Raritan River Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Raritan River Rail Road (RRRR) was a twelve-mile (19 km) shortline
railroad founded in 1888 and based in South Amboy, New Jersey
, U.S.
, which ran as far as New Brunswick, New Jersey
. It served both passengers and freight in its heyday and operated profitably throughout much of its existence. The RRRR was absorbed into Conrail in 1980, becoming a branch line of Conrail's system.
The line is now operated by Conrail under the CSX/NS Shared Assets arrangement, and has about six customers. It presently terminates at U.S. Route 1
in North Brunswick, New Jersey, near New Brunswick.
Construction started in Sayreville in May, 1888 with 60 lb/yd (30 kg/m) rail, with a few trains running by the end of that same year. The line started in Sayreville, NJ with a connection with the Pennsylvania Railroad over Suchs’ Pennsylvania Railroad siding. Suchs was a sand and clay industry that already had a very long siding from the Pennsylvania Railroad’s old C&A line in Sayreville (connected a few miles west of today's Browns Yard). When the line east from Sayreville to South Amboy was completed, a connection was made with the CNJ over the New York & Long Branch, providing the Raritan River Railroad with connections to the two larger railroads. The Raritan was extended westward from Milltown to New Brunswick in 1891 and a new PRR connection was constructed in South Amboy in 1901, permitting abandonment of the original PRR connection at Suchs' siding.
In 1888, the Raritan River Rail Road began operation with two 4-4-0
Engines (No.1 and No.2) and twenty 20-ton
gondola cars. These small cars were used by Suchs and Crossmans to move the sand and clay found in the area.
Disputes with workers and clashes with local landowners during construction of the Raritan River Railroad sparked sometimes heated conflict. On August 16, 1888, just four months after construction had started, an incident required summoning the local sheriff. One contractor, Charles Van Houghton of Jersey City, was hired to grade the road and lay stone culverts at South Amboy. Although Van Houghton was paid $5000 for the work, he was reported to have absconded without paying his workers their wages. The unpaid workers went on strike as a result, and the sheriff confiscated Van Houghton’s equipment so that the payroll could be met.
A Saturday night clash resulting in a death occurred in Sayreville, New Jersey
, on May 5, 1889, which would become known thereafter as the "Sayreville Riot". A local brick manufacturer, Noah Furman, owned land needed by the railroad for extension of its line from Sayreville to South River. As reported by The New York Times
, a "frightful riot" ensued when gangs on both sides fought over the railroad's attempt to seize the land by force when negotiations had stalemated and Furman obtained a court injunction restraining the railroad from crossing his property and asserting eminent domain
. One of the riot participants was killed in the melee. Afterwards, two Raritan Rail Road officials were charged with murder in connection with the riot.
Coverage of the Sayreville Riot arrests was sensationalized by the press, with the New York Times falsely reporting on September 16, 1889, that indictments of all officers of the Raritan River Railroad were expected in the case. The following day, the court in New Brunswick announced it was conducting an investigation into who leaked the rumor to the Times. Some reporters were summoned to appear before the court to reveal their sources and explain how they obtained their information. It appears that all charges were eventually dropped. Later that year, on October 30, 1889, another labor dispute again required intervention by the sheriff when a sub-contractor's laborers rioted in South River due to not being paid their wages.
As construction of the mainline was progressing west towards New Brunswick, the first two branch lines were built: in 1890, the 2.1 miles (3.4 km) Sayreville Branch to access the Sayre and Fisher Brick Yards near the mouth of the Raritan River; one mile (1.6 km) of the Serviss Branch in East Brunswick was started in 1891, in order to access the sand and clay needed by Sayre and Fisher. The third locomotive (No. 3) was purchased in 1890 and fourteen 30-ton freight cars were ordered.
By July 4, 1891, the RRRR's first train left Milltown, and shortly thereafter the line reached New Brunswick, having lain twelve miles (19 km) of mainline track. The railroad decided not to cross the Raritan River into New Brunswick to reach Bound Brook, due to the expense and lack of potential freight business at the time in the largely undeveloped area.
Between 1888-1898, the line had 3 engines, 34 freight cars, 6 passenger cars, 12 miles (19.3 km) of main line, and two branch lines.
After the line was built, both the Pennsylvania Railroad
and the Central Railroad of New Jersey
started to buy stock in the Raritan. The Central acquired a 60% ownership share and the PRR 40%. Although wholly owned by the two bigger lines, the RRRR was locally managed from its headquarters on John Street in South Amboy.
In the 1890s, the RRRR continued upgrading its track, building stations, and generally upgrading its infrastructure. It acquired a number of small locomotives, adding to the roster as traffic increased. The first customers on the line were the brick companies, the clay and sand pits of Crossman’s and Such’s. In fact, Crossman’s in Sayreville grew so large that an industrial narrow gauge line running in the pits brought the sand and clay to the connection with the RRRR.
Sayreville Junction was created almost at the midpoint of the line for storage and classifications of cars. RRRR trains would run straight from either the NYLB or PRR connection, and drop off the cars at Sayreville Junction, where they would be sorted for the runs either east or west at that point.
The 1900s saw the second branch line extended, the Serviss Branch was increased from one to four miles (6 km). This line ran from the RRRR main in East Brunswick, headed north, and curved back south towards South River again. In fact, the terminus of the Serviss Branch was just one mile (1.6 km) from the RRRR’s South River Station. This branch was built to service the many sand and clay pits that were opening along the area. Even a small brick yard was located at the end of this branch at Reid Street. During this same period, the current Sanford Street terminus in New Brunswick was finished, with elaborate brick passenger and freight stations. Two more engines were purchased to help with the increase in freight. Engines No.4 and No.5 were added to the roster in 1899 and 1900. A small batch of larger cars were ordered, five 40 ton cars. In about 1901, the first number 3 engine was replaced with a second, more powerful number 3.
In 1905 the South River Branch was built, two miles (3 km) south from the South River station. Engine No. 6 was added to the roster in 1905. By 1905, the Raritan River with its six locomotives had doubled its engine roster compared to the three engines it had in 1898. In around 1907, both engines No. 1 and No. 2 were replaced by more powerful engines, which were assigned the same numbers.
Freight traffic continued to grow substantially, necessitating larger gondolas. The Raritan River ordered forty-four 50 ton cars in 1910, for a total of 83 cars on its roster. Passenger service was never an important revenue source for the RRRR, which owned only six passenger cars in 1910. In Milltown, the Michelin Tire Company
constructed a massive tire manufacturing complex employing more than 2,000 employees. Tons of raw materials and finished products rolled in and out of Milltown on the Raritan River.
The Milltown Station was a very busy place at train time. It had a Railway Express agent and priority packages were shipped on special rail cars attached to RRRR passenger trains for connections to other railroads, providing express rail shipment capability nationwide. Passenger traffic was also growing rapidly, so the RRRR purchased 12 passenger cars and 2 combine cars from the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
in 1915. Engine number 7 was added to the roster in 1912, engine number 8 was added in 1914, and engines 9 and 10 were added in 1915, bringing the total number of locomotives on the Raritan River to ten. By 1917, this would further increase to a total of 15 engines on the RRRR.
During 1917, the Gillespie Branch was built into an isolated wooded area, to access the T Gillespie Powder Works
. With Gillespie, DuPont, and Hercules all making munitions for World War I
, it was a very busy time on the RRRR. At its peak, DuPont was supplying four 50 ton cars per day of weapons and/or munitions.
In addition to munition plant shipments along the line, World War I also resulted in a substantial increase in passenger traffic. In 1917, two more Lackawanna passenger cars were added. In 1918, passenger traffic reached an all time high, with 22 daily passenger trains and 7 extra trains on Sundays. The Raritan River had 15 Engines and 16 passenger cars, as well as about 83 freight cars, moving 9,000 passengers per day and 1.5 million tons of freight and war materials in 1918.
After the war ended, traffic subsided and engine number 8 was retired. In 1919, a new 12-stall roundhouse and shops were built near Stevens Avenue.
The 1920s saw a decline in freight and passengers, with increased competition from buses, cars, and trucks beginning to have an adverse effect upon the RRRR. In 1924, Moody’s listed the Raritan as having only 50 freight cars, 44 50-ton and 6 40-ton. All 30-ton and 20-ton cars were srapped. By 1925, only six of the 14 former Lackawanna passenger cars remained on the RRRR's roster. Locomotive #11 was wrecked and engines No. 3, No. 4, and No. 6 were scrapped. The Milltown spur, or Fresh Ponds Spur, was built in 1925 to access a sand and clay pit just south of Milltown. By the late 1920s, engines No. 1 and No. 2 were also scrapped. By the end of 1929, the Raritan River Railroad had just eight working engines.
The Great Depression
accelerated the downturn in business on the Raritan. The Michelin Tire Company closed its Milltown plant in early 1930, devastating the small town. Most of the sand and clay pits also shut down during those times, and service on the Serviss Branch was almost non-existent. Revenue traffic fell by half and passenger service was reduced considerably, to just four daily trains by 1930, compared to 22 in 1917. By the mid-1930s, the RRRR had only two ex-Lackawanna RR passenger coaches remaining of the original fourteen. The last two original 4-wheeled cabooses were scrapped. Engine No. 7 was scrapped in 1933; engine No. 12 was scrapped in 1937.
As of April 27, 1936, the Raritan River had only one scheduled round-trip passenger train, operating daily except Sundays between Parlin and New Brunswick. It left New Brunswick as Train #2 at 6:35 am, making stops at Milltown and South River, and arrived at Parlin 6:55 am. Return train #7 departed Parlin at 3:50 pm, arriving at 4:44 pm. On weekdays, the Raritan River also operated a through single tripper from Stevens Avenue in South Amboy as #1, at 5:45 am, making stops at Bergen Hill, Parlin, South River, and Milltown, arriving at New Brunswick 6:24 am.
By 1937, the multitude of sand, clay, and brick industries that contributed greatly to the Raritan River's success in the early years were virtually all gone. But Crossman’s and Whitheads’ did survive, and were starting to grow again. About half of the 50-ton gondola freight cars purchased in 1910 and used to service these industries were scrapped by 1937. The last Combination Passenger car, No. 22, was also scrapped in 1937, ending baggage service on the Raritan River Railroad and leaving the line with just one passenger car, No. 27.
The first two Lackawanna Cabooses appeared on the line in 1937, numbers 5 and 6.
In 1938, the end of an era was reached on the Raritan River Railroad as passenger service was discontinued altogether after a half century of service. The last passenger train pulled out from the New Brunswick station on April 17, 1938. This closure allowed the Raritan to eventually tear down the Bergen Hill station and consolidate all business to the Parlin Station. The former Milltown and New Brunswick passenger stations were converted to freight stations.
The North Jersey Chapter of the NRHS
sponsored a special excursion train on May 28, 1938, over the Raritan to mark the passing of regular scheduled passenger service. The special train left New Brunswick at 2:40 pm, stopped at the Lawrence Brook Trestle for photos, then proceeded up the Serviss Branch where it parked at Hendersons Siding just 15 feet (4.6 m) away from the Route 18 crossing. Many motorists stopped and gazed at the strange passenger train, as the Serviss Branch never had regularly scheduled passenger service. The special then proceeded back down the main and headed to South River, where participants observed the only manually hand-cranked swing bridge in New Jersey. They then proceeded to Sayreville Junction, where they witnessed the passing of a freight train, and the switching of freight cars. Eventually the group made it to South Amboy where they were given a tour of the RRRR shops and roundhouse area. The special then "high-balled" back to New Brunswick, with special permission granted to reach 40 miles per hour (64 km/h)!
In 1938, a new engine appeared on the line, the first time in almost 23 years since the prior engine purchases in 1916 during World War I. The economic recovery by the late 1930s resulted in an increase in freight, necessitating the purchase of another engine, numbered 8 after the one that had been scrapped in 1919.
, and its associated increase in freight traffic. Another engine was added to the line in 1941, numbered 7 after the one scrapped in 1937. After the war's end, the RRRR purchased six surplus USRA
engines for only $100,000, allowing the retirement of the line's elderly locomotives. In 1947, locomotive No. 15 was involved in a wreck at the PRR connection, and scrapped on the spot.
The 1950s brought dieselization to the RRRR, as the remaining ex-USRA engines were replaced with six EMD SW900 engines. The retirement of steam also meant that the roundhouse could be closed, reducing expenses considerably for the shortline. The Serviss Branch was abandoned and scrapped in 1956, after being dormant for almost a decade. The Fresh Ponds spur in Milltown was also removed.
A temporary boost in tonnage on the Raritan occurred because of construction of the New Jersey Turnpike
, which generated fill material and sand movements. With Crossmanns’ help, the RRRR built a small loop track in Crossmans pits and moved hundreds of cars of sand. Major online shippers included National Lead, DuPont, Hercules, and Johnson & Johnson.
The industrial base of the East Coast was moving away, and this affected the RRRR along with all other eastern railroads. By 1964, all Less-Car-Load (LCL) freight was eliminated, and agents in the freight stations were dropped. By now most coal traffic was gone. The Raritan River acquired a damaged N&W Boxcar after an insurance company write-off, and rebuilt it as No. 100 for non-interchange usage, to move freight back and forth between on-line companies.
Although both parents of the RRRR, the CNJ and the Penn Central were bankrupt, the Raritan River remained solvent and continued to benefit from a major new industrial complex named Highview, which was built in East Brunswick with many spurs and industries connected. The old Serviss Branch was re-laid for two miles (3 km) and re-named the East Brunswick branch to serve Continental Bakery, which received many shipments of flour by rail. Sunshine Biscuit opened a plant at the end of the Gillespie Branch, and they too received flour by the RRRR. The South River Branch was upgraded, as well as the trackage in New Brunswick, for a new customer starting a rail-to-truck transfer there. The old Michelin Tire complex was rented and some freight traffic was generated there. The Raritan River also derived revenue from high per diem rates, leasing 100 fifty-foot box cars in 1975.
The Raritan River had its best revenue year in 1979, with operating revenues amounting to $1,968,671. The Raritan put an emphasis on customer service and benefited from having longtime online customers such as Dupont and Hercules (Formally Smokeless Powder Company) going back to the 1910s. Sunshine Biscuit kept the Gillespie branch alive, just as Continental Baking kept the East Brunswick branch active. This allowed continued rail service to a number of small and infrequent shippers, which would otherwise have been ended.
With the creation of Conrail in April 1976 to take over the failing eastern railroads, the then-profitable Raritan River was supposed to be included along with their bankrupt parent railroads. The RRRR resisted inclusion in Conrail and took court action to forestall it. Four years later, on April 24, 1980, the Raritan River Railroad merged into the Conrail system.
The old wooden and outdated steel cabooses were sold, and replaced with steel Conrail cabooses. The remaining 97 leased fifty-foot box cars were re-numbered and absorbed into the Conrail system. The six EMD SW900s were re-numbered for Conrail and did switch the RRRR line for a few years, but were eventually scrapped in 1984. Most union employees were assimilated into the Conrail System. The clerical and managerial staff were all terminated. Of the 56 employees on the payroll in 1980, 30 would be offered jobs with Conrail, 26 would not.
Conrail closed the shops in South Amboy, with the engines now left idling in Parlin, to the discomfort of neighbors. The interchange in South Amboy for the PRR was closed in 1976. Later, Conrail extended the Gillespie Branch to cross Bordentown Avenue and connect directly with Browns Yard, enabling abandonment of the South Amboy connection with the ex-CNJ NY&LB. The line was then cut back to the Phoenix Spur, which still receives freight today in the form of scrap steel. The South River Branch was abandoned in the early 1980s. The abandoned engine shop eventually burned down in 1983.
The New Brunswick and Parlin stations were demolished by the early 1990s. The Milltown spur to the old Michelin Tire Complex has been severed from the Mainline, but still remains crossing Main Street (and has been re-laid after repaving) The Milltown spur as well as the Michelin Complex are listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. The RRRR Mainline currently terminates at Silverline Windows in North Brunswick, just under the Route 1 Bridge.
In the 1980s and the 1990s, some of the largest customers finally stopped shipping by rail: Dupont no longer receives freight and their siding is now disconnected from the main; and National Lead, at one time the Raritan River's largest customer, is today closed and listed as a superfund
site. Hercules is still connected, but only receives an occasional box car, not the significant tonnage it once shipped. Both the Sunshine Biscuit and Continental Baking plants have shut down. The Gillespie Branch now only survives since it connects the main to Conrail’s Browns Yard. The East Brunswick branch is still connected, and a few customers are still connected, but none are receiving freight currently. In the Highview Industrial Complex in East Brunswick, only one customer still receives freight. The South River Branch was abandoned in the early 1980s.
Plans to expand the Rail-to-Truck transfer facility in the Raritan River's New Brunswick facilities were dropped by Conrail, despite support for the project by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and New Brunswick. As a result, the entire complex was eventually demolished and the wye area in New Brunswick was sold and redeveloped with townhouses.
By the late 1990s, the last customer in New Brunswick, Squibb, stopped getting tank cars. The former Johnson and Johnson plant in Milltown is now used by Silverline Windows, which receives many covered hoppers of plastic pellets.
The only remaining station is in Milltown
; still proudly displaying its original sign: “Raritan River Railroad – Freight Station
”. It is in a deteriorating condition and there have been movements among fans and the Borough of Milltown
to move it to another location and restore it. The current owner, attorney James Curran, has indicated he would "consider donating it." The RRRR logo can still be seen through the rust on the Manual Swing Bridge in South River
.
Under CSX
and Norfolk Southern, the old RRRR line still has six or so customers keeping the line active. Steel, bricks, and plastic, and the occasional box car, can be spotted. AmeriSteel was added recently in Sayreville. Trains still run almost daily from Browns Yard.
Gerdau Steel is on the eastern end of the old Phoenix Spur and still receiving steel. Bricks, one of the commodities moved in significant quantities in the Raritan's beginning, are still shipped on the line to Riverside Supply. Mauser is the only company left in the East Brunswick Highview complex still receiving freight. The East Brunswick spur is still connected to the main, but receives no freight. Of almost a dozen spurs once in East Brunswick, only one still receives freight. On the western end, Silverline Windows still receives 5-10 cars of plastic pellets per week. Trains usually run twice a week to Silverline.
and Middlesex County, New Jersey
, are studying potential future light rail
options in the New Brunswick, New Jersey
area to allieviate traffic congestion
, including the former Raritan River Railroad right-of-way
which parallels the busy Route 18 highway corridor into New Brunswick.
ShortLine
Short Line is a brand name for three different Coach USA companies, Hudson Transit Lines, Hudson Transit Corporation, and Chenango Valley Bus Lines that provide local, commuter and intercity bus service in lower New York State, primarily along the Route 17 and Southern Tier corridor.-Service...
railroad founded in 1888 and based in South Amboy, New Jersey
South Amboy, New Jersey
South Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, on the Raritan Bay. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 7,913.South Amboy, and Perth Amboy across the Raritan River, are collectively referred to as The Amboys...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which ran as far as New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. It served both passengers and freight in its heyday and operated profitably throughout much of its existence. The RRRR was absorbed into Conrail in 1980, becoming a branch line of Conrail's system.
The line is now operated by Conrail under the CSX/NS Shared Assets arrangement, and has about six customers. It presently terminates at U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
in North Brunswick, New Jersey, near New Brunswick.
Construction
The Raritan River Rail Road was built when the peak of the U.S. railroad building fever was subsiding in the late 1880s. It was intended to extend from South Amboy to Bound Brook and New Brunswick. On April 21, 1888, Articles of Incorporation were filed in New Brunswick for the Raritan River Rail Road, with $40,000 paid in capital, amounting to $2,000 per mile, and capital stock of $100,000. At the first meeting of the board of directors in April, 1888, E. H. Ripley was elected President, E. W. Harrison was appointed Chief Engineer, and a construction contract to build the railroad was awarded.Construction started in Sayreville in May, 1888 with 60 lb/yd (30 kg/m) rail, with a few trains running by the end of that same year. The line started in Sayreville, NJ with a connection with the Pennsylvania Railroad over Suchs’ Pennsylvania Railroad siding. Suchs was a sand and clay industry that already had a very long siding from the Pennsylvania Railroad’s old C&A line in Sayreville (connected a few miles west of today's Browns Yard). When the line east from Sayreville to South Amboy was completed, a connection was made with the CNJ over the New York & Long Branch, providing the Raritan River Railroad with connections to the two larger railroads. The Raritan was extended westward from Milltown to New Brunswick in 1891 and a new PRR connection was constructed in South Amboy in 1901, permitting abandonment of the original PRR connection at Suchs' siding.
In 1888, the Raritan River Rail Road began operation with two 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
Engines (No.1 and No.2) and twenty 20-ton
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
gondola cars. These small cars were used by Suchs and Crossmans to move the sand and clay found in the area.
Disputes with workers and clashes with local landowners during construction of the Raritan River Railroad sparked sometimes heated conflict. On August 16, 1888, just four months after construction had started, an incident required summoning the local sheriff. One contractor, Charles Van Houghton of Jersey City, was hired to grade the road and lay stone culverts at South Amboy. Although Van Houghton was paid $5000 for the work, he was reported to have absconded without paying his workers their wages. The unpaid workers went on strike as a result, and the sheriff confiscated Van Houghton’s equipment so that the payroll could be met.
A Saturday night clash resulting in a death occurred in Sayreville, New Jersey
Sayreville, New Jersey
Sayreville is a borough located on the Raritan River, near Raritan Bay in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 42,704....
, on May 5, 1889, which would become known thereafter as the "Sayreville Riot". A local brick manufacturer, Noah Furman, owned land needed by the railroad for extension of its line from Sayreville to South River. As reported by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, a "frightful riot" ensued when gangs on both sides fought over the railroad's attempt to seize the land by force when negotiations had stalemated and Furman obtained a court injunction restraining the railroad from crossing his property and asserting eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
. One of the riot participants was killed in the melee. Afterwards, two Raritan Rail Road officials were charged with murder in connection with the riot.
Coverage of the Sayreville Riot arrests was sensationalized by the press, with the New York Times falsely reporting on September 16, 1889, that indictments of all officers of the Raritan River Railroad were expected in the case. The following day, the court in New Brunswick announced it was conducting an investigation into who leaked the rumor to the Times. Some reporters were summoned to appear before the court to reveal their sources and explain how they obtained their information. It appears that all charges were eventually dropped. Later that year, on October 30, 1889, another labor dispute again required intervention by the sheriff when a sub-contractor's laborers rioted in South River due to not being paid their wages.
Early years
| Station name | Distance |
|---|---|
| South Amboy | — |
| Bergen Hill | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) |
| Roberts | 2.3 miles (3.7 km) |
| Melfort | 2.7 miles (4.3 km) |
| Sayreville Junction | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) |
| Sayreville Branch | to Sayreville - 2 miles (3.2 km) |
| Edgars | 4.8 miles (7.7 km) |
| Vandeventers | 5.7 miles (9.2 km) |
| South River | 6.4 miles (10.3 km) |
| Milltown | 9.9 miles (15.9 km) |
| New Brunswick | 11.9 miles (19.2 km) |
As construction of the mainline was progressing west towards New Brunswick, the first two branch lines were built: in 1890, the 2.1 miles (3.4 km) Sayreville Branch to access the Sayre and Fisher Brick Yards near the mouth of the Raritan River; one mile (1.6 km) of the Serviss Branch in East Brunswick was started in 1891, in order to access the sand and clay needed by Sayre and Fisher. The third locomotive (No. 3) was purchased in 1890 and fourteen 30-ton freight cars were ordered.
By July 4, 1891, the RRRR's first train left Milltown, and shortly thereafter the line reached New Brunswick, having lain twelve miles (19 km) of mainline track. The railroad decided not to cross the Raritan River into New Brunswick to reach Bound Brook, due to the expense and lack of potential freight business at the time in the largely undeveloped area.
Between 1888-1898, the line had 3 engines, 34 freight cars, 6 passenger cars, 12 miles (19.3 km) of main line, and two branch lines.
After the line was built, both the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
and the Central Railroad of New Jersey
Central Railroad of New Jersey
The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States...
started to buy stock in the Raritan. The Central acquired a 60% ownership share and the PRR 40%. Although wholly owned by the two bigger lines, the RRRR was locally managed from its headquarters on John Street in South Amboy.
In the 1890s, the RRRR continued upgrading its track, building stations, and generally upgrading its infrastructure. It acquired a number of small locomotives, adding to the roster as traffic increased. The first customers on the line were the brick companies, the clay and sand pits of Crossman’s and Such’s. In fact, Crossman’s in Sayreville grew so large that an industrial narrow gauge line running in the pits brought the sand and clay to the connection with the RRRR.
Sayreville Junction was created almost at the midpoint of the line for storage and classifications of cars. RRRR trains would run straight from either the NYLB or PRR connection, and drop off the cars at Sayreville Junction, where they would be sorted for the runs either east or west at that point.
The 1900s saw the second branch line extended, the Serviss Branch was increased from one to four miles (6 km). This line ran from the RRRR main in East Brunswick, headed north, and curved back south towards South River again. In fact, the terminus of the Serviss Branch was just one mile (1.6 km) from the RRRR’s South River Station. This branch was built to service the many sand and clay pits that were opening along the area. Even a small brick yard was located at the end of this branch at Reid Street. During this same period, the current Sanford Street terminus in New Brunswick was finished, with elaborate brick passenger and freight stations. Two more engines were purchased to help with the increase in freight. Engines No.4 and No.5 were added to the roster in 1899 and 1900. A small batch of larger cars were ordered, five 40 ton cars. In about 1901, the first number 3 engine was replaced with a second, more powerful number 3.
In 1905 the South River Branch was built, two miles (3 km) south from the South River station. Engine No. 6 was added to the roster in 1905. By 1905, the Raritan River with its six locomotives had doubled its engine roster compared to the three engines it had in 1898. In around 1907, both engines No. 1 and No. 2 were replaced by more powerful engines, which were assigned the same numbers.
Freight traffic continued to grow substantially, necessitating larger gondolas. The Raritan River ordered forty-four 50 ton cars in 1910, for a total of 83 cars on its roster. Passenger service was never an important revenue source for the RRRR, which owned only six passenger cars in 1910. In Milltown, the Michelin Tire Company
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
constructed a massive tire manufacturing complex employing more than 2,000 employees. Tons of raw materials and finished products rolled in and out of Milltown on the Raritan River.
The Milltown Station was a very busy place at train time. It had a Railway Express agent and priority packages were shipped on special rail cars attached to RRRR passenger trains for connections to other railroads, providing express rail shipment capability nationwide. Passenger traffic was also growing rapidly, so the RRRR purchased 12 passenger cars and 2 combine cars from the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
in 1915. Engine number 7 was added to the roster in 1912, engine number 8 was added in 1914, and engines 9 and 10 were added in 1915, bringing the total number of locomotives on the Raritan River to ten. By 1917, this would further increase to a total of 15 engines on the RRRR.
During 1917, the Gillespie Branch was built into an isolated wooded area, to access the T Gillespie Powder Works
T. A. Gillespie Company Shell Loading Plant explosion
The T. A. Gillespie Company Shell Loading Plant explosion, sometimes called the Morgan Depot Explosion, occurred at 7:30 p.m. on October 4, 1918 at an ammunition plant operated by the T.A. Gillespie Company and located in the Morgan area of Sayreville in Middlesex County, New Jersey...
. With Gillespie, DuPont, and Hercules all making munitions for World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, it was a very busy time on the RRRR. At its peak, DuPont was supplying four 50 ton cars per day of weapons and/or munitions.
In addition to munition plant shipments along the line, World War I also resulted in a substantial increase in passenger traffic. In 1917, two more Lackawanna passenger cars were added. In 1918, passenger traffic reached an all time high, with 22 daily passenger trains and 7 extra trains on Sundays. The Raritan River had 15 Engines and 16 passenger cars, as well as about 83 freight cars, moving 9,000 passengers per day and 1.5 million tons of freight and war materials in 1918.
Interbellum
| Station name | Distance |
|---|---|
| South Amboy | — |
| Stevens Avenue | 0.3 mile (0.482802 km) |
| Bergen Hill | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) |
| Phoenix | 2 miles (3.2 km) |
| Sayreville Junction | 3.5 miles (5.6 km) |
| Sayreville Branch | to Sayreville - 2 miles (3.2 km) |
| Parlin | 4 miles (6.4 km) |
| Gillespie | 5.1 miles (8.2 km) |
| Vandeventers | 5.8 miles (9.3 km) |
| South River | 6.4 miles (10.3 km) |
| South River Branch | to Wrights - 1 miles (1.6 km) |
| Serviss Junction | 7.9 miles (12.7 km) |
| Serviss Branch | to South River (Reid Street) - 4 miles (6.4 km) |
| Milltown | 9.9 miles (15.9 km) |
| New Brunswick | 12.3 miles (19.8 km) |
After the war ended, traffic subsided and engine number 8 was retired. In 1919, a new 12-stall roundhouse and shops were built near Stevens Avenue.
The 1920s saw a decline in freight and passengers, with increased competition from buses, cars, and trucks beginning to have an adverse effect upon the RRRR. In 1924, Moody’s listed the Raritan as having only 50 freight cars, 44 50-ton and 6 40-ton. All 30-ton and 20-ton cars were srapped. By 1925, only six of the 14 former Lackawanna passenger cars remained on the RRRR's roster. Locomotive #11 was wrecked and engines No. 3, No. 4, and No. 6 were scrapped. The Milltown spur, or Fresh Ponds Spur, was built in 1925 to access a sand and clay pit just south of Milltown. By the late 1920s, engines No. 1 and No. 2 were also scrapped. By the end of 1929, the Raritan River Railroad had just eight working engines.
The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
accelerated the downturn in business on the Raritan. The Michelin Tire Company closed its Milltown plant in early 1930, devastating the small town. Most of the sand and clay pits also shut down during those times, and service on the Serviss Branch was almost non-existent. Revenue traffic fell by half and passenger service was reduced considerably, to just four daily trains by 1930, compared to 22 in 1917. By the mid-1930s, the RRRR had only two ex-Lackawanna RR passenger coaches remaining of the original fourteen. The last two original 4-wheeled cabooses were scrapped. Engine No. 7 was scrapped in 1933; engine No. 12 was scrapped in 1937.
As of April 27, 1936, the Raritan River had only one scheduled round-trip passenger train, operating daily except Sundays between Parlin and New Brunswick. It left New Brunswick as Train #2 at 6:35 am, making stops at Milltown and South River, and arrived at Parlin 6:55 am. Return train #7 departed Parlin at 3:50 pm, arriving at 4:44 pm. On weekdays, the Raritan River also operated a through single tripper from Stevens Avenue in South Amboy as #1, at 5:45 am, making stops at Bergen Hill, Parlin, South River, and Milltown, arriving at New Brunswick 6:24 am.
By 1937, the multitude of sand, clay, and brick industries that contributed greatly to the Raritan River's success in the early years were virtually all gone. But Crossman’s and Whitheads’ did survive, and were starting to grow again. About half of the 50-ton gondola freight cars purchased in 1910 and used to service these industries were scrapped by 1937. The last Combination Passenger car, No. 22, was also scrapped in 1937, ending baggage service on the Raritan River Railroad and leaving the line with just one passenger car, No. 27.
The first two Lackawanna Cabooses appeared on the line in 1937, numbers 5 and 6.
In 1938, the end of an era was reached on the Raritan River Railroad as passenger service was discontinued altogether after a half century of service. The last passenger train pulled out from the New Brunswick station on April 17, 1938. This closure allowed the Raritan to eventually tear down the Bergen Hill station and consolidate all business to the Parlin Station. The former Milltown and New Brunswick passenger stations were converted to freight stations.
The North Jersey Chapter of the NRHS
National Railway Historical Society
The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
sponsored a special excursion train on May 28, 1938, over the Raritan to mark the passing of regular scheduled passenger service. The special train left New Brunswick at 2:40 pm, stopped at the Lawrence Brook Trestle for photos, then proceeded up the Serviss Branch where it parked at Hendersons Siding just 15 feet (4.6 m) away from the Route 18 crossing. Many motorists stopped and gazed at the strange passenger train, as the Serviss Branch never had regularly scheduled passenger service. The special then proceeded back down the main and headed to South River, where participants observed the only manually hand-cranked swing bridge in New Jersey. They then proceeded to Sayreville Junction, where they witnessed the passing of a freight train, and the switching of freight cars. Eventually the group made it to South Amboy where they were given a tour of the RRRR shops and roundhouse area. The special then "high-balled" back to New Brunswick, with special permission granted to reach 40 miles per hour (64 km/h)!
In 1938, a new engine appeared on the line, the first time in almost 23 years since the prior engine purchases in 1916 during World War I. The economic recovery by the late 1930s resulted in an increase in freight, necessitating the purchase of another engine, numbered 8 after the one that had been scrapped in 1919.
World War II
The 1940s brought World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and its associated increase in freight traffic. Another engine was added to the line in 1941, numbered 7 after the one scrapped in 1937. After the war's end, the RRRR purchased six surplus USRA
United States Railroad Administration
The United States Railroad Administration was the name of the nationalized railroad system of the United States between 1917 and 1920. It was possibly the largest American experiment with nationalization, and was undertaken against a background of war emergency.- Background :On April 6, 1917, the...
engines for only $100,000, allowing the retirement of the line's elderly locomotives. In 1947, locomotive No. 15 was involved in a wreck at the PRR connection, and scrapped on the spot.
Post-war
| Company | Stop | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| National Lead | Phoenix Branch | 30% |
| Hercules Chemical Company Hercules Chemical Company Hercules Chemical Company Inc. is a manufacturing company located in Passaic, New Jersey, United States. The company manufactures a variety of plumbing products targeted toward plumbing professionals.- History :... |
Parlin Parlin, New Jersey Parlin is an unincorporated area in Old Bridge Township and Sayreville in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08859.... |
16% |
| Sunshine Biscuits Sunshine Biscuits Sunshine Biscuits was an independent American baker of cookies, crackers, and cereals. The company, whose brand still appears today on a few products , was purchased by Keebler Company in 1996 which was subsequently purchased by Kellogg Company in 2000... |
Gillespie Gillespie Gillespie is both a masculine given name, and a surname in the English language. It is an Anglicised form of the Irish language Mac Giolla Easpaig and the Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Easbuig, which are patronymic forms of a byname which means "servant of the bishop". In Ireland the Gillespie sept... Branch |
8% |
| C&E | New Brunswick New Brunswick New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area... |
8% |
| Continental Baking Company Continental Baking Company The Continental Baking Company was one of the first bakeries to introduce fortified bread. It was the maker of the Twinkie and Wonder bread. Through a series of acquisitions and mergers it became Hostess Brands.-History:... |
East Brunswick Branch | 7% |
| Cel Fibe (Personal Products) | 7% | |
| Personal Products | Milltown Milltown, New Jersey Milltown is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,893.Milltown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of North Brunswick Township, based on the... |
6% |
| H&F | Milltown | 5% |
| NJ Steel | Phoenix Branch | 3% |
| Squibb | New Brunswick | 3% |
| Premium Plastics | Milltown | 2% |
| DuPont DuPont E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009... |
Parlin | 2% |
The 1950s brought dieselization to the RRRR, as the remaining ex-USRA engines were replaced with six EMD SW900 engines. The retirement of steam also meant that the roundhouse could be closed, reducing expenses considerably for the shortline. The Serviss Branch was abandoned and scrapped in 1956, after being dormant for almost a decade. The Fresh Ponds spur in Milltown was also removed.
A temporary boost in tonnage on the Raritan occurred because of construction of the New Jersey Turnpike
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
, which generated fill material and sand movements. With Crossmanns’ help, the RRRR built a small loop track in Crossmans pits and moved hundreds of cars of sand. Major online shippers included National Lead, DuPont, Hercules, and Johnson & Johnson.
The industrial base of the East Coast was moving away, and this affected the RRRR along with all other eastern railroads. By 1964, all Less-Car-Load (LCL) freight was eliminated, and agents in the freight stations were dropped. By now most coal traffic was gone. The Raritan River acquired a damaged N&W Boxcar after an insurance company write-off, and rebuilt it as No. 100 for non-interchange usage, to move freight back and forth between on-line companies.
Although both parents of the RRRR, the CNJ and the Penn Central were bankrupt, the Raritan River remained solvent and continued to benefit from a major new industrial complex named Highview, which was built in East Brunswick with many spurs and industries connected. The old Serviss Branch was re-laid for two miles (3 km) and re-named the East Brunswick branch to serve Continental Bakery, which received many shipments of flour by rail. Sunshine Biscuit opened a plant at the end of the Gillespie Branch, and they too received flour by the RRRR. The South River Branch was upgraded, as well as the trackage in New Brunswick, for a new customer starting a rail-to-truck transfer there. The old Michelin Tire complex was rented and some freight traffic was generated there. The Raritan River also derived revenue from high per diem rates, leasing 100 fifty-foot box cars in 1975.
The Raritan River had its best revenue year in 1979, with operating revenues amounting to $1,968,671. The Raritan put an emphasis on customer service and benefited from having longtime online customers such as Dupont and Hercules (Formally Smokeless Powder Company) going back to the 1910s. Sunshine Biscuit kept the Gillespie branch alive, just as Continental Baking kept the East Brunswick branch active. This allowed continued rail service to a number of small and infrequent shippers, which would otherwise have been ended.
With the creation of Conrail in April 1976 to take over the failing eastern railroads, the then-profitable Raritan River was supposed to be included along with their bankrupt parent railroads. The RRRR resisted inclusion in Conrail and took court action to forestall it. Four years later, on April 24, 1980, the Raritan River Railroad merged into the Conrail system.
Conrail Era
Once merged into the Conrail system, the 12 miles (19.3 km) Raritan River Railroad mainline was re-named Conrail’s Sayreville Secondary, and would be switched out of Conrail’s Browns Yard near Bordentown Avenue. This required major upgrades to Browns Yard, as all classifications and storage were performed there instead of Sayreville Junction.The old wooden and outdated steel cabooses were sold, and replaced with steel Conrail cabooses. The remaining 97 leased fifty-foot box cars were re-numbered and absorbed into the Conrail system. The six EMD SW900s were re-numbered for Conrail and did switch the RRRR line for a few years, but were eventually scrapped in 1984. Most union employees were assimilated into the Conrail System. The clerical and managerial staff were all terminated. Of the 56 employees on the payroll in 1980, 30 would be offered jobs with Conrail, 26 would not.
Conrail closed the shops in South Amboy, with the engines now left idling in Parlin, to the discomfort of neighbors. The interchange in South Amboy for the PRR was closed in 1976. Later, Conrail extended the Gillespie Branch to cross Bordentown Avenue and connect directly with Browns Yard, enabling abandonment of the South Amboy connection with the ex-CNJ NY&LB. The line was then cut back to the Phoenix Spur, which still receives freight today in the form of scrap steel. The South River Branch was abandoned in the early 1980s. The abandoned engine shop eventually burned down in 1983.
The New Brunswick and Parlin stations were demolished by the early 1990s. The Milltown spur to the old Michelin Tire Complex has been severed from the Mainline, but still remains crossing Main Street (and has been re-laid after repaving) The Milltown spur as well as the Michelin Complex are listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. The RRRR Mainline currently terminates at Silverline Windows in North Brunswick, just under the Route 1 Bridge.
In the 1980s and the 1990s, some of the largest customers finally stopped shipping by rail: Dupont no longer receives freight and their siding is now disconnected from the main; and National Lead, at one time the Raritan River's largest customer, is today closed and listed as a superfund
Superfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
site. Hercules is still connected, but only receives an occasional box car, not the significant tonnage it once shipped. Both the Sunshine Biscuit and Continental Baking plants have shut down. The Gillespie Branch now only survives since it connects the main to Conrail’s Browns Yard. The East Brunswick branch is still connected, and a few customers are still connected, but none are receiving freight currently. In the Highview Industrial Complex in East Brunswick, only one customer still receives freight. The South River Branch was abandoned in the early 1980s.
Plans to expand the Rail-to-Truck transfer facility in the Raritan River's New Brunswick facilities were dropped by Conrail, despite support for the project by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and New Brunswick. As a result, the entire complex was eventually demolished and the wye area in New Brunswick was sold and redeveloped with townhouses.
By the late 1990s, the last customer in New Brunswick, Squibb, stopped getting tank cars. The former Johnson and Johnson plant in Milltown is now used by Silverline Windows, which receives many covered hoppers of plastic pellets.
The only remaining station is in Milltown
Milltown, New Jersey
Milltown is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,893.Milltown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of North Brunswick Township, based on the...
; still proudly displaying its original sign: “Raritan River Railroad – Freight Station
Raritan River Freight Station
The Raritan River Freight Station is the only surviving station of the Raritan River Railroad and is located in Milltown, New Jersey. It is currently owned by Conrail.-History:...
”. It is in a deteriorating condition and there have been movements among fans and the Borough of Milltown
Milltown, New Jersey
Milltown is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,893.Milltown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of North Brunswick Township, based on the...
to move it to another location and restore it. The current owner, attorney James Curran, has indicated he would "consider donating it." The RRRR logo can still be seen through the rust on the Manual Swing Bridge in South River
South River, New Jersey
South River is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 15,322....
.
| Car | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caboose #7 | Alaire State Park | Used as the office for the Pine Creek Railroad |
| Caboose #8 | Ivyland, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
|
| Caboose #10 | Port Murray, New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... |
awaiting restoration by the NRHS |
| Boxcar 100 | Quakertown, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
East Penn Railway |
Current operations
| Mile | Company | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Gerdau Steel | scrap (inbound), rebars (outbound) |
| 4.6 | Hercules Chemical Company Hercules Chemical Company Hercules Chemical Company Inc. is a manufacturing company located in Passaic, New Jersey, United States. The company manufactures a variety of plumbing products targeted toward plumbing professionals.- History :... |
|
| 5.5 | AmeriSteel | steel |
| 5.7 | Riverside Supply | brick |
| 9.4 | Mauser | plastic |
| 11.2 | Silverline Windows | plastic |
Under CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and Norfolk Southern, the old RRRR line still has six or so customers keeping the line active. Steel, bricks, and plastic, and the occasional box car, can be spotted. AmeriSteel was added recently in Sayreville. Trains still run almost daily from Browns Yard.
Gerdau Steel is on the eastern end of the old Phoenix Spur and still receiving steel. Bricks, one of the commodities moved in significant quantities in the Raritan's beginning, are still shipped on the line to Riverside Supply. Mauser is the only company left in the East Brunswick Highview complex still receiving freight. The East Brunswick spur is still connected to the main, but receives no freight. Of almost a dozen spurs once in East Brunswick, only one still receives freight. On the western end, Silverline Windows still receives 5-10 cars of plastic pellets per week. Trains usually run twice a week to Silverline.
Future
New Jersey TransitNew Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
and Middlesex County, New Jersey
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
, are studying potential future light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
options in the New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
area to allieviate traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
, including the former Raritan River Railroad right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
which parallels the busy Route 18 highway corridor into New Brunswick.
External links
- Tom’s Raritan River Railroad Page - An excellent summary of Raritan River Rail Road history and current operations.