoveries or the unraveling of old mysteries. I’d say the day turned out quite well!
Whether RRRR Field Trip #4 occurs in the Spring or Fall of 2005, we’ll probably start at the bridge over the Crossman ROW and head into South Amboy to see where everything started. Two potential side trips would be down the Kearney Spur as well as heading from Bergen Hill (my favorite place!) to “RRRR Junction”. I’m looking forward to it already!
By Don Zrebiec with edits by Tom Reynolds
19 Nov 2004