Tom’s Raritan River Railroad Page

www.RaritanRiver-RR.com

 

 

 

 

Raritan River Railroad

Historical Archive

 

Bob Kipp’s Slides

 

Old slides and pictures from the 1920s found in Bob’s Basement

 

Version 1.2

02/10/2007

 

 

 

Click on any link or picture to see a full size photo.

Most of the pictures have some great details that can be seen when viewing the full size photos.

Most are still under 100-200k so they should load fairly quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old pic of passenger car number 29

Note the old fence in background.  Possibly the old shops area before the round house was built in 1919.

Assuming this was taken in 1917, good old no.29 would last almost another 20 years,

 until 1935 or 1936 when she would be scrapped, as all passenger service would be discontinued by 1938.

 

 

 

 

Second shot of passenger car no.29

with two gentlemen in the front, also near the fence

Could these be the men who kept her clean, running, and safe?

 

 

Very rare shot of open gondola 800 series (1 of 5)

  • According to RUTR, cars 800-805 were purchased from Pressed Steel

Car Co. in 1903, and scrapped in 1928-1933.

  • This was the third series of freight cars purchased by the Raritan River Railroad. These cars were relatively small, having only 60 ton capacity; although 50% larger than the second set purchased in 1892 which only had 30 ton capacity.
  • It was my expectation that these cars were purchased specifically for use on the recently expanded Serviss Branch in East Brunswick which was built in 1890, but extended to 4 miles in 1900.
  • Note the old Shops in the background.  I have never seen any pictures of the old shops.

 

 

 

Very Very VERY rare shot of open gondola 600 series (1 of 14)

  • According to Rails up the Raritan, cars 600-614 were 30 ton cars purchased from Billmyer & Small Co. starting in 1892, and scrapped in 1916-1918.
  • This is the location of the “new” turntable being built in 1918.  That is the Bordentown Avenue Bridge in the background.
  • This was the second set of freight cars purchased, after the initial set of 20 ton cars in 1888.
  • It was my expectation that at the time these 14 cars were purchased specifically for use on the recently built Sayreville Branch (1889) to access Sayre and Fisher properties in Sayreville, as well as the recently built Serviss Branch (1890) which was only 1 mile long when built; with a few extensions for a few properties that Sayre and Fisher also had in East Brunswick at the time.
  • Engine Number 3 was also purchased at the same time (early 1890s), probably for use with these 14 cars.
  • These 14 cars were very small, only 30 tons, making them only usable for their original purpose.  They would have had little or no value elsewhere to other industries on the line.
  • Note: Serviss Branch was extended again to 4 miles and back around into South River in 1900.

 

 

 

Great shot of Bergen Hill Station 1923?

The Bergen Hill station existed at least from 1912 (the earliest timetable I have) until the very end of passenger service in 1938.

I believe it was also the South Amboy Agency for the lower end of the line, until passenger service ended.  Shortly after it was torn down.

 

Click here to read a great write up as Don Ziebrec tracks

down the exact location of the Bergen Hill Station.

 

 

 

 

 

A very ancient speeder stopped in front of Bergen Hill Station

We never would have believed that the Raritan River Railroad had a speeder, let alone a speeder in the early 1920s.

What a great photo!

 

 

Section house in Parlin

Small maintenance shed located in Parlin

 

 

Parlin with extra passenger loading platforms

A rare photo indeed! 

That shelter didn’t last long.

Probably for the WWI rush!

Note: This is the second Parlin Station, being built sometime around 1915.

 

 

South River Station 1923?

This is also the second South River station, probably built around 1915.

There was a freight station to the right of this building.

The South River station lasted until the end of passenger service, but burned down in the 1950s. or 1960s.

The freight station burned down in a spectacular fire in 1969.

 

South River Fire Pictures 1969

 

 

 

Milltown Passenger Station 1923?

The Milltown Station survives to this day and still sits in Milltown, New Jersey.

After passenger service ended in 1938, the Milltown Passenger Station was remodeled, moved 100 ft to the left, and raised

off the ground to become the Milltown Freight Station.

 

Milltown Freight Station Pictures

 

An interesting history of the station I wrote up for the Boro of Milltown:

www.RaritanRiver-RR.com/HistoryMilltownStation.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Brunswick extra loading platform for passengers, probably for the WWI rush.

We didn’t know that the New Brunswick facilities were also extended until we saw this photo.

The extension didn’t last long.

 

 

 

New Brunswick Building

Possibly the New Brunswick express building.

 

Here is a panoramic shot from the late 1960s of the entire New Brunswick area. 

The express building would be the last building on the right.

 

Here are more shots of the New Brunswick area

 

 

 

Bridge Building in SA?

I am not sure what bridge this is….yet.

But we’ll find out!

 

 

 

South Amboy crossing with automobile

I am not sure what crossing this is yet…but we will find out.

 

 

 

Crossing in South Amboy

Same crossing as above photo.

I am not sure what crossing this is yet…but we will find out.

 

 

Hall Search Light signal (numbered 97)– location unknown

 

 

 

 

 

Parlin Station – West side

The Parlin Station is visible at the far left

there is snow on ground, signals, switches,

probably coal hopper cars and DuPont at right

 

 

Same shot as above, only focused on the tracks.

  After closer inspection of the photo, there is something

between he tracks in the center, maybe some sort of signal detector.

 

 

 

A 2 car passenger train stopped at a search light signal

 

 

Engine 10 stopped near search light signal with men looking around.

  Could they be testing a new search light signal system?

It’s the same location as above, only now men are looking about.

 

 

 

Men on front of Engine Number 10

Now the some of the men seem to have jumped onto Engine number 10!

It’s a slightly different location then the previous 2 photos,

as determined by the fact that there are more tracks now on the right side of the train.

 

 

Passenger platform at Sayreville Junction?

Old shot of what appears to be a small passenger loading platform with a supply box next to it. 

With the number of tracks in the picture, this could be the stop at Sayreville Junction.

Note the men at the far right of the photo

This could be the same location as the photo above

 

 

 

 

 

Men smoking next to train

Again a slightly different location, as the switch the men

are standing on is not visible in the previous photos.

 

 

Supersized picture of the front and cowcatcher of Number 10.

What is it that we should be looking for in this picture? 

Is there anything added to work with the search light signals?

 

 

 

 

 

Engine shop getting constructed, 1918-19

 

 

 

South Amboy Shops

1919

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Questions? Comments?

Tom_E_Reynolds@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

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