NJT Raritan Valley Line Cab Ride: Newark to High Bridge (~2000)
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- Опубликовано: 29 апр 2016
- This video was shot by a friend of the channel around the year 2000 and captures a westbound trip along New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line. Train runs partly express with the first stop Westfield. Power is provided by F40PH-2CAT #4124.
Also included is a trip on the former Conrail Lehigh Line from NK interlocking to CP-ALDENE. Note the classic signaling and the still open NK (NewarK) tower. NK was built by the Lehigh Valley Railroad and contained a GRS CTC machine that controlled from NK down to CP-ALDENE. Along with the classic tower operation is a lot of classic LVRR/Conrail signaling with bracket masts and old signal bridges.
The NJT RVL was re-signaled in the 80's and retains that setup to this day. 
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I am a retired engineer who hired out in 1966 with the Central Railroad of new Jersey and conrail and New Jersey transit I Operated The last train that went to Phillipsburg in 1983, this line is the old central railroad main line jersey city to Allentown and JimThorpe PA
Wow thx for your service!!!!
Why CSX. Trains don't operate in brooklyn nyc
How did those Trainmasters handle?
You ever drive a GG1?
How did the equipment you operated back in your early days on the railroad behave?
I’m not in nor near the East Coast, but I do appreciate a no BS train ride simple locations that are labeled clearly, no comments…. Totally awesome!!
Thanks!
This is the only Raritan Valley POV on RUclips that goes all the way to High Bridge. Thank you!
I know I’m late to this rodeo but this is what a head-end cab ride video should be: no background music, no useless chatter, just the normal sounds from the engineer’s perspective, and identification of the mileposts, stations, interlocking, CPs-that’s it. Bravo!
This does include in-cab commentary but it's live.
@@PositionLight Yes, those are the normal sounds. I meant voice overs.
Awesome!
Hi Fan Railer 😃
didnt you use this for a sound mod?
Wow this was before Union was built! Such an awesome video!
Thanks for a great video. I started as a Towerman at Queen Tower on the CNJ October 17, 1974. I retired as the Division Engineer of the Newark Division, so I had all the infrastructure on the Newark Division including the RVL from 1995 to 2005.
I also designed the present RVL signal system starting in 1985. It is still the most reliable on NJT.
Oh wow! Great job and thanks for watching.
As a retired NJT engineer I ran this line from 1982 to 1994
11:34 the two trains greet each other!!!!
My Friend Frank Strunk retired from NJT& Did the Raritan Line for many years.He goes to my church & he's enjoying retirement
6:37 - Site of then-future Union Twp. Station, right by Kean University
One of the best Cab Ride videos I ever seen.
Etho Smith is from Railroad video Productions ?
Thank you very much.
Old Cnj main
××××××××××
At cranford, I love how the train you were on blew "shave and a haircut" and the eastbound train blew "two pits."
ROTF LMAO!! Its two BITS dude....not 'pits!' HAHAHAHAHA!!! Two bits is equal to 25 cents. So back when the tune began, a shave and a haircut cost a quarter! LOL! 😜
And I liked it too! Back when you could actually DO fun stuff like that before everyone started getting all butt hurt with the rules!
I rode the RVL regularly in this era and I remember watching them build the station at Union day by day as I passed. I started riding every day again about a year ago and it really is amazing to compare how that area looks now vs. 20 years ago. That station has done the area a world of good.
Also interesting to see construction just starting on Plainfield’s high platforms. I actually forgot they were newer than 2000.
I love hearing the air as he slows down and when he bails it
This is the best F40PH Cabride on youtube so far!
you can say that again...…………………..
Do you think you can do you North Coast line next soon and Main and Bergen county line from Railroad video Productions
I remember when an engineer went through a red light on the Newark Bay Bridge and went through an open lift and plunged 2 Locomotives and coaches into the bay killing 48. it was a Bay Head to Jersey City train. i was 7 years old and I remember the picture of the coach hanging off the open span .
Wow. This is golden. I hope for more cab rides in the future. Thanks for sharing this.
Amazing footage. Thanks for posting this.
Awesome F40 sounds! They remind me of a vacuum cleaner with a turbocharger.
I just damn sold my freaking GT35r dyson like two weeks ago funny you mention that. Used to have a T70 Broom 🧹 as well, shit used to get crazy
@@slowb4lls1 lol. Dude never sell a good vacuum. Especially if it has a gas engine or can blow snow.
@@davidausterman5915 I know man, I blowed it huh, literally. That’s funny man I was laughing when I typed that this am and I’m like he posted this 4yrs ago I’m sure he won’t notice
@@slowb4lls1 I had to respond. Your post cracked me up!
@@davidausterman5915 I cudnt help it either
Great video. like going back in time
I'm working on this route in Trainz Railroad Simulator 2019.
How is it coming along now?
@@nah_144 I have the tracks from Cranford to Newark and from Nerark to Rahway.
@@Trainfan1055Janathan Nice! Keep up the good work.
Really awesome video!!!! Great job!
This was very interesting!! Thanks!!!
I remember taking this line from Metuchen to Newark and back by the old Pennsy MU’s several times with my parents in the early 1960’s. Great ride then for a youngster.
Metuchen is on the main Northeast corridor line, not the Raritan Valley line, which this is. The only stop in Middlesex County this line made was in Dunellen, I believe.
Yea metchen is not on RVL
This had to be 2000. Notice the ad for "Chicken Run" at 3:08; that movie came out in June 2000.
Good catch!
Jersey Mike's Rail Videos now was this on Railroad video Productions on DVD ?
I don't believe so unless they ripped it off. As far as I am aware, It was only sold privately at some train shows for a brief period if time.
Jersey Mike's Rail Videos also to add to the description: Hunter Interlocking became a 45 mph zone around 1998. It was a 15 mph or something zone before.
20 years later still good
Seeing these areas of NJ I've never seen before,and I'm from central jersey,reminds me of a verse from an old Billy Joel song. "You need a house out in Hackensack is that all you get for your money"!😅
WOW that freight is awesome!
As long as I’ve been in the area of the RVL (Somerset County), I’ve never seen North Branch before. Looks like a ballast spread with ‘North Branch’ signage staked in the middle of it.
I used to take this line to Newark when I worked at PSE&G, first from Fanwood and then Dunellen. Those were some slow rides.
Passed Union before it opened in 03 Arrows were common on the NJCL before the change of voltage gaps in 02
Milepost 33 must have been Finderne Avenue station....the unlabeled station in the Train yard.
Just like Long Island Rail Road's Lower Montauk branch...
damn,..i used to be headquartered at boyd, used to ride this line to raritan and back everyday. back in the late 80s they would make an employee stop right at the tower good times back then
I've watched this like four times now...
Mr. Yo Video Productions I've Watch the Pascack valley line way too many times but it's a really nice cab ride seems short because a lot of train stations on the Pascack valley line are close by in Bergen county and 2 Rock land county
awesome!
1:03:08 I-78 exit 18 US-22 East Somerville Annandale Train station. Although it's quicker to use Exit 16 from the West 1:04:20 Annandale I-78 exits 16-18 in normal operation takes 1hr 30 if held up by broken down train from NY Penn takes 1hr 45. Well done video and for some Annandale/High Bridge riders they'll try to drive down 78 east to either Exit 45 Summit or exit 57 newark penn
Those engines used to scream at full rpm
I can tell it’s an F40PH you can tell by how the AMP drops when you knock it into idle
Wow this was the year when I was born
Wow-way cool! Used to live near Whitehouse in the 80's. My understanding is that the station is actually in the town of Whitehouse Station. Did not see any sign of the old unused tower that was just a bit to the east of the station, not even a foundation. Guess - sigh, it is gone.
Queen and Boyd towers are still standing.
Hopefully the wrecking ball does not get there. Interesting that the NK tower is still in use. Always wondered what the Whitehouse tower was for, without a switch track in sight for miles either way. The ROW is wide enough for double track, so maybe it was double tracked at one time with crossovers in that area.
White House had a block station and a hand operated crossover. Not sure there was ever a tower there.
raildata.railfan.net/cnj/cnj_pg08.html
Found a reference to the tower on: www.jcrhs.org/cnjtowers.html. Says it was for pusher service and coal facilities. A short line "Rockaway valley RR" used to connect at Whitehouse but was shutdown by 1917. I think the tower was built after that though. I do have a photo of it that came from another website, but cannot find the site.
That locomotive sounds like an F40PH-3C either in the Metro North or NJT paint scheme. Nice video.
I'd bet it'd be in NJT paint. Considering this line doesn't leave NJ
I have heard about Metro North equipment on the Morristown Line, so it isn't impossible.
Victor Cyunczyk The Metro North equipment seen on the Morristown Line is part of their West of Hudson equipment pool, which are operated by NJ Transit on their Hoboken Division.
It's a PH-2.
@@blackwatchaudio5630 😃
11:35 wow! The other Train responded SAAHC
Thanks, enjoyed the ride. Unless I'm mistaken, I did not see the first at grade crossing until about MP 28. I've got a spare bottle of Windex.
Wealthy east coast railroads were able to invest a lot in grade separation.
There is a handful level crossings on the LV line, at least as far east as Clark.
You can tell that's an F40. It is a loud screaming engine
Would be cool if there was also footage that showed the sides.
I love that Horn Show!,29:59
Man a BN skin trailing on the Lehigh line wow
What?
Oh yeah, just noticed that!
Try going fron Dunellen to Bound Brook in 5 minutes on route 28. You might make it in 15 if you hit all the lights.
What time of year? I ask because the distant haze makes me think hot and humid high summer.
Loved the video, with the driver’s enthusiastic application of the horn lever (I don’t think solenoid switch in this case, given his or her ability to quill the volume).
Noticed a couple deer scurrying down the left bank around I think 5 minutes from the end.
I learned so much background info from all the comments too.
Those signals look like they date back to Lehigh Valley/Jersey Central times.
A few were modified in the Conrail era.
What happened to the Hillside station??
7:39 old Townley Defect Detector
Back when NJT trains had good horns.
Before they resignaled, what signals did they have?
A lot of searchlights.
I guess the windshield washer fluid was empty that day.😩
I don't think it exists.
He needs to blow that horn like that. Trespassers and drivers will just pull right out in front of you.
What's the speed limit on that route? Train seems to run quite slow or has this been filmed with a lot of zoom? But anyway a great video, like the one he shot on the Capitol Limited.
60 on the Lehigh Line, 60-80 on the RVL.
25:40 That's my stop!
I miss the comet 1b
sounds alot like 4124
I like that sound, it sounds like a vacuum cleaner and an airplane
A lot of that is the turbocharger.
R you the one who gives me horn salutes nice vid
cool.
Great video! What happened to Finderne? It was still there in 2000 but the train didn't stop between Bridgewater and Somerville, where it was located. Did it not have a platform and got limited service or something?
According to Wikipedia the station is at 37:25 and only had three trains a day stopping there. Station closed in 2006.
@@PositionLight Oh ok. Thanks for explaining! I take it that it didn't have a platform?
@@TheRandomRailfan It appeared to have a short stretch of paving.
@@PositionLight I did kinda see it if you mean on the left side. I just blew it off as nothing.
Whats that abandoned railroad bridge just south of Newark Penn station as soon as you exit. I’ve always noticed it.
CNJ Newark Branch. There used to be a station about where the Prudential center is. A HBLR branch uses part of the right of way in JC.
This train at one time made stops at grant ave Clinton ave and middlesex
I've only seen Westfield to Newark Penn
Furthest i ever went was somerville...never seen raritan all the day down
51:55 - about a two minute straight horn usage. I Cant believe my ears.
Probably an area with reported kids near the track.
This is the first time i heard a engineer quill the horn for crossings. Its pretty cool :)
Reading/Lehigh/B&O line.
So the line it diverges from is the former LV, correct?
correct
Thanks!
How fast is the train moving?
~60mph
Are the rails used beyond High Bridge? High Bridge has been the westernmost end of service since end of 1983 when service to Phillipsburg was cut. I understand that there is a breach in the right of way somewhere a few miles from HB.
They are used to collect rust.
I wonder why the Lehigh Valley has been deprived of train service all these years? Now you have to take the bus to Manhattan, or drive east on I-78 to Clinton, NJ to the Annandale station.
@@robkrasinski6217 The CNJ line pretty much parallels it.
@@PositionLight I was referring to the Lehigh Valley area in PA, where I'm from. Not just the NS freight line in NJ that was the LV at one time, but the Allentown-Bethlehem area where that line goes to the west. There have been studies to extend NJT from High Bridge to Allentown, PA. Would make sense, since Lehigh County has a high population and a lot of people moved from central NJ to PA. There is also a plan to rebuild the Lackawanna Cutoff and extend service from Dover, NJ to East Stroudsburg, Pa, Poconos, and Scranton. Also, Conrail and SEPTA ended diesel service from Bethlehem to Lansdale in summer 1981, and there was Allentown service from June 1978 to Sept 1979. NJT ended Phillipsburg service at the end of 1983 and was cut back to High Bridge. Since then, the ex-CNJ ROW has been severed in places west of Bloomsbury, and part of it is now used as the main freight line from Greens Bridge, NJ to Easton, PA since late 1988 because the ex-LV bridge over the Delaware River was found to be structurally deficient. Conrail at the time then shifted over to the ex-CNJ bridge and some of the ex-CNJ main past the ex-CNJ/DL&W station in Phillipsburg to Green's Bridge where the active track shifts back over to the ex-LV. Also, the new section of I-78 built in 1988 severed the ex-CNJ ROW near Alpha, a bridge was built over I-78 for the Conrail (now NS) ex-LV main, though with enough room for two tracks but there is just one track now. How about extending service from Hackettstown to Washington and Phillipsburg over the NS Washington Secondary? That line is way less busy than the NS Lehigh Line.
I’m still trying to figure out what the Hampton and Glen Gardner Station looked like under NJ Transit Prior to closing.
Is this entirely the former Jersey Central?
From NK to CP-ALDENE it is former LVRR.
wow no Union station back then wow
What passenger cars were this unit pulling?
Comets.
Comet III?
AaronTheEagle1 TV Either Comet II (unrebuilt), III, or IV
Probably a mix Comet IIs (Non rebuilt) and Comet IBs (depowered Arrow I MUs) because that’s the rolling stock the RVL often used at the time. I remember seeing them on the NJCL as a kid as well.
That constant blow of air, is that him bailing off?
Sounds like releasing air from the equalizing reservoir to apply the brakes.
when the f40 is (screaming) is the throttle at notch 8
Where does it go if you keep going straight?
Phillipsburg
@@PositionLight. Yup. But the portion of the line that cuts through Bloomsbury is in very bad shape. Also, it's siding track for Norfolk Southern.
Was that all 4 tracks wide, once upon a time? I notice most of the bridges are set up for 4.
Both the LV and CNJ trunks were 4-6 tracks wide back in their heyday.
Thank you kindly!
@@biskit84 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😁😀🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😃😃😃😃😃😃😃
In the '40s to mid-'60s, when I grew up in Westfield, it was four tracks with Baltimore & Ohio, Reading, and Jersey Central running on it. B&O cut off at Bound Brook heading to Philly. The straight track from Elizabeth to Osborn St. Bridge in Westfield was rarely without at least one train in sight. As a youngster it was all steam!
As a kid, my parents used to have me ride to Bethlehem to visit my grandmother, coming in on the north side of the Lehigh River. Rode the Queen of the Valley. Sometime they'd take me down to South Painfield to ride the Lehigh Valley, coming in on the south side of the River, right past the blast furnaces of Bethlehem Steel. Rode the Black Diamond then.
Old video! F40s and eastbound Arrow 1 converted cab car?!?!
what railroad is that
Starts on the former Lehigh Valley Railroad main line and then shifts to the former Central Railroad of New Jersey main line.
Today it’s New Jersey Transit’s Raritan Valley Line
How heavy is this train?
The engine or the cars or everything? Cars are around 100k lbs each, the engine 200k lbs max. It's probably a 5-8 car train.
Volodymyrr Hapon detector calls out 28 axles which means 6 cars. Probably mostly full since it’s a rush hour express. Does seem a bit sluggish to make speed in the upper range.
this defanitly gotta be back in tha day cause plainfield station don't look like that
🚂👍
GO NJT!,19:25
I like Nj Transit Trains but I wish on my lucky day as a Railfaner if I gotta Cab ride inside the Diesel Locomotive either GP40PH-2s or GP40PFH-2b or F40PHs like this one running on Rartain Valley line and PL42AC .
F40PH-2CAT?
+Mbtafan1062 Productions I would believe so.
+Jersey Mike's Rail Videos yup! sounds amazing!
Someone mentioned 4124.
+Fan Railer nice!
Great video. As a former CNJ Signal maintainer it was nice seeing the sights once again
Is the Raritan Valley line supposed to be this slow?
It's 60 on the first part, 80 on the next part then 70 on the last. The station stops limit speeds.
Very strange. Todays travel from Newark to High Bridge takes 30 to 40 minutes more time.
This was an express train
Why does the train stop where there is no station?
What time point?
I didn't notice but once was by a factory, once by a street crossing and once appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. I'll watch it again and note the time point and the town. Thanks for the reply.
Ok. One stop with no station was at 44:41 just past Raritan at Int Boyd. Looked like a train service facility there but no platform or station building. The second place was at North Branch at a road crossing. Looked like the train cleared the road crossing and then stopped. Would they be letting people off onto the roadbed beside the train? Hard to tell because I don't know how long the train is. The third place I may have misconstrued as "in the middle of nowhere." I didn't see that again unless it was High Bridge with no platform next to the track so I'm wrong about that one. It's no big deal Mike , I'm just curious. I love watching these videos of places and towns out in the country. So many neat old buildings there with lots of small business and agriculture.
Well the first one was an employee stop at Raritan Yard. There's no crew base at High Bridge,
Thanks Mike. Appreciate the info.
WE'RE COMING TO THE END OF THE LINE!
Train 5737?
Your guess is as good as mine.
5711
Listen to that F40 scream
xtremepyrotech how long can this engineer hold this horn at every crossing he through sounds cool
Supposed to be the FRA rule 19B Two long, one short and One Long but the crossing are close on the RVL as you see and there are ALOT of trespassers so you might as well let them hear ya..
Thomas Nativo
Supposed to be the FRA rule 19B Two long, one short and One Long but the crossing are close on the RVL as you see and there are ALOT of trespassers so you might as well let them hear ya..
xtremepyrotech what's the FRA rule mean ?
Thomas Nativo Federal Railroad association
Why are we not going faster?
The camera was zoomed in so that’s the problem.
Top speed on the Raritan Valley 79 mph
I love this video a lot. But, the engineer really lays on the horn a lot at certain times during the journey. It seems to go on for many seconds to a minute or so at some points. I know it's necessary for them to blow their horns near stations and railroad crossings. But, I believe the horn is a little overdone at times. Other than that, this is a great video.
David Colantuono Bergen also by Ridgewood station to let passagers know that it's gonna stop any moment
David Colantuono it seems so cool lay the horn usually they honk at crossings which is pretty scary but awesome
There's no such thing as too much horn
@@_SP64_ There is if you happen to live near one of those crossings. Typical foamer remark.
The Metro North Harlem Line is much more scenic.
Hey Engineer someone calm down with the horn your gonna lose air like Nysw 3010
Thomas Nativo I know the guy and have had him numerous times. He doesn't lay on it quite like that anymore. Does however give shave and a haircut quite a bit.
ecoRfan Shave haircuts are awesome to hear from NJT trains
ecoRfan I've seen 4112 NJT but I miss the P5 horn sounded so cool and so does Train bell
that really can't happen
11:34 lol
You noticed xD
What month in the year 2000 on New Jersey Transit Raritan Valley Line?
Summer?
@@PositionLight What Summer? June,July, or August of 2000