An abandoned rail station and main line

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The "Lackawanna 1940" on the rail is likely not referring to the railroad, but to the rail manufacturer. Likely the former Bethlehem Steel plant at Lackawanna, New York.
 
I find it intresting that the bulk of the trees/overgrowth are within the rail line itself, and not the "median" between the lines..(or at least it appears thusly in a few of the pics.)
 
Great Photos, they seem really post apocalyptic, something that really interests me. Just how nature will take over again. The trees growing through the tracks are amazing. I'm also amazed they left steel in the ground all those years instead of scrapping it. perhaps there is some value in having the rail line left in situ for the slim chance of future reactivation in an emergency.
 
For rail fans, you might know that the Erie Railroad main line in NJ went along from Jersey City through Passaic on its way to Suffern and then westward towards Chicago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Railroad

In the early 1960's (by this point, the Erie Railway merged with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western), a section of the main line alignment was abandoned through Passaic, NJ to allow provisions for NJ Route 21 and I-80 out in Patterson. The Erie (passenger at least) terminals in Jersey City were done away with, and all passenger service was realigned to the Lackawanna terminal in Hoboken (still active). The Erie Mainline was still in use, but realigned a bit so it no longer crossed the Passaic river, and rather changed to its Bergen County spur out to Patterson, where things aligned back to the original Erie mainline.

The realignment meant that a short spur deadheaded at the Passaic river, and on that short branch from where the original Erie Mainline split from its Bergen line spur (which now was the Erie Mainline I suppose). Railroad stayed in service for E-L passenger trains for a short time, and freight for a while longer (in reality until the late 1990s), deadheading at the Passaic River in Rutherford, NJ.

There was a station called Carlton Hill, which was a station that was always along the original Erie Mainline, and stayed active even after the mainline was realigned and the track became deadheaded. The station was closed and removed in the mid 1960's. The rails remained for service as I mentioned, and I went to explore the abandoned station and look at the rails as they still remain. Took a LOT of pictures, figured id share for anyone interested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlton_Hill_(Erie_Railroad_station)

Anyway, perhaps the most interesting thing that I noticed is that the rails along there are labeled Lackawanna 1940. The merger wasnt until later. Why would that be? Was it re-railed after the merger with reclaimed rail from someplace else? Did Erie regularly buy rails from D,L&W? I have a few pics of those rails and others listed as L.S. Buffalo 1904, which is neat as I guess it came from a mill halfway on the Erie mainline to Buffalo, and the fact that they are from 1904 is neat.

Another curiousity is that there was a milepost labeled JC 10, like Jersey Central rail. But this is the Erie railroad mainline. Why would that be?

Anyway, enjoy.

JH1_1757.jpg


JH1_1758.jpg


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JH1_1765.jpg


JH1_1767.jpg


JH1_1768.jpg


JH1_1770.jpg
 
Great pictures, thanks for posting. I really love old buildings and sites.

Really great photography too, you had some great shots and super clear!

On a separate note it is surprising with the price of scrap steel to see someone has not recycled the rails. There are tons of steel waiting to be melted down!
 
Originally Posted By: MNgopher
The "Lackawanna 1940" on the rail is likely not referring to the railroad, but to the rail manufacturer. Likely the former Bethlehem Steel plant at Lackawanna, New York.
Great pics!! I work on BNSF Railway.The wording on the rail is from the manufacturer and the year it was made.14th pic is ,i believe an electric indicator switch,to indicate which way the points were aligned to.
 
Almost all our rails have BHP stamped on them.

Grafton bridge have sections assembled in scotland and shipped to Australia! You can see the foundry stamp on the sections when you take the pedestrian level.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafton_Bridge,_New_South_Wales
 
Its really cool to see the dates of certain pieces. All that history and most people who live around there probably have no clue about it or don't really care about it.
 
Very nice pics, I love local Jersey history like this. I used to explore the old buildings in my area when I was a kid. I wonder if this line runs near my place in Clifton, they used Broad street as a canal and I know a rail line was nearby.
 
Originally Posted By: hate2work

What kind of camera did you use? rip mori...

Seriously, very nice pics. What strikes me is how fast nature takes back what belongs to her.


Nikon D300 with 24-70 f2.8 Nikkor lens.
 
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