Re:(erielack) Grove Street and Ampere Stations...

["James Harr" <bnchmark_@_eclipse.net>]

Glenn;

Unfortunately, I don't have much info for your Ampere/Grove search, but I
will offer some recollections of the Montclair branch.

Ever since I first logged on to the internet in 1995, I have been searching
for pictures of the Montclair yard; it wasn't until I bought the Taber books
this spring that I saw the photos he included.

That search has slowed, due to emerging interests in other aspects of the
railroad, but I am always interested in photos of that branch. There was a
HUGE Blue Coal dock in
Montclair, right next to Bloomfield Avenue. Anyone remember that? I walked
up into it as a kid, probably 8 or 10 years old, and was absolutely
petrified it would fall down.

When they were tearing down some apartment buildings on Glen Ridge Avenue,
my friend Charles and I dug around by the banks of Tony's Brook, which ran
(runs) between them and the southeast side of the yard and thence under
Bloomfield Ave. We uncovered an old trash pit filled with vintage bottles,
all of which I still have.

In the winter of '72 or '73, we were playing around by the old freight house
and I was running along the platform when I slipped and fell, slicing my
hand up on some broken bottles; I still have the scars.

There was a 'typical' DL & W concrete tower that controlled movements into
this stub-ended yard; just like the ones at Alford, and Slateford and Port
Morris. It was this structure and this yard that really cemented my love for
this old railroad.

Of course, the yard is long gone, except for the station, and some light
standards and part of the old stairwell (I think), all removed when the
station was switched over to Bay Street. Well, those glory days are long
gone.

I think somewhere, perhaps in a back issue of Flags, Diamonds and Statues,
there is an article about the electrification project; perhaps that may have
some more info for your quest. I'll root around and see what I can dig up.

Jim Harr


From: Glenn Davis <funcle_@_epix.net>
Subject: (erielack) Grove Street and Ampere Stations...

Hello to all. I am trying to locate pictures of both the Ampere and
Grove Street stations on the M&E line in East Orange. I have the Taber
books as well as other
books and videos and there seems to be very little in the way of photos.
I lived in
EO as a kid and remember trains stopping there in the 60's, although the
buildings
were boarded up at the time. Am I correct in my thinking that Ampere had
an
island platform with a small shelter on the westbound side (between the
westbound
track and the runaround freight track)? I wish I had been around when
the buildings
were open because I'm sure the interiors must have been as interesting
as the
exterior archetecture. While I'm at it, with renewed interest due to the
Montclair
Connection, might there be any sources of vintage photos of the
Montclair Branch
in general. I appreciate your thoughts in advance. Have a good Sunday
all! Thanks...Glenn

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