Tom’s Raritan River Railroad Page

www.RaritanRiver-RR.com

 

 

 

Forgotten History

of the

Raritan River Railroad

 

Sayreville Passenger and Freight Station

Serviss Branch Lyles Station

New Brunswick Turntable

South River’s other station – Summer Hill

 

 

 

 

 

Recently I discovered some documents that have been scanned in by Google.  The “Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey” had some amazing, never before information and details about the Raritan River Railroad’s early days.

 

 

Version 1.0

11/13/2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sayreville Passenger and Freight Station dimensions and value

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1913

 

Amazing!  The lost Sayreville station was actually 13x40 feet in 1913!  Not just a shelter, but a large station valued at $650.

It also confirms my suspicion that there was only one station, shared by both passengers and freight.

 

As a comparison, the original Parlin station was only valued at $500 in 1913!

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey - 1913

 

 

Official Maps of the Raritan River Railroad – Raritan River Railroad Mainline and Branches -  about ~1912

 

Location of the station on the Sayreville Branch from an early map.  This station was listed as passenger and freight station, and measured 13x40 feet, and being valued at $650, was quite expensive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serviss Branch – Lyles Station dimensions and value

Serviss Branch – Shared Water Tank dimensions and value

 

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1913

 

The long lost Lyles Station on the Serviss Branch was actually larger than the Sayreville Station, being 15x40 feet and having a value of $750.  What’s interesting to note is proof of the “shared water tank”, which was also worth a significant amount of money.  This water tank was shared with one of the narrow gauge lines that ran around the Serviss Branch.

 

See the original page here:

Forgotten traces as seen in the maps from 1915-1940

 

 

Official Maps of the Raritan River Railroad – Raritan River Railroad Mainline and Branches -  about ~1912

 

 

Lyles Station was located on the Serviss Branch.  It was located at the cross roads of a narrow gauge line used by National Pyrogranite. 

 

 

 

 

 

Official Maps of the Raritan River Railroad – Raritan River Railroad Mainline and Branches -  about ~1912

 

 

Note the “shared water tower” in the center of the map, listed as RRRR water tank.  The line it’s shared with was a narrow gauge line that used to cross the RRRR and work the sand and clay industries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Brunswick Turntable?

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1895

 

Wow!  I never heard of this!  The city of New Brunswick taxed the Raritan River in 1895 for a turntable valued at $150. 

 

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1895

 

 

The tax info shows that the RRRR only went a quarter mile into New Brunswick, so someday it should be easy to find more info on this new find!

 

 

 

 

 

 

South River’s Summer Hill Station?

 

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1909

 

 

In 1909, South river had 2 stations! 

Where was Summer Hill?

  And how long did it last as a stop?

  Being a frame shed worth only $50, it was merely a platform with a cover over it, similar to Van Deventers or (Milford, misspelled) Melfort in description and cost.

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1909

 

Now Melfort at least shows up in my 1912 timetable, but Summer Hill is a mystery!

 

 

Raritan River Employee Timetable No. 71, March 18th, 1912

 

 

 

1912 Time Table – all pages

http://www.raritanriver-rr.com/TT03181912.htm

 

All Timetables

http://www.raritanriver-rr.com/TimeTables8.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Main Page

 

 

Questions? Comments?

Tom_E_Reynolds@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an entire forum dedicated to discussions of the RRRR!

 

www.railroad-line.com/forum/forum.asp?forum_id=2

 

 

References:

 

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1895 – pgs 694

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1909 – pgs 579

Annual Report of the State Board of Assessors of the State of New Jersey – 1913 – pgs 735

Official Maps of the Raritan River Railroad – Raritan River Railroad Mainline and Branches -  about ~1912

Raritan River Employee Timetable No. 71, March 18th, 1912