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From: "Paul R DOT Tupaczewski" paultup AT comcast DOT net
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:16:30 -0500
Subject: Cabride on the Boonton Line, Part 2
"H02_cabride_019_Boonton_NJ-1999-PRT.jpg" - image/jpeg, 1829x1247 (24bit)

Continuing our ride.... Please note that the first portion is on the former
DL&W. Note how the details change once we're on the former Erie/NY&GL....


011: Approaching the Mountain Lakes station. The shelter near the tracks
on the right was built by NJT only a few years earlier. Heritage comparison:
Compare to "830" (the tall power tower can be seen in both images if you
want to orient yourself). The canopy on the westbound (left) platform has
been long torn down, and that signal bridge came down just a few years
before this cab ride.

012: Ahhh.... welcome to Boonton, my hometown! :) This is the west end of
town. The signals are NJT-installed to replace the signal bridge that once
stood here (boo). The switch in front of us connects to the "Boonton
Industrial Track", which by this time was no longer used (they stored MOW
equipment here). That used to be the old westbound main.

013: Moving up the track 200 feet. In the fog in the distance is the Fanny
Road overpass, and the factory at the right is Norda, a manufacturer of
flavors and fragrances. This place always smelled like... something.
Chocolate, berries, lavender - you name it. It used to receive rail service
once upon a time, and you can see its moribund siding at the right. The
attached "7304" shot is basically at the same location (the Norda siding is
in a bit better condition)

014: Approaching the Fanny Road overpass. I spent many hours watching
commuter trains here. Note the temporary bumper on the spur.

015: Just past the overpass, we come alongside the old West Boonton yard,
now very full of trees. Shockingly, this would all be cleared out in the
future to allow URHS to keep their historic equipment here. The "FAs" shot
is at the same spot, and shows the yard in use.

016: At the other end of the yard we see the freighthouse. The "1406" shot,
while crappy, shows how this area looked like in busier EL days.

017: Now we're appproaching the Rockaway River deck truss bridge and the
Main St. overpass. In EL days, that bridge was THE height limiter between
Scranton and Croxton, even after undercutting. The " 8411" shot is a
westbound commuter train at this very location.

018: Crossing the Rockaway River bridge

019: Ducking under the Main St. overpass, that's the station behind the
bright yellow tree. The rotting green cars are former LIRR "Ping-Pong"
commuter coaches that were used to make a "mall" back in 1976. It failed
after two years and the cars remained rotting for decades. They were finally
scrapped about 2 years ago. A shame, they still had arch-bar trucks and many
were revealing their original LIRR lettering (in two different typefaces!)

020: Entering the station area proper. That's a former CNJ coach at the
left and in the distance. The attached "3352" shot shows this whole area in
EL years.

Of note, you'll see GIGANTIC telephone poles following the main here. This
is an easy way to identify if a train is on the west end of the Boonton Line
- these poles were installed between Denville and the west side of Lincoln
Park. They were here in EL years, too, but I have yet to find out what
they're for. I'm assuming they are transmission lines for the power company
- they're still used today.

That's all for this episode.

- Paul




H02_cabride_019_Boonton_NJ-1999-PRT.jpg

Image EXIF Data:
Image Capture Date   2013:01:18 10:42:38
Image Digitized Date   2013:01:18 10:42:38
Sub-Second Creation Time   27
Sub-Second Digitized Time   27


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