Raritan Valley Line
By Alan Braunstein
Updated by Peggy Darlington
(Departing Newark the Raritan line diverges into a right of way built by the Central Railroad of New
Jersey and we enter our first station, Union which has a high island platform surrounded by the two tracks. A station house is at street level to the South of the tracks
Roselle Park_ This station was built in the late 1960's as part of the Aldene project which rerouted the Central Railroad of New Jersey main line from its Jersey City terminal into Newark Penn Station.
Part of the project was to remove the grade crossings from the Lehigh Valley line in the Roselle Park and Union area. The station is an island platform station. On the Eastbound side there is a gauntlet track to allow freight trains to pass the high level platform safely. Access to the platform is through the embankment. There is very heavy freight traffic through this station.
Cranford_ was built on an embankment in the mid 1930's. A ticket office is downstairs and has been rebuilt and is very Well maintained. The station building has a small waiting area. It is also used for other offices. There is space for six tracks. The two inner tracks and two outer tracks have been removed over the years. Previously, there were island platforms but now all that remain are two side platforms facing the two remaining tracks. Platforms are accessed through a tunnel and are high level. There are small waiting areas on the platform. In the tunnel to the platforms there are photographs from the history of Cranford.
Garwood The Garwood station is just two paved low level side platforms with bus shelter type waiting areas.
Westfield The station at Westfield has two high-level side platforms. The main station house is on the eastbound side. This building contains a ticket office and a small waiting area and has been restored to its 1930's condition. There is a building on the westbound side, also restored, used by nonprofit organizations. There is an access tunnel that connects the eastbound and westbound platforms. Similar to Cranford, there are historic photographs of the Westfield area in the tunnel.
Fanwood/Scotch Plains The Fanwood station is another historic Central Railroad of New Jersey station. The westbound station building is Victorian in design and is used by a nonprofit organization, like at Westfield. The eastbound station is a plain station just used as a ticket office. This station has two low-level side platforms.
Netherwood The Netherwood station is located in the eastern portion of the city of Plainfield. Once again we find a well-maintained station house with two low-level side platforms.
Plainfield Along with Netherwood, the Plainfield serves the city of Plainfield, this time on the western side of the city. There is an eastbound and westbound station house with two new high platforms. The eastbound station house contains the ticket office and small waiting area. The building here has also been restored to like-new condition. The westbound station building is sealed and could use a little bit of work. t
There is evidence of a closed station at Clinton Avenue.
Dunellen At Dunellen station we find another pre-New Jersey Transit station. This station is built into the embankment. On the ground level we find a ticket office and small waiting area. Upstairs there are two low-level platforms trackside. The station also serves New Jersey Transit bus operations to both Newark and New York City.
Bound Brook The Bound Brook station buildings are constructed of brick, with the westbound building now being used as a restaurant. The eastbound station house is not used for public purposes. There are two low-level platforms with a tunnel access to the eastbound side. On the eastbound side there is also a local freight track which passengers must cross to get to the main platform. Behind the eastbound side you also can find the mainline of Conrail's Lehigh line. This is a fairly heavily-used freight line leading to the Oak Island freight yards in Newark. You will find many Norfolk Southern and CSX trains moving through this area.
Bridgewater has two low wall platforms with a cross under. At one time this station has two wall platforms and an island platform and four tracks but the south half is no longer used. A plan for a West Trenton Line would sue this space.
Finderne is better known as the Invisible Station. It has no station house and no platform. Sources have advised that it is in a freight yard and only 1-2 trains per day stop there. The station is simply a pole in the freight yard. It was closed on 10/27/2006 . Your webmaster expected this closing since the first trip on the line.
Somerville At Somerville, there are two low-level platforms. The station house here has been restored and is in use by a law firm. At track level there is space for four railroad tracks that have been removed over time.
Raritan is the terminal for most of the trains on the Raritan Valley line. The station here was built in the late 1800s and has been designated a national landmark. The building is made out of stone and has been restored to its original condition. There are two low-level platforms here. This is the only station on the line that is at ground level (as opposed to up on an embankment). There are two grade crossings, one at each end of the platforms, which are protected with flashing lights and gates. The trains continue to the Raritan yard, which is about three-quarters of a mile down the tracks. This yard is used for layovers during the day and storing the trains at night. NJT has plans for passing sidings to allow for additional service to High Bridge.
Departing Raritan, the line continues westward with very limited weekday only service, via a one track right of way. The next station at North Branch is of minimal feature, simply a bus shelter on the low platform on the south side of the tracks. The platform is very short. There is visible evidence of a removed second track south of the existing one.
White House has a single low platform on the south side of the track, but this time with a nice station house featuring eyebrow windows and arched doors. Departing the station, the track climbs into the hills and the surroundings become very woodsy.
Lebanon has a second track in place and there is a station house on the north side of the north track. The southern track
is disused and ends at a bumper west of the station. Departing Lebanon the tracks start a steep descent and then level off a bit before descending at a lesser grade.
Annandale This station has three tracks in the station, with the southernmost track totally overgrown, and evidence of a possible removed far north track. The station has two low platforms with bus shelters. There is an old station house now in commercial use.
High Bridge Reverting to a single track for the journey to High Bridge, the station itself has two tracks with only the southern one in use. There is a low-level platform on the south side.
Elizabeth The Elizabeth station, while not an active station, was part of the original Central Railroad of New Jersey line into Jersey City. The station house has been rebuilt and is going to be used as part of an urban development project. The station can be seen from the Northeast Corridor mainline which crosses over the old main line at this station. There are no longer any active tracks at this location.
References
The Fallen Flag Railroads of New Jersey