railroads in the pines

[bach2yoga]

My spring cleaning is done, my school work is caught up, no one is sick, and I have rescheduled my time so that I can finally breathe...feels good. I'm finally getting a chance to start reading some of my Pines books.
Jack Cervetto mentions:
On the same side of the air strip a quarter mile of railroad track was built with a cinder base and ties. A portion of the railroad bed is still there. This we knew was military training during Second world war. They also built a large four bay garage all of concrete. The roof was of wood covered with a tar mix. The building was broken apart two years ago. It was buiot on the hill on the south side of the road that goes by the Water Hole and airport. It could be seen on the hill from Route 539 (Cervetto 42).
Anyone know where these two things are?
Renee

 

[Teegate]

Jack Cervetto mentions:
On the same side of the air strip a quarter mile of railroad track was built with a cinder base and ties. A portion of the railroad bed is still there. This we knew was military training during Second world war. They also built a large four bay garage all of concrete. The roof was of wood covered with a tar mix. The building was broken apart two years ago. It was buiot on the hill on the south side of the road that goes by the Water Hole and airport. It could be seen on the hill from Route 539 (Cervetto 42).
Anyone know where these two things are?
Renee

Is he talking about the Warren Grove air strip, and when was that book written?

If he is, he must be talking about the buildings that were on Bombing Range Road that I showed you when we were there. I had the photo with me and showed you the cement slab where it was. There are also many other buildings in that immediate area that could have been the one he was talking about.

This is the only building that was still standing in the 70's.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/8_1979.jpg

Guy

 

[bach2yoga]

Yes, it was Warren Grove. The book was printed in 2000, but Jack lived until 1995. I do remember a cement slab, vaguely. Was that the 4 bay garage? I can't tell from that angle.
Do you know about the railroad?
Renee

 

[Teegate]

The particular building in my photo may not have been the exact one they were talking about, but it is on the top of the hill there. The map at the link below shows you the multiple buildings that were there.They are in the red circle. The road now just intersects and does not go around in the circle as this map shows. The building in my photo is most likely the bottom black dot in the red circle.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/~teegate/bombing.jpg

I know nothing about the tracks, but we did hike across the woods there recently, and found no evidence of it. It may have been on the side of the road we did not hike.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

BTW, the coming issue of Weird NJ has an article on Bombing Range Road.


ABANDONED BOYS PREP SCHOOL OF WANTAGE - BOMBING RANGE
ROAD - WHOPPING WILLY ROAD - INCIDENT OF POSSUMTOWN ROAD

Guy

 

[bach2yoga]

Thanks! These narrow gauge "donkey" railroads, or "dinkey" railroads have me fascinated because there is so little known about them. Crossley has them, and from what Ted Gordon told me, he has found several in the Pines that aren't really known.
Renee

 

[Teegate]

I have never found one so I can't help you on where any are.

Guy

 

[gagliarchives]

In reference to the rail that runs by Hampton Furnace, I found this out:
Hi,
Sorry I took so long to get back to you again...it did it again, placing your email in the SPAM folder...so now to keep that from happening again, your email addy is going in the "preferred" class...which should eliminate this stupid problem...

In any case, that's a great photo you sent of the track...that is the ex-CNJ trackage, and I'm very familiar with it. Track is currently abandoned between WInlsow Junction and Lakehurst...technical name for this trackage at time of abandonment was Conrail's Southern Secondary. Ex-CNJ Southern Division mainline, the route for the famous Blue Comet passenger train from New York to Atlantic City. Here's the historical information I have on file for this line:

The line in question is part of the CNJ's old "Southern Division", which later became known as the Conrail Southern Secondary. It was most famous for it's role as the route of the famous high speed express passenger train "The Blue Comet", which operated from 1929 to 1941. The end of regular passenger service on that line was in 1957, and that last revenue passenger train was just a local from Bridgeton north. A special steam excursion operated over this line between Elizabethport and Bridgeton, NJ behind a 4-6-2 pacific (I don't have the number on file) on July 25, 1967, which was run by Iron Horse Enterprises. Officially, the last passenger train to operate via the Southern Secondary was on March 5, 1972. That passenger train was a railfan excursion from Elizabeth to Toms River. The last revenue freight train operated over the Southern Secondary between Winslow and Lakehurst on August 3, 1978. While this was the last revenue move, several work trains and extras operated over the Southern before the track was officially taken out of service at the end of 1978. While the Southern Secondary is now formally abandoned, the rails remain in place and almost completely intact between Winslow Junction and Lakehurst.

Hope this helps out on the info. Once again, sorry I took so long...take care.

Mike DiMunno
www.SJRail.com Webmaster!

 

[bigfootmorf]

most of these railroads ran directly back and forth east,and west leading from the shore thru fortdix and mcguire afb.,and beyond.They were mostly to move supplies and troops back and forth.As a teenager back in the mid 80's i got paid as a laborer to tear these tracks up,we worked the whole summer until school started again,and werent even close to being done.I know that trains hadnt run on the tracks for a long time before that!

 

[wks]

Cool internet video of a steam train excursion 54 years ago.
Video says footage shot at Quakerbridge Road in Atsion.

 

[manumuskin]

Those tracks have been down since 82.Leg sized trees inside the rails now

 

[c1nj]

I can't stop watching this video.
Thanks, wks!

 

[Teegate]

I wish I had taken more photos or video of the train going through. I was stopped in Chatsworth often and got out of my car and watched it and never took a photo. Also at 206.

This was developed 8/1978 and may have been one of the last trains to go down. The trains stopped running that year. I am standing behind the sign. It most likely was at Pine Crest.

 

[enormiss]

Cool video, Eugene is my wife's uncle.

 

[Pan]

A couple of years ago i posted the pictures i took of a train wreck - overturned RR cars - near Carranza Memorial about 50 years ago.

And, speaking of the bombing range, 21 years ago when my rented car got bogged down in a remote part of the barrens (exact location still saved on my gps, i think) the 2nd day i hiked out under a lowering sky 8 miles past scary signs saying things like "All persons r strictly forbidden to enter this bombing range."

 

[Pan]

Not in the Pine Barrens, but moi, fireman, Pennsylvania RR....

 

[Pan]

And i did post my photos of the freight train wreck near Carranza Memorial that i took in 1971, like this one...