Lehigh and Hudson River Railway
Encyclopedia
The Lehigh and Hudson River Railway (L&HR) was the smallest of the six railroads that were merged into Conrail in 1976. It was a bridge line
running northeast-southwest across northwestern New Jersey
, connecting the line to the Poughkeepsie Bridge
at Maybrook, New York
with Easton, Pennsylvania
, where it interchanged with various other companies. It status was diminished as the Interstate Highway system was developed, and as its connecting railroads entered bankruptcy
. The final straw
came with the burning of the Poughkeepsie Bridge
on May 8, 1974. The line was conveyed to Conrail and subsequently acquired by the Norfolk Southern and the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
who lease their portions of the line to the Middletown and New Jersey Railroad.
. It opened in 1862 and was operated by the Erie.
The Pequest and Wallkill Railroad was chartered by 1870 to build an extension in New Jersey
, running from Belvidere on the Delaware River
and Belvidere Delaware Railroad
northeast to the New York
state line. The Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad was chartered later as a competitor, planning to build from Belvidere to McAfee
, with the Wawayanda Railroad running the rest of the way to the state line. In April/May 1881, the three companies merged to form a new Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad, and on April 1, 1882, the Warwick Valley Railroad joined, forming the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway.
In the meantime, the Sussex Railroad
had built a branch from Hamburg to South Vernon (McAfee); the L&HR bought this around 1881. The Warwick Valley Railroad had built an extension southwest to McAfee in March 1880, and the full line opened 1882-08-14, connecting Belvidere, New Jersey
to Greycourt, New York.
The Orange County Railroad was chartered on November 28, 1888 and opened the following year, extending the line northeast from Greycourt to Maybrook
. At Maybrook, the line junctioned with the Central New England Railway
, continuing east via the Poughkeepsie Bridge
over the Hudson River
to New England
. Trackage rights
were obtained over a short piece of the New York, Ontario and Western Railway
from the junction at Burnside west to the major junction at Campbell Hall.
The South Easton and Phillipsburg Railroad of New Jersey, and the South Easton and Phillipsburg Railroad of Pennsylvania was organized on July 25, 1889 to build a bridge over the Delaware River
between Easton, Pennsylvania
and Phillipsburg, New Jersey
. The former built 460' on the New Jersey side, while the latter built 850' on the Pennsylvania side. Bridge construction began on November 19, 1889, and concluded the following year on October 2. Subsequently, the L&HR obtained trackage rights
over 13 miles of the Pennsylvania Railroad
's (PRR) Belvidere Delaware Railroad
between Phillipsburg and Belvidere;once the bridge was completed, the L&HR had a continuous line from Maybrook to Easton. At Easton, an interchange could be made with the Central Railroad of New Jersey
and Lehigh Valley Railroad
, while interchange with the PRR was at Phillipsburg.
The L&HR eventually obtained trackage rights
over the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
's Sussex Railroad
from the junction at Andover
south to Port Morris
, where it interchanged with the main line of the DL&W.
The Mine Hill Railroad was the only branch built. It ran south from a junction at Franklin, New Jersey
to the mine
s of the New Jersey Zinc Company
at Sterling Hill, New Jersey. On 1907-05-23 the L&HR absorbed the Orange County Railroad, and on 1912-04-02 the South Easton and Phillipsburg and Mine Hill Railroads were merged into it.
From October 1912 until temporary discontinuance in January 1916, the L&HR hosted the PRR's Federal Express passenger trains on the Poughkeepsie Bridge Route
between Phillipsburg and Maybrook. With the completion of the Hell Gate Bridge
in New York City
on September 9, 1917, the Federal Express resumed service via Penn Station and the New Haven Line direct. At its peak, the L&HR had a system stretching 86 miles between Easton and Maybrook, throughout much of its life acting as a bridge line and hauling anthracite coal from a number of mines located along its system.
.
Post-bankruptcy, the L&HR continued to operate a nocturnal daily freight. During the mid-1970s, the LH&R became part of a proposal to run "Bunny Ski Trains" between Hoboken, New Jersey
and the Playboy
Resort (Great Gorge) in Vernon, New Jersey. The proposed service, which would have run on weekends during the winter, would have retrieved passengers westbound along the Erie-Lackawanna's Morristown Line
to Netcong, New Jersey
, then run along a short section of the remaining Sussex Branch to Andover Junction in Andover, New Jersey
, and then northbound along the L&HR to the Playboy Club
. The service would have utilized the Erie-Lackawanna's new commuter consists, but was met with stiff opposition from E-L management, which was anticipating a merger with other northeastern US railroads and did not want to enter into a venture that it viewed as a potential money-loser. The Bunny Ski Train remained a viable proposal until the remaining vestige of the Sussex Branch was removed in July 1977, after it became clear (under Conrail) that it was no longer needed as a connector to the LH&R.
As such, in 1976 the L&HR was merged into Conrail. Subsequently, the section between Belvidere, New Jersey
and Sparta, New Jersey (Sparta Junction) was abandoned. The tracks, however, remained in place until approximately 1988, when the right-of-way between these two points was acquired by a land developer, Gerard Turco, from Conrail. Turco had also acquired most of the Lackawanna Cut-Off as part of the same deal. Conrail removed the tracks south of Sparta Junction; however, the section north of that point (between Sparta, NJ and Campbell Hall) was already being considered by the New York, Susquehanna & Western
as part of a combined regional freight route with Norfolk Southern. The line from Warwick, NY to Campbell Hall is currently leased to the Middletown and New Jersey Railroad.
In New Jersey, the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
owns the L&HR line north of Sparta, NJ to the state line. North of the state line, it is owned by Norfolk Southern which had acquired the line during the breakup of Conrail. Both portions of the line are leased to and operated by the Middletown and New Jersey Railroad.
Bridge line
A bridge line or bridge route is a rail carrier tasked primarily with moving traffic from one major carrier to another . Bridge lines often were located between two major cities, connecting rail carriers that served those cities and interchanging their cars...
running northeast-southwest across northwestern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, connecting the line to the Poughkeepsie Bridge
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
at Maybrook, New York
Maybrook, New York
Maybrook is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,084 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
with Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
, where it interchanged with various other companies. It status was diminished as the Interstate Highway system was developed, and as its connecting railroads entered bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. The final straw
Straw that broke the camel's back
The idiom the straw that broke the camel's back is from an Arabic proverb about how a camel wearing shoes is loaded beyond its capacity to move or stand. This is a reference to any process by which cataclysmic failure is achieved by a seemingly inconsequential addition...
came with the burning of the Poughkeepsie Bridge
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
on May 8, 1974. The line was conveyed to Conrail and subsequently acquired by the Norfolk Southern and the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
who lease their portions of the line to the Middletown and New Jersey Railroad.
History
The Warwick Valley Railroad was organized March 8, 1860 as a branch of the New York and Erie Rail Road, branching from it at Greycourt southwest to Warwick, New YorkWarwick, New York
Warwick is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 30,764 at the 2000 census. The 2007 census population estimate is 32,669.The Town of Warwick is located in the southwest part of the county...
. It opened in 1862 and was operated by the Erie.
The Pequest and Wallkill Railroad was chartered by 1870 to build an extension in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, running from Belvidere on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
and Belvidere Delaware Railroad
Belvidere Delaware Railroad
The Belvidere Delaware Railroad, frequently shortened to the "Bel Del", was a railroad running along the eastern shore of the Delaware River from Trenton, New Jersey north via Phillipsburg, New Jersey to Belvidere, New Jersey...
northeast to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state line. The Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad was chartered later as a competitor, planning to build from Belvidere to McAfee
McAfee, New Jersey
McAfee is an unincorporated area within Vernon Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07428....
, with the Wawayanda Railroad running the rest of the way to the state line. In April/May 1881, the three companies merged to form a new Lehigh and Hudson River Railroad, and on April 1, 1882, the Warwick Valley Railroad joined, forming the Lehigh and Hudson River Railway.
In the meantime, the Sussex Railroad
Sussex Railroad
The Sussex Railroad was a short-line railroad in northwestern New Jersey. It replaced its predecessor, the Sussex Mine Railroad, in 1853 and operated under the Sussex Railroad Company until 1945 when it was fully merged into the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad system...
had built a branch from Hamburg to South Vernon (McAfee); the L&HR bought this around 1881. The Warwick Valley Railroad had built an extension southwest to McAfee in March 1880, and the full line opened 1882-08-14, connecting Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere is a Town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,681. It is the county seat of Warren County....
to Greycourt, New York.
The Orange County Railroad was chartered on November 28, 1888 and opened the following year, extending the line northeast from Greycourt to Maybrook
Maybrook, New York
Maybrook is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,084 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
. At Maybrook, the line junctioned with the Central New England Railway
Central New England Railway
The Central New England Railway was a railroad from Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts west across northern Connecticut and across the Hudson River on the Poughkeepsie Bridge to Maybrook, New York...
, continuing east via the Poughkeepsie Bridge
Poughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
over the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. Trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
were obtained over a short piece of the New York, Ontario and Western Railway
New York, Ontario and Western Railway
The New York, Ontario and Western Railway, more commonly known as the O&W or NYO&W, was a regional railroad with origins in 1868, lasting until March 29, 1957 when it was ordered liquidated by a US bankruptcy judge. The O&W holds the distinction of being the first major U.S...
from the junction at Burnside west to the major junction at Campbell Hall.
The South Easton and Phillipsburg Railroad of New Jersey, and the South Easton and Phillipsburg Railroad of Pennsylvania was organized on July 25, 1889 to build a bridge over the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
between Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
and Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
. The former built 460' on the New Jersey side, while the latter built 850' on the Pennsylvania side. Bridge construction began on November 19, 1889, and concluded the following year on October 2. Subsequently, the L&HR obtained trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over 13 miles of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's (PRR) Belvidere Delaware Railroad
Belvidere Delaware Railroad
The Belvidere Delaware Railroad, frequently shortened to the "Bel Del", was a railroad running along the eastern shore of the Delaware River from Trenton, New Jersey north via Phillipsburg, New Jersey to Belvidere, New Jersey...
between Phillipsburg and Belvidere;once the bridge was completed, the L&HR had a continuous line from Maybrook to Easton. At Easton, an interchange could be made with the Central Railroad of New Jersey
Central Railroad of New Jersey
The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States...
and Lehigh Valley Railroad
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
, while interchange with the PRR was at Phillipsburg.
The L&HR eventually obtained trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
's Sussex Railroad
Sussex Railroad
The Sussex Railroad was a short-line railroad in northwestern New Jersey. It replaced its predecessor, the Sussex Mine Railroad, in 1853 and operated under the Sussex Railroad Company until 1945 when it was fully merged into the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad system...
from the junction at Andover
Andover, New Jersey
Andover is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 606.Andover was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 25, 1904, from portions of Andover Township.-Geography:Andover is located at ...
south to Port Morris
Port Morris, New Jersey
Port Morris is a historic community in Roxbury Township, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. Despite its name, Port Morris is in the hills of the Skylands Region, on the shores of Lake Musconetcong....
, where it interchanged with the main line of the DL&W.
The Mine Hill Railroad was the only branch built. It ran south from a junction at Franklin, New Jersey
Franklin, New Jersey
Franklin is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,045.Franklin, known as the "Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World," is located over a rich ore body containing more than 150 minerals, many of them fluorescent and...
to the mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
s of the New Jersey Zinc Company
New Jersey Zinc Company
The Horsehead Corporation , formerly the New Jersey Zinc Company, is an American producer of zinc and related materials.The New Jersey Zinc Company was for many years the largest producer of zinc and zinc products in the United States. The company thrived in the period from 1897 to 1966, at which...
at Sterling Hill, New Jersey. On 1907-05-23 the L&HR absorbed the Orange County Railroad, and on 1912-04-02 the South Easton and Phillipsburg and Mine Hill Railroads were merged into it.
From October 1912 until temporary discontinuance in January 1916, the L&HR hosted the PRR's Federal Express passenger trains on the Poughkeepsie Bridge Route
Poughkeepsie Bridge Route
The Poughkeepsie Bridge Route was a passenger train route from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts, via Baltimore, Maryland and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
between Phillipsburg and Maybrook. With the completion of the Hell Gate Bridge
Hell Gate Bridge
The Hell Gate Bridge or Hell's Gate Bridge is a steel through arch railroad bridge between Astoria in the borough of Queens and Randall's and Wards Islands in New York City, over a portion of the East River known...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on September 9, 1917, the Federal Express resumed service via Penn Station and the New Haven Line direct. At its peak, the L&HR had a system stretching 86 miles between Easton and Maybrook, throughout much of its life acting as a bridge line and hauling anthracite coal from a number of mines located along its system.
Bankruptcy
The L&HR filed for Chapter 77 bankruptcy on April 19, 1972, partly due to Penn Central's decision to operate over other routes in order to avoid the aging Poughkeepsie BridgePoughkeepsie Bridge
The Poughkeepsie Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie, New York on the east bank and Highland, New York on the west bank...
.
Post-bankruptcy, the L&HR continued to operate a nocturnal daily freight. During the mid-1970s, the LH&R became part of a proposal to run "Bunny Ski Trains" between Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
and the Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Resort (Great Gorge) in Vernon, New Jersey. The proposed service, which would have run on weekends during the winter, would have retrieved passengers westbound along the Erie-Lackawanna's Morristown Line
Morristown Line
The Morristown Line is one of New Jersey Transit's commuter lines and is one of two branches that run along the Morris and Essex Lines. Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbound trains use the Kearny Connection to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn...
to Netcong, New Jersey
Netcong, New Jersey
Netcong is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,580. Its estimated population in 2006 was 3,292...
, then run along a short section of the remaining Sussex Branch to Andover Junction in Andover, New Jersey
Andover, New Jersey
Andover is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 606.Andover was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 25, 1904, from portions of Andover Township.-Geography:Andover is located at ...
, and then northbound along the L&HR to the Playboy Club
Playboy Club
The Playboy Club initially was a chain of nightclubs and resorts owned and operated by Playboy Enterprises. The first club opened at 116 E. Walton Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States, on February 29, 1960. Each club generally featured a Living Room, a Playmate Bar, a Dining Room...
. The service would have utilized the Erie-Lackawanna's new commuter consists, but was met with stiff opposition from E-L management, which was anticipating a merger with other northeastern US railroads and did not want to enter into a venture that it viewed as a potential money-loser. The Bunny Ski Train remained a viable proposal until the remaining vestige of the Sussex Branch was removed in July 1977, after it became clear (under Conrail) that it was no longer needed as a connector to the LH&R.
Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere is a Town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,681. It is the county seat of Warren County....
and Sparta, New Jersey (Sparta Junction) was abandoned. The tracks, however, remained in place until approximately 1988, when the right-of-way between these two points was acquired by a land developer, Gerard Turco, from Conrail. Turco had also acquired most of the Lackawanna Cut-Off as part of the same deal. Conrail removed the tracks south of Sparta Junction; however, the section north of that point (between Sparta, NJ and Campbell Hall) was already being considered by the New York, Susquehanna & Western
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
as part of a combined regional freight route with Norfolk Southern. The line from Warwick, NY to Campbell Hall is currently leased to the Middletown and New Jersey Railroad.
In New Jersey, the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
owns the L&HR line north of Sparta, NJ to the state line. North of the state line, it is owned by Norfolk Southern which had acquired the line during the breakup of Conrail. Both portions of the line are leased to and operated by the Middletown and New Jersey Railroad.