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This 1906 map
shows how simple the track layout was at the LV/RV interchange early
on. |
The Rahway Valley Railroad's connection with the
Lehigh Valley Railroad in Roselle Park was a vital one for the
short-line. The New York & New Orange Railroad laid its tracks alongside the LV during its initial construction
in 1897-1898.
The RVRR's connection to the Lehigh Valley Railroad
remained vital for most of the life of the railroad, even more so after
the formation of Conrail in 1976 which merged the Rahway Valley's three
connecting railroads, the Erie-Lackawanna (former DL&W), the CNJ, and
LV, among others, into one railroad company giving the Rahway Valley only
a single interchange partner.
After Conrail,
the Rahway Valley depended more and more on the on this location as its
connection to Conrail. With state funding, Bernie Cahill had the interchange yard here
upgraded to 100 lbs. to the yard rail in 1979.
When the Delaware Otsego Corporation took over the line in 1986,
the well maintained old LV interchange was used less and less frequently, the DO
relying on the old CNJ connection in Aldene. At Aldene the DO could easily
switch to its Staten Island Railroad just on the other side of the old CNJ
mainline. The old Lehigh Valley connection, as well as the Lehigh Valley
Branch, was closed in April of 1988 with the rails
eventually being torn up and the land sold.
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| In this very early view,
c.1901-1905, we see NOFJ #3 and her lone combine leaving the Lehigh
Valley Railroad interchange and heading toward Kenilworth/New
Orange. At this time, and for decades after, the Lehigh Valley was a
level, at grade, route through this area. Only years later was the
line elevated, as it is today. Springfield Public
Library. |
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| #13 is seen here at the Lehigh Valley interchange yard in
Roselle Park in the days when it extended all the way to Chestnut
Street. In later years the interchange yard was cut back to just
short of Locust Street. |
#16 moves a pair of Lehigh Valley
boxcars around the interchange yard in this
view. The Roselle Park High School can be seen on the
left.
8/28/1975 |
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| #17
switches cars at the Lehigh Valley interchange. Note the Roselle
Park High School in the background. 6/1967. Collection
of Paul Carpenito.
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#16 works the Conrail (former Lehigh
Valley) interchange yard in this 1978 view, taken from the elevated
LV mainline. Photo taken by Carl
Perelman. |
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| #16 is seen here rolling out of the
Conrail (former Lehigh Valley) interchange yard and begins her
journey towards Kenilworth. The track in the foreground connected
to Conrail's elevated Lehigh Line. 11/1/1978.
Photo taken by Carl Perelman. |
#16 is seen here switching cars at the
Conrail (former Lehigh Valley) interchange. The elevated Lehigh Line
can be seen in the background, behind #16. Photo taken
by Paul Carpenito. |
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#16 switching the
old Lehigh Valley interchange, now Conrail, in this early 1980s
view. The old Lehigh line is the elevated embankment on the right.
Note the updated track the Rahway Valley's bright red box cars on
the left, another Cahill move. |
#16
switching the Conrail interchange on the old
Lehigh Line in Roselle
Park. |
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| #16 disembarks
from the old Lehigh Valley interchange with two carloads of lumber,
probably bound for Ply-Gem or Jaeger Lumber in Union. April 1988.
Photo by Carl
Perelman. |
In a similar
scenario, #17 leaves the interchange with Conrail with three
carloads of lumber and a hopper most likely filled with plastics for
Monsanto Corp. in Kenilworth. March 1988. Photo by Carl Perelman. |
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Another view of #16 switching the
junction in the 1980's. Roselle Park High School can be seen in the
upper left hand corner of the photo. |
New Jersey Transit
#4110 approaches the Roselle Park Station on the old Lehigh Valley
Railroad. The Rahway Valley's interchange yard can be seen at the
right. 6/13/1979. Collection of
Michael Desoi. |
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#17 at the
ex-Lehigh Valley interchange. 7/21/1982.
Collection of Donald
Albertson. |
The
Rahway Valley meets Conrail on the old two track Lehigh
Line. |
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Just
a little bit down the Lehigh Valley's track from the Rahway Valley
interchange yard and the Roselle Park Station, a Lehigh Valley
freight rolls over the CNJ mainline. 4/1/1972.
Collection of Brian
Woodruff.
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In a similar view,
a Lehigh Valley switcher heads of a freight. 12/31/1958.
Collection of Bob
Krone. | |
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