Jersey City in Ship Simulator and my thoughts on it. Railroads in Jersey City

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[HSSRAIL]

It was a fine day of sailing up the Hudson River to Hoboken, NJ. The Jersey Waterfront had all those fancy high rise buildings for Yuppies. I now live in Minneapolis, MN but I am from back east. I saw the vents for the for the Holland tunnel they are those tall towers on each side of the Hudson. While the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal and Liberty State Park were rendered the Hoboken Terminal of NJ Transit was not. Overall I enjoyed cruising around New York Harbor in Ship Simulator and a big thanks to the developers for this fantastic game.

For those of you who want to know more about the Jersey Waterfront as I know it read on:

Historically Jersey City equals Railroad. Trains can not swim and the railroads coming from the west ran into a little problem with the Hudson River being over a mile wide. They could not bridge this distance and they all terminated on the Jersey Side only the Pennsylvania Railroad would build a tunnel under the Hudson. The New York Central coming out of Albany was the only other railroad to make it into New York City.

Many of the docks for the ships were in Brooklyn and on Manhattan Island. The pier line on the Manhattan Side has largely been obliterated and not much remains Manhattan has actually expanded thru fills west into the Hudson River.

Ship to Rail transfer when no rail connection exists at the docks:

  The railroads employed vessels called lighters. A lighter could be what looks to be a flatboat with cranes and pilot house in the center. Some had deep holds and looked like miniature freighters this is all in the days before containerization. The ship would lay anchor in New York Harbor or at a dock and the lighters would tie up next to it and deliver and receive freight.

Some docks and freight terminals had tracks with no direct connection to the US Rail network. To move railroad freight cars between these facilities and the US Rail Network the Railroads employed Car Floats. A car float is a barge like vessel but in a strict nautical sense is not technically a barge though they were not powered and manipulated by tug boats.  To load or unload a car float the tugs would move the car float to a float bridge some were like a pontoon bridge that would allow them to move with the tide and others were gantry bridges that worked like a lift bridge. One end was connected to the railroads network and the other was designed to lock into connections with the car floats whose deck was covered with railroad tracks. When the car float was docked the railroad would use a locomotive and set cars on or pull cars off the car float.

The Railroads in Jersey City

Weehawken
New York Central. The New York Centrals facility encompassed a Passenger Terminal with ferry boat service to New York City which served the New York Centrals West Shore Line to Haverstraw and the New York Ontario & Westerns trains to the Catskill Mountains. The Central also had a coal and grain dock in Weehawken and ran car floats.

Moving South You have the DL&W’s Lackawanna Terminal in Hoboken NJ. The Lackawanna ran Ferry Boats to Barclay Street as well as other locations the Barclay Street Ferry was the last one to be discontinued in 1968. The Passenger station was north of the line between Hoboken and Jersey City. The Lackawanna’s Freight yards were in Jersey City to the South of the Passenger Station. The Lackawanna had a freight Terminal at 28th Street in Manhattan and on the Harlem River. A canal split the Hoboken Freight Yard and was accessed by twin traveling gantry cranes that loaded lighters. A coal dock and grain dock also existed. Lackawanna Car Floats also interchanged with the Long Island Railroad in Bay Ridge Brooklyn as well as the terminal railroads that served Brooklyn.

By the Holland Tunnel Vents was the Erie Railroads Jersey City Terminal. The Passenger Station was in the center between the North and South Yards. The North Yard served the Erie’s Car Float Operation in Jersey City. Erie floated cars to 28th St., Bay Ridge Brooklyn, and Duane Street in New York City which was a perishable pier. The South Yard served various industries in Jersey City including the Jersey City Stockyards.

Moving further South was the Pennsylvania Railroads facilities at Exchange Place the PRR ran passenger ferries as well into New York. Car Float Operations on the PRR primarily went to Bay Ridge Brooklyn to interchange cars with the New Haven Railroad which used the Bay Ridge yard jointly with the LIRR. Colgate Pomolive had a factory here as well as Singer Sewing Machine Company and Campbell Soup. There were the Jersey City Stockyards that were jointly served by the Erie and the PRR.

Moving Further South was the Lehigh Valley Railroads Floatbridges the last ones still in service.

Moving further south you run into the Central Railroad of New Jersey’s Jersey City Terminal. Besides the Passenger Terminal which was also used by the Reading and the B&O was their extensive freight yard. Jersey Central also ran an extensive carfloat operation between Jersey City and Bay Ridge. It was a commuter train bound for this station that ran into Newark Bay in 1958. The Jersey Central’s Newark Bay Bridge has been demolished and only the former Lehigh Valley Bridge still crosses Newark Bay.

It hard to belive that most of these areas are now pockets of gold coast wealth boy have things changed. Needless to say it was a congested river with all the ferry boats and carfloats and lighters traveling about people used to go down to the river on Manhattan to watch the bustle of activity.

[Capt. Matt]

I AGREE I LIVE IN BAYONNE!!!!!!! Liberty Landing Marina is like my second home in the Morris Canal 

[TerryRussell]

Hi HSSRAIL.

Interesting stuff, although if that level of detail was modelled, there would be less available for the ships, sadly (only so much that can be fitted into the simulator).

I met my wife in New York about ten years ago. She was living in Edison NJ, having been born in New Brunswick.

These days she lives in Selsey, England. It's a small fishing village on the South Coast (eastern end of the Solent). It was a real culture shock for her...

[Capt. Matt]

  Quite a move terry, Edison Edison Edison is that Central Jersey?

[TerryRussell]

Actually it was closer to Perth Amboy. Just across the Hudson from Staten Island.

[Capt. Matt]

Thats basically where I live  I live across the Kill Van Kull from Staten Island Just over the Bayonne Bridge literally Cross the bridge and your 2 minutes from my house 

[mvsmith]

Hi Terry,

I think Edison is in Middlesex County. It’s about 8 miles west of Perth Amboy, which in turn is across the Arthur Kill from Staten Island. Arthur Kill runs north along the west side of S.I. from the Raritan River to the junction with Kill Van Kull at the south end of Newark Bay.

Hi HSSRAIL,
I grew up in Bergen County and attended college in Hoboken. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

Regards,
Marty

[Capt. Matt]

WOW Small World   Marty Mind if I ask where you currently live?

I go to school on Montgomery St.  In JC

[HSSRAIL]

There is a high school in Jersey City That I will be making a model of for Trainz called Dickenson High School. As I work on my Erie Railroad Project I will model that building. Leaving Jersey City Erie Trains climbed a massive 4 track viaduct called the Monmouth Street Viaduct at that point the railroad passed under Palisade Avenue. Dickenson High School was a major landmark. Today the Monmouth St Viaduct is just a memory there isn't even a trace of it today but the Seaboard Terminal is still there that was at the foot of the viaduct.

This area of Jersey City is called the Heights and overlooks the Hudson River. Freight trains to the water front used the Bergen Tunnel which still has one track but doesn't go to the waterfront.

In 1954 The Erie operated the following Vessels:

Tugboats   13

Ferryboats 5

Arlington
Tuxedo
Jamestown
Youngstown
Meadville

These ferries were double ended and had a pilot house on each end.

The Erie had 262 lighters, scows, Barges, and Carfloats.

They had two kinds of carfloats a two track car float with a platform between them.  The platform allowed unloading of railroad cars while still on the carfloat. They also had 3 track carfloats which were used to just shuttle cars. Raymond Baxter says you could always tell how old an Erie Carfloat was by its number They had four didgits the first two being the sequential number and the last two the year built. Carfloat number 5649 would be the 56th in the fleet built in 1949. There is an excellent article on Erie Marine Operations in The Diamond Vol 12 Number 2, a publication of the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society

[Capt. Matt]

Dickenson...I can see dickenson form my school, not the greatest school, lots of Violence

[mvsmith]

WOW Small World   Marty Mind if I ask where you currently live?

Hi Matt,
I Live in Dallas, Oregon now. I exited New Jersey through Fort Dix in 1956 for White Sands, NM.
During my student days in Hoboken, I paid part of my tuition by helping tow barges up and down Arthur Kill and Newark Bay. We would occasionally range as far as the East River or past Sandy Hook, but mostly worked the Jersey side.
Regards,
Marty

[Capt. Matt]

The Glamorous (Sarcasm) Newark Bay waterfront is a few blocks from my house, you are a captain I presume?

[HSSRAIL]

Newark Bay is not modeled in Ship Simulator it is west of Bayonne, NJ. On the west end of Newark Bay is Port Newark run by the Port of New York & NJ and Newark Airport.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey had a bridge over this bay now demolished the Bayonne side was at W 7 and J F Kennedy Blvd. The Newark Side Was at Amboy Ave and Trumbuel Street Just south of Newark Airport The Jersey Central Lines had a major crossing and station here called Elizabethport. There is tragedy on this bridge.

At 901 Am on Sept 15, 1958 train No 3314 ran thru the open Southwest Lift Span and plunged, with its 2 GP7 diesels No 1532, and 1526 with the first 2 coaches, 45 ft into Newark Bay. The Train had originated in Bay Head, NJ now NJ Transits North Jersey Coast Line at 7:27. The train reached Perth Amboy at 8:41. Just before 9 the operator at the Drawbridge Patrick Corcoran opened the bridge for the barge Sand Captain which was heading south towards Staten Island. When he looked up to clock the delay to train 3314 he noticed the locomotives had passed the stop signals and he watched helplessly as the 2 GP 7 Diesel Locomotives and head 2 cars careened off the bridge and began their free fall into Newark Bay.  Just after 9 Corcoran broke in on the intercom to Assistant Chief Dispatcher stationed in the Jersey City Passenger Terminal now Liberty State Park to report:

3114s in the drink!!

Burley replied "What did you say?

A rescue train was dispatched but the death toll would be 48 dead. No explanation for why the engineer of the passenger train who died in the accident failed to heed 3 warning signals telling him to stop was ever explained.

[Capt. Matt]

They just had the 50th anniversary of that crash no? I occosionally go down where that bridge used to be along the bay and skip rocks when im bored  I wish Port Newark and Elizabeth were modelled

[Master Captain]

Hi Terry,

I think Edison is in Middlesex County. It’s about 8 miles west of Perth Amboy, which in turn is across the Arthur Kill from Staten Island. Arthur Kill runs north along the west side of S.I. from the Raritan River to the junction with Kill Van Kull at the south end of Newark Bay.

Hi HSSRAIL,
I grew up in Bergen County and attended college in Hoboken. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

Regards,
Marty

wow small world, my dad grew up in Bergen county aswell, Old Tappan, NJ My grandma lived there for a long time until she passed away earlier this year. My sister lives in Northvale, NJ and has the CSX mainline right in her backyard.

[mvsmith]

I lived in Cresskill for kindergarten, Oradell for a couple of years, then to Washington Township, and finally to Westwood; all in Bergen County. My sister was born in Hackensack Hospital.

[Capt. Matt]

WOW Small World  

wow small world

I agree
 

Actually it was closer to Perth Amboy. Just across the Hudson from Staten Island.

I was in Edison Yesterday... Didnt even realize it was so close

[HSSRAIL]

 Cresskill for kindergarten, Oradell for a couple of years, then to Washington Township, and finally to Westwood; all in Bergen County. My sister was born in Hackensack Hospital.

I am familiar with Bergen County I went to college in Hackensack by the River Farleigh Dickenson University.

Hackensack and Oradell are on what used to be the New Jersey & New York Railroad the last stronghold of steam on the Erie Railroad this is now operated as NJ Transits Pascack Valley Line.

Hackensack is an old Industrial Town for those who do not know somewhat inland from the Hudson River.
The Pascack Valley line runs North and South between Hoboken and Nanuet, NY at Nanuet there was a wye which steam engines would back down to turn the trains and they would than run west to Spring Valley, NY on the New Jersey, New York Rockland County Border. Oradell, NJ is a beautiful suburb of New York City whose historic depot has been preserved. There is a reservoir nearby which has lots of trees. There was a really nice 1950s style dinner out by Route 46 and the Bergen Turnpike on the traffic circle in Hackensack.

Cresskill is closer to the Hudson this was on the Erie Railroads Northern Branch this Line terminated in Nyack, New York. The Northern Served Englewood, NJ which is where Brook Shields allegedly went to High School.

The New York Central ran along both shores of the Hudson River. On the Jersey Side was the West Shore Route that offered service up to Haverstraw NY. The New York Central's Mainline to Albany ran along the East or New York Side. It might still be possible to ride the Hudson River Dayline between New York City and Albany. The Hudson River is quite scenic North of New York City. The boatride takes about a day but is well worth it if you have the time. A ride on Metro North from Grand Central Terminal to Poughkeepsie will do in a pinch. Just North of Poughkeepsie is Hyde Park the Home of FDR Franklin D Roosevelt. The New Haven Railroad's Poughkeepsie Bridge has now been converted into a walkway for a glorious view of the Hudson River Valley I highly reccomend walking it. This Line of The New Haven Ran from New Haven CT to Maybrook NY. The Erie did all its interchange  freight with the New Haven via a connection from Campbell Hall. The Lackawanna forwarded its New Haven freight business from Port Morris, NJ via the Lehigh & Hudson RR to Maybrook. The Pougkeepsie Bridge was why the Erie and DLW did not car float much New Haven business via Bay Ridge.

There was one other oditity I would like to mention. In 1944 an Army Air Force Colonel got lost in a fog while flying from Ct to Newark Airport and succeeded in piloting his B25 Billy Mitchel Bomber into the side of the Empire State Building. Mariners on the East River had a fine view of this mess.

There used to be a very famous Hotel on the West Bank of the Hudson River called the Mountain House which was near Palinville. The Hotel closed for the 1941 season and never reopened account of the war. It was severely damaged by a Hurricane and the Park Service burned it down even though the structure dated back to Colonial Times.

[TerryRussell]

I was in Edison Yesterday... Didnt even realize it was so close

Did you go past the lighthouse? Remember, this is where the light bulb became a commercial proposition. The actual invention was perhaps made by Swan and others almost simultaneously, but their versions were not very good. Mr Thomas Edison and his teams made a light bulb that was a huge success, of course. And many other things.

[Capt. Matt]

Lighthouse.....Hmmmmmmmmmm Could Have, I was sleeping most of the time... or listening to my ipod. We were on the highway the whole time so I don't think we did