I was working for an electronics company in the early 1970’s that was located near Raritan, NJ. Mile Post 38 was behind the parking lot and I spent many lunch hours there. I also went to Raritan, NJ and parked at the Anderson Avenue parking lot to photograph the noon time passenger trains and the freight trains. Raritan also had a engine house and a passenger layover yard. The passenger trains were of the push-pull types with the FPSD-37’s, which were GP-7’s. Once the GP40-P’s arrived, the control cars were prevalent. This is my photography journal from that era. Unfortunately, I did not get a 35mm camera until 1970 and some of these photos I took with an old Kodak Brownie camera. I wish I could go back and retake these photos! I also used a 120 film folding camera and a graphic with 4 inch by 5 inch negatives to record some photos.
I shot a lot of Black and White in those days. It is hard to believe these were taken 50 years or so ago!
North Branch, NJ
I visited the station at North Branch, NJ only a few times. There is a bridge that crossed the north branch of the Raritan River.
The CNJ arch bridge over the North Branch of Raritan River at North Branch, NJ in March 1972.
A wooden road bridge crosses over CNJ at North Branch , NJ in March 1972. This bridge was a one lane bridge which made traffic quite interesting!
RS-3 #1555 with an eastbound local freight is crossing the bridge over North Branch of Raritan River in March 1972.
Mile Post 38
Mile post 38 with a view looking west in February 1972.
A rail view of mile post 38 looking west near Rt 202 at the RCA plant in August 1969.
Erie-Lackawanna GP-35 #2585 & SD-45 #3632 are east bound with train SE-98 at Mile Post 38 in March 1973.
CNJ. SD-35 # 2506, #2511 and 2 other units power an eastbound freight as she rounds the curve at the Rt 202 bridge at MP 38 in February 1973.
Former B&O now CNJ SD-40 #3066 & #3067 handle an eastbound freight at M.P. 38 in July 1972.
SD-40 #3067 and another unit are eastbound at M.P. 38 in August 1972.
CNJ SD-35 #2504 & #2503 are in charge of a westbound freight at M.P. 38 in March 1974. Note that the signals have been removed and only the base remains.
Former B&O now CNJ SD40 #3063 is stopped at MP 38 waiting for the clear signal to proceed to Raritan, NJ in June 1973.
Raritan
The Raritan, NJ Station on August 8, 1973. The station had 4 tracks, 2 at the station which also crossed First Avenue and into the layover yard while the other 2 tracks were the main line to Phillipsburg and into Pennsylvania.
Looking west towards the Raritan station at Anderson Avenue in August 1972. SD-35 #2504 & SD-35 #2504 & SD-40 #3067 are eastbound at Raritan, NJ on March 29, 1973 as they cross the First Avenue crossing. This crossing would be removed and a bridge would be installed.
SD-35 #2508 & RS-3 #1555 are eastbound with a freight at the Anderson Avenue crossing in May 1973.
FPSD-37 #1521 with the eastbound High Bridge local as she waits for the clear at the signal bridge at Raritan in August 1972.
FPSD-37 #1528 is at the Raritan station with mid day eastbound passenger train in August 1972. GP40P #3678 in on the rear in push-pull service.
GP-40P #3678 is on the rear of the eastbound passenger train in push-pull service with FPSD-37 #1521 leading in August 1972.
FPSD-37 #1524 in the Red Baron paint scheme is westbound with the High Bridge local in August 1973.
FPSD-37 #1523 with caboose #91528 is heading west to High Bridge as it crosses Anderson Ave in June 1974.
FPSD-37 #1529 and the eastbound mid-day passenger train in August 1973.
FPSD-37 #1532 is westbound and will cross Anderson Avenue on September 6, 1974.
Control car #1321 is eastbound at Raritan Station as it crosses Anderson Avenue in April 1974.
Control car #1321 on the morning eastbound train at Raritan on a very cold February 1973.
SD-40 #3063 & SD-35 #2509 are eastbound in the mid-day at Boyd Tower, Raritan, NJ in August 1973. Bill Burke is the tower operator.
Track removal at the Raritan station in this view looking east in April 1973.
Looking west towards First Avenue. The tracks are ripped up in prep for the new bridge. I took this photo in April 1973. Soon the work will start and the crossing will be history.
Building the new First Avenue overpass in Raritan in January 1974. Work continues on the roadway underneath the bridge.
GP40-P #3672 is pushing the eastbound passenger train over the new 1st Ave bridge in Raritan in August 1974.
Raritan Engine House & Layover yard
A view of the Raritan engine terminal and coach yard. The Calco office building is in background in August 1971.
FPSD-37 # 1527 is at the engine house in August 1971.
A view of the yard in August 1971. The engine house is on the left side of the yard.
GP40-P #3678 is at the Raritan Engine Terminal sanding tower in March 1973.
FPSD-37 #1524 is in the Raritan engine house in September 1973.
GP40P #3682 is in a winter setting at theRaritan, NJ engine terminal in February 1973. I took this photo at 3 minutes with f11 using Kodak Ektachrome.
In January 1977, we visited the Raritan engine house and I photographed this RDC at f11 for 5 minutes using Kodak Ektachrome.
GP-40P #3682 at Raritan, NJ engine house on a snowy evening in February 1976.
GP40P #3674 is at the Raritan engine terminal on a snowy March 1976. I used Kodak Ektachrome with a setting of f11 for a 5 minute exposure.
GP40P #3680 is being serviced in February 1976.
Control car # 1317 is in the engine house on January 15, 1974.
RDC #561, #560 and others rest on a snowy night on February 7, 1976.
An RDC trainset is at the engine house on a very cold January 15, 1974. Note the icicles on the RDC!
Former Reading Company T-1 #2101 is being serviced for the trip on the Memorial Day weekend.
RK Tower
RK Tower is in Bridgewater, NJ. I visited the location several times before and after the tower was wrecked in November 1969. The photo has faded over the years.
I took this photo of RK Tower in Bridgewater, NJ with a Polaroid camera in August 1969. The quality is not good, but it is history!
This is a rear view of RK Tower in August 1969.
The tower had Armstrong levers. These are photos I took in August 1969.
A CNJ RDC train set is westbound at RK Tower in August 1969.
The wrecked tower was replaced with a trailer. This is a view of the ‘new’ RK Tower looking west in December 1969. I took this photo with a Polaroid camera so the quality is not good.
CNJ SD-35 #2504 and an RS-3 with an eastbound freight. Operator Bill Trower is handing up orders on the fly in September 1974.
C&O SD-40 #3535 heading an eastbound freight at the RK tower/trailer in June 1971.
A CNJ RDC is heading east as it passes the RK Tower trailer in August 1972.
B&O #4001 & CNJ SD35 #2501 power a westbound freight at RK Tower/trailer in May 1973.
A Memorial Day fantrip with Reading #2102 heads west at RK Tower on May 30, 1972.
At RK Tower, a siding went to the Trap Rock quarry. FPSD-37 #1525 brings a local freight on the Trap Rock siding as it crosses Route 28 in March 1971.
Calco, Bridgewater, NJ
A short distance east of RK Tower was a stop called CALCO. This was a stop that allowed Calco employees to take the train to work. I stopped at CALCO only a few times.
The Calco ‘station’ looking west toward RK Tower in April 1974.
The Reading Company ‘Wall Street’ with RDC #9165 leading the train set is westbound at Calco in Bridgewater, NJ in April 1974.
The CNJ leased an RS-3 #1561 which is eastbound in April 1974.
Bound Brook, NJ
There was a small yard in Bound Brook that was serviced by the CNJ and the Lehigh Valley Railroad.
This view is looking east in Bound Brook, NJ in March 1973. There were yard tracks on both sides in 1973.
A Freight with SD-35 #2503 & #2507 at the Bound Brook Station, NJ are dropping off cars in the small freight yard in March 1974.
GP40-P #3680 is westbound and stopped at Bound Brook to discharge passengers in November 1973.
The times have changed! New Jersey Department of Transportation operates the passenger service. FPSD-37 # 5910 west bound push-pull passenger train with FPSD #5902 on the rear at Bound Brook in September 1981.
Lehigh Valley U-23B #502, #512 & #513 are eastbound at Bound Brook as they are switching the yard in July 1973. They will return to their train on the Lehigh Valley tracks.
On April 1, 1976, Conrail took over the freight operations, including the CNJ.
Conrail GP7 #5921 pushing piggyback cars past the Bound Brook station in May 1979.
This is a view of the Conrail yard at Bound Brook in September 1981.
Fanwood
Our group went to the Fanwood, NJ station to photograph the winter steam fan trip with former Reading Company T-1 #2102. Later I visited Fanwood for a few more photos.
Fanwood, NJ station in February 1972.
Ed Kaspriske, Bud Rothaar & George Hiotus were in our group to photograph the steam trip in February 1972.
Westbound #2102 with the fan trip in February 1972.
Looking east at the Fanwood station in November 1973.
GP40-P #3677 is eastbound with a passenger train at Fanwood in November 1973.
The end of the line is in Newark, NJ station. Passengers will change trains for New York City. I rode this train with our engineer friend Steve Bonscher.
Newark track 5 & FPSD-37 #1529 in October 1977. Steve Bonscher is the engineer on this trip.
Elizabethport, NJ
Elizabethport - E’Port - was a CNJ engine terminal and service location. We never knew what we would see since other railroad’s engines were also serviced at E-Port. E-Port also had tracks for the Perth Amboy line and tracks that went to other locations.
SD-40 #3062 is being serviced at the E-Port engine terminal in March 1974.
RS-3 #1553 is at the sand tower inMarch 1974.
RS-3 #1705 is being serviced at E’Port shops in March 1974.
Chessie GP40-2 #4157, GP35 #3720 a GP30 & an RS-3 have been serviced and are awaiting an assignment in March 1974.
