Erie Lackawanna
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From: "V DOT C DOT Stagnitto" stagnitv AT bellatlantic DOT net
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 22:40:52 -0500
Subject: Re: (erielack) Rutherford Track CH17.JPG [1/4]
"CH01.jpg" - image/jpeg, 1058473 bytes, 2048x1536 (24bit)

I took a ride up to Carlton Hill last Sunday and hiked a good deal of the branch. Much to my surprise, the entire branch is pretty much intact - the way I remember it over 25 years ago. All of the tracks are overgrown with brush, but still there. The only thing missing were 2 of the 3 grade crossing tracks at Jackson Ave. - only the former EB main is still there. The former WB main, last used as a Royce spur, is still in place on either side of the crossing, however. The original Royce spur, which was a continuation of the Frommer sidetrack, is gone east of the crossing. Royce Chemical is gone - now townhouses. The Frommer building is still there; available for lease. There are two additional sidetracks further west: Forbes and Delsaco. The Forbes and Frommer sidings connect into the former WB main. The Delsaco siding joins in west of where the former WB connects into the former EB. So, it was pushed over to connect with the former EB. There is, also, a sidetrack closer to BJ. All of the turnouts going west are trailing. Attached is a schematic drawing I did of the branch along with some captioned photos.

Vinnie


----- Original Message -----
From: "JG at graytrainpix"
To:
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 2:42 PM
Subject: (erielack) Rutherford Track


> Here's what I remember about the Carlton Hill Branch (and it was officially
> a "Branch", see any EL NY Division Employee's TT from 63 to 76). Between 63
> (end of Main Line thru Passaic) and 66, when the two AM and PM commuter
> trains still operated, there was double track from BJ Tower to about half a
> mile west of Carlton Hill station, not far from the abandoned BE Draw over
> the Passaic River. There wasn't really a crossover at that point; the
> westbound track just curved over to a switch onto the e/b track (was a
> regular hand-throw, not a spring switch). The e/b track continued west as a
> stub for a few hundred feet more. End of track was just a pile of ballast.
> Sometime in '67, the Branch was single-tracked, and the four tracks from BJ
> to HX Bridge were cut back to two. There wasn't a run-around track anywhere
> on the branch. The BJ Drill (and later, NB-42 in Conrail days) would
> usually run with the engine on the west end, drill Royce and Frommer and
> Delsaco, and then back up to BJ, often with caboose on the east end.
> However, there were times when the Drill put the engine on the east side of
> the cars to run back to BJ in proper fashion (especially if they did the
> branch last and were heading back to Croxton once done). How did they do
> that without a run-around track? Gravity! They'd put the engine on the
> Royce / Frommer siding, then take the handbrakes off the cars after bleeding
> them and let them roll downhill towards the Passaic River. Then after the
> cars passed, the engine would come out of the siding and couple on. I'd
> seen it done quite a few times. It sounds hairy, but the old EL switch
> crews always did it in a safe and efficient manner -- they made it look
> easy!
>
> Jim Gerofsky
>
>

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