South Toms River CNJ Station Destroyed

[GermanG]

A friend just informed me that the station is gone. The structure had deteriorated greatly in the last few years, and it may not have even been financially reasonable to restore it, but as a railroad history enthusiast, I was still saddened by the news. This was one of three remaining stations on the Barnegat Branch of the CNJ, and the only station in Ocean County, of any railroad, still in its original location. This station was built in 1868 as a passenger station and was converted to a freight house when the newer station was built in 1900.

 

[omega]

Is that the one that was along route 9 just south of the bridge? was it taken out for the new traffic pattern?

I'm not big train guy, but I did work in Scranton for a while and was extremely familair with the Steamtown National Historic Site, before it was a National Historic Site. and love taking the kids on steam train rides (too bad the Allaire engine hasn't run in years, at least the last few times we were there)

I think I have it on 3/4" tape somewhere, the intro to the Saturday night newscast I anchored had the Steamtown train powerin thru.

 

[GermanG]

Yes, that is the station. I'm not sure if the new bridge and related new traffic patterns was the reason however. They completed the bridge along with the new road contruction without touching the station, which surprised me, as the station was very close to some of the new road contruction. In fact, it was so close that I wouldn't be surprised if I learned that a truck clipped it.

During the bridge/road construction I stopped to poke around the site. The fresh excavating unearthed loads of bricks from the station that burned in 1976. I guess much of the debris was buried at the time. I saved a few of the bricks, as it didn't look like the contractor had any regard for them. Maybe they can be displayed at an appropriate location someday.