The Old Greenwood Lake/Boonton Line

[@johndelvecchio2906]

I spent the first 10 years of my career (1973 to 1983) working at DB draw mostly 3rd trick. Tower shanty was on bridge until it burn about 1980, then moved to land on west end. I was on duty at midnight on the change over from EL to Conrail on April 1st 1976 , Issued the 1st block sheet for big blue at DB. Fond memories working there.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you for sharing!!! Was there significant boat traffic at that time requiring frequent bridge opening? Also, how did the line and you guys do when it flooded there?

[@RonaldRice]

Hi John, Are you related to the DLW expert Mike D? A great guy, may he RIP. RR

[@BigBlue1026]

John, your name sounds familiar and there's a very good chance that we may have met years ago. I also started with EL in 1975, switched to Conrail and then NJT, retiring 8 years ago. I spent some time working on DB bridge and the interlocking east of it many years ago, but not as an operator. Eventually I was NORAC qualified on NJT's entire system and worked on every line.

[@vettebecker1]

Sad to see lines like this disappear forever

[@DadgeCity]

What a great use for drones. And sad to see so much track lifted.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

I thought the same when I bought this drone

[@johndonlan5956]

In the 1960s my friends and I lived in Bloomfield, and we would often take bicycle hikes on Saturdays. One of the high points of a hot summer bicycle hike was stopping at the Benson Street station in Glen Ridge to watch the trains go by....... As we sat there licking 10-cent ice pops. For an extra thrill we would go half a block down and stand on the bridge over the tracks as the engines passed underneath. I can still smell the diesel exhaust fumes to this day....... In my mind. What beautiful memories!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Sounds like the good old days!! Amazing how much has changed

[@johndonlan5956]

That's true. For years and years, whenever I would drive across the Benson Street grade crossing I'd slow down with my car -- looking down the tracks (hoping a train would come along again, put those days are long past). But I think those memories will stay with me forever!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Great memories I'm sure! I'd love to see trains on the old Boonton Line and also the north end of the northern branch!

[@sugarphantom7837]

That station in Glen Ridge is so cute and looks like it has been re-made into either a shop or a home. I remember seeing that train bridge turning in the Hackensack River; last time I caught it had to be around 99. The views you get are absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you! That Station is actually a private residence now believe it or not

[@giantgeoff]

The Glen Ridge Station was a few blocks away from my house and in the mid-sixties and I would sometimes walk there to meet my Father's train in the evening and carry his briefcase as we walked home together.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Great memories I'm sure!!

[@samanthab1923]

Glen Ridge is one of the few NJ towns that still has gaslit street lamps ❤

[@megatop412]

I don't think I've ever seen such incredible detail ever afforded to an abandoned rail line before. You really showcased the forgotten history of this line, and the use of drone footage really added a sense of place to a line silenced long ago. The changing face of America.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Much appreciated!! Changing face indeed

[@marcellocolona4980]

Great drone footage, sad to see the rails gone.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Much appreciated! It is sad to see

[@Live2ride2live54321]

First off: Amazing soundtrack choice. Secondly: phenomenal footage. Lastly: I discovered this whole line and researched it through Google maps and street view images to find out where rail was still intact. I was very pleased to learn a little bit about the history of the line as well as the remnants of some of the old stations. The upsetting part is that I had intended to bring my rail cart that I built and ride some of the abandon rail that was still there before it got ripped out for this rail trail but I guess that plans failed 😭😭 Anyways, nice work I definitely subscribed!!!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

I appreciate the great feedback! I also wish I had gotten out to explore the line before the rails were removed but I was thankful to have gotten what I did before the trail work really got going. Thank you and hope you enjoy the rest and future content!

[@tightmike4945]

Wow! Fantastic video, and memories, I know you have to be putting a lot of time, and effort into these, Thank You!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thanks Mike appreciate it

[@nickcef]

Great video. There are some old videos on KZbin from the early '90s, showcasing this line. Pretty interesting how everything has changed in just 30 years.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

The one video on KZbin of a cab view ride was great to see to compare some of the same views

[@nickcef]

@@northjerseyaerialrail9597 Yes, just amazing how different that Kearny Cut looks today.

[@seangall123]

Wow, fantastic video, that flythrough of the swing bridge, very impressive flying there!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you much appreciated!!

[@bradleyjanes2949]

Amazing video 😊thank you

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

No, thank you appreciate that!!

[@robertnichols4833]

A short piece of this right of way (between where it crosses Amtrak's NEC and where it crosses NJT's Bergen line) is slated to become the main section of the Secaucus/Bergen Loop, assuming it gets built, that will allow trains from the Bergen route to run straight through the Hudson tunnels into Penn Station. How the loop will run can best be visualized by pausing the video at about 0:51 to imagine curves to the south off the NEC and the west off the Bergen line that would be linked by running along this old alignment. A huge improvement long overdue!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

@@robertnichols4833 haven't heard about that project, how likely is it to be built?

[@KIWIT4]

Fantastic pictures. Very nice Video.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you much appreciated!

[@NYRavage]

Amazing footage!!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you much appreciated!!

[@dougow3061]

great video, wish the line was still there rode it so may times

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Seemed like a great and convenient line for hundreds. Guess Transit wanted nothing to do with it due to the bridge maintenance

[@bobdeale654]

Fascinating piece of history, so expertly presented. And the musical score is perfect for the journey.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you, much appreciated!

[@cld2930]

Fantastic video‼ The best I've seen thus far. For someone who grew up on this line it is very hard to watch. Not just for Railroad fans and commuters but for industry as well. As a kid in that area from the 70s into the 80s you would arrive at a Crossing and the signals would activate in the gate arms would come down and you weren't sure what was coming. Was it passenger or Freight once you got into the 90 the freight traffic slowed down immensely and then I think the passenger service stopped in 2002 with only a small local Freight from time to time. This line used to Branch off as shown in the video to a branch into Newark and would divert back into Bloomfield through East Orange. All that was for industry and production which is all gone lost jobs by the dozens. Further down to line as you got into Great Notch Little Falls there was another freight line that branched off through the Caldwells into Essex Fells and if diverted through Dover. That branch has now been removed and there's a bike trail as well for most of it the tracks do come alive again for local Freight in Roseland headed to Dover Many more lost jobs industry and production It's a shame to see how much loss industry and production America has had through the years.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Appreciate it! The local history is incredible and it's quite sad to see the industrial strength fade into the past

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Business goes where it's made most welcome. Politicians who see businesses, especially manufacturing businesses, as cash cows ripe for taxing don't realize sooner or later the breaking point's going to come and they're going to leave. That goes for people too. And we can see the results in this video. Sad.

[@tigershark4469]

Amazing footage! Thanks for covering this!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Appreciate that! Thank you!

[@DovZeev]

It would be so cool to have seen these things like the bridges working in their heyday

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Really would have been!

[@nateedmonson4240]

Beautiful shot! I used to take the train there from Montclair to Hoboken so this was beautiful to see…and I work for NS this line goes right into my yard so it’s cool to see it from the drone…great production

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you appreciate it! I'm sure working there it's interesting to see from a different perspective

[@bobpaulino4714]

Can't wait for that phone to ring ---

[@fstratton2]

The GL line and Boonton line were 2 separate lines on 2 separate railroads, the Erie and Lackawanna respectively. After the merger between the 2 roads in 1960, both lines were combined. The GL ran to Mountain View in Wayne where it then turned onto the Boonton Line from Mt. View west. The lines originally crossed at grade just north of the Erie's Mt. View Station

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

@@fstratton2 Yes, quite the extensive history between the two!

[@garyjones9023]

Nicely done! +1

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

@@garyjones9023 thank you!!

[@RailfanUS]

The effort put into this is beyond 🤯 Keep up the great work!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Much appreciated than you! 🙏🏼

[@robbyel3958]

4:12 Belleville Avenue bridge in Bloomfield. Tradition for BHS was to paint the graduating class year on the bridge. Graduates walked from the high school under that bridge to Foley Field every year on graduation night.

[@lovelightcontinuum]

Beautiful video but heartbreaking.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you

[@sugarphantom7837]

There is an awesome train bridge that is now a walking trail in NW NJ, the Paulinskill Viaduct. You could probably get some amazing ariels of that. Also I heard that NJ Transit is looking to restore service to the cut-off and the Viaduct again.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

That's actually owned by the state DOT at the moment. Although NJ Transit is rebuilding the line to at least Andover and Amtrak's planning to reopen the entire line for service to Scranton

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZq2Y6imrK6VgtE

[@paulzammataro7185]

I don't think it's a trail. A story in Weird NJ said not to trespass.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

It's getting turned into a trail. The weird NJ article is old

[@incidentshappen]

The top of the viaduct itself is not a sanctioned trail but plenty of people do go up there. There IS a trail underneath called the Paulinskill Rail Trail that runs from Netwon thru Blairstown and eventually ends a little south of the viaduct. It's one of the prettier trails in NJ, totally flat and great if you have a gravel or mountain bike!

[@RobertWilke]

These and other lines should be renovated and brought back to service. It's sorely needed and would help with connections to other old and new AMTRAK lines.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Very well could be a viable route for the Amtrak service on the reopening of the Lackawanna Cut-off

[@pancakefish]

that shot of the rotating draw bridge from below, with the giant exposed roller bearing hardware was incredible. almost gave me dystopian movie vibes 🤌

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Much appreciated!! Thank you!!!! 🙏🏼

[@electrictractiontrainsandt3063]

Awesome Video!👍

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you!!

[@Harrison2253]

Great video 👍. You should trace the line all the way to Greenwood Lake that would be very interesting. The alignment can still be seen in some spots.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

I've definitely thought about it. Next project in progress is the Northern Branch. Stay tuned in October for that!

[@Harrison2253]

@@northjerseyaerialrail9597 👍

[@NN-sj9fg]

My mother used to sit on our front porch and, when the crossing gate started coming down, she would walk across the park (in Passaic Park, by the stadium) and catch the train to Hoboken and then visit friends in Jersey City.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Quite a few moons ago!

[@daviddauphin838]

REAL NICE THANKS.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you appreciate it!!

[@dannythehumantrain2002]

Well on the bright side at least they left the ballast and at least they still left the railroad equipment there like the signals and mileposts and some trackage still exists at least and they have a future to be in museums 🙂

[@johncamp2567]

Very enjoyable aerial tour! I did notice that people don’t seem to stop for drones at crossings, so stay alert!! (new subscriber, Virginia)

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Much appreciated and glad you enjoyed it! Drones might not be as imposing as trains to the average motorist!

[@raymonddonnelly2928]

What a video I need to take a lesson from you!!!! I’ve watched twice already.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Appreciate the compliment! Thank you!

[@peterferraiolo4071]

This will soon 🔜 become The Essex-Hudson Greenway Project. It will be a rail trail from Montclair to Jersey City 🏙️

[@andrewdutton3831]

Well done! That soundtrack sounds very familiar...trying to place it.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Thank you!!! Interstellar!!

[@davidlabar-jn2ig]

Sad to see for me I walked those rail many times. We used to look at the signals before crossing the Passaic River bridge, then we always were worried about getting caught in the Kearny cut if a train came. It was two tracks and both were live, never at that time though (early 1990s) those tracks would be abandoned. Last revenue passenger train was late September 2002 then the Montclair connection went live eliminating everything east….

[@brucehain]

If ever there was a line essential for future passenger use that's it. If only because it would allow a 15-minute ride to Montclair opposite Bay St. It's the only way to get a quick trip west to access the Lackawanna Cutoff, and offers two alternative routes for that. Without the Cutoff can't conpete with the bus.

[@philliplee980]

I remember seeing Njt trains on that line when I started with Njt in 2002 i never got a chance to ride that part of the line

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Different scenery 22 years later

[@philliplee980]

@@northjerseyaerialrail9597 yep

[@erie910]

Contrary to what the caption says, the Boonton Line is still very much used by NJ Transit. The eastern portion from where it diverges from the Morris & Essex line just beyond the Bergen Tunnels to South Paterson serves as the Main Line. The western portion from Mt. View west is connected to the Erie Greenwood Lake Branch. The only part of the Boonton Line not in use is the portion from South Paterson through Paterson and Totawa to Mt. View is either gone or is freight only.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

As referenced in this video, the portion of the Boonton Line east of Montclair is not used at all by NJT. The in-service portion is referred to as the "Montclair Boonton Line"

[@erie910]

I ​@@northjerseyaerialrail9597

[@josephskuse9115]

I wonder why WR wasn’t left in its open position for bigger boats when it was abandoned? Or did they stop using the bridges swing motion before it was abandoned?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

I don't believe WR was being opened much at all in the years prior to abandonment.. It was welded closed and deemed to be of no hazard to marine navigation did to its sufficient height

[@jaminova_1969]

Awesome video! I can only imagine the days when the busiest train corridor in the world was active in it's heyday! One suggestion I would like to make is that while a mixed use bike path or walking trail would be the obvious choice, perhaps they can use that corridor for Rapid Commuter buses or trams? What does the railroad do with all of the steel tracks and ties, do they recycle them?

[@Thedecider1984]

we need rail service

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

This is true

[@njerzee911]

Think its the same line that when through pompton plains, ringwood, then got buried under the reservoir in ringwood; cut across and ended at greenwood lake; very few remnants remain.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Correct. Almost no remains north of Pompton Lakes now

[@gnrrailroad1531]

That was the highest swing bridge I have ever seen. Must have been for tall masted ships back in the day. When was the first track removed?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

That is actually a very good question.. I'd venture to guess somewhere around 2000 or maybe just after. Both tracks were still in place and used to run trains in opposite directions through the 1990's

[@gnrrailroad1531]

@@northjerseyaerialrail9597 Thanks for the replay. Really enjoyed your video!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

@@gnrrailroad1531 appreciate that thank you!

[@leoross5777]

you mean WR? i worked on removing the segmented bull gear in 1988 when in was a B&B mechanic for NJTRO the track on the right was still there but OOS in the late 80's i retimbered about half that bridge alone. there was a tower and station there once . they removed the OOS track in 91-2 i think, then everything went once they made the montclair connection or soon after. lots of memories on that bridge

[@buixrule]

Is there any old footage of trains running on the old GWL/Boonton line?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Yes actually this video (9:30 mark if you're following along or comparing with my video) is a cab ride from a 1990s NJT commuter train with commentary from the engineer: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnvYn6mqodembLc

[@buixrule]

@@northjerseyaerialrail9597 Ahh okay thank you! I actually did watch that other video. Just connecting the dots now. Thanks for your reply.

[@Live2ride2live54321]

@@northjerseyaerialrail9597 oooo excited to watch that!!!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

It's a great perspective to compare to modern day!!

[@1940limited]

If I'm not mistaken this is what EL planned to use after selling a portion of the DL&W main line for Rt. 80. I believe some nasty derailments occurred on this with heavy freights coming through. A bad decision on the part of EL. It ultimately doomed a huge portion of the railroad, including the cut-off, when Conrail took over. The financially stressed railroad grabbed a quick buck selling a valuable portion of the main for Rt.80. It ultimately caught up to them. I've always wondered about this Greenwood Lake Branch and finally get to see what's left of it. What a shame to see so much infrastructure abandoned.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Always fascinated by the history. Funny how some useful sections just up and disappeared. I'd be curious to learn about the derailments

[@1940limited]

I don't remember where I read about it but there was supposedly a derailment after the sale of the main for Rt. 80 when some tank cars derailed and spilled into people's backyards adding to EL's headaches.. @@northjerseyaerialrail9597

[@edwardmiessner6502]

How do commuters and others get to Boonton now? And the other towns in between? By car? Only??? It seems short-sighted to close the line.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

The Montclair-Boonton Line was opened to replace the Boonton Line. It's actually the same exact trackage west of Montclair with everything east of the being shifted over to the old Lackawanna tracks which used to terminate at the Montclair Lackawanna Terminal

[@OddsandEnds]

RIp rail line hopefully one day it can flurish into a transit line

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Maybe one day!

[@gp40railfan44]

As the tracks get ripped up on the old Boonton Line, new tracks are being prepared to be put on the Lackawanna cutoff.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Great to see it

[@gp40railfan44]

Yup

[@1940limited]

We hope. Poconos has been without passenger trains since 1970. NJ Transit is taking an eternity just to get to Andover.

[@theinternexperience890]

is that WR Draw bridge the one in the Sopranos intro?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Very good eye. I had to watch it again but yes it is as Tony drives up Rt 21

[@samanthab1923]

It’s such a swampy gross part of the world I never gave it much thought driving on the turnpike. Was always checking out all the graffiti on Snake Hill.

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

so sad 😥

[@1940limited]

Yes, very sad. Great video, but sad at the same time.

[@jamesa6272]

Dude you should do metro north’s old beacon line!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

I have been there before. That'd be a good project

[@romanrat5613]

Great, now it will be impossible to ever bring back service, everyone will complain about their walking trail being gone

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Yup, no doubt that line will remain a thing of the past

[@_SP64_]

What benefit would there be to restore the Old Boonton Line even?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

@@_SP64_ so this section from Jersey City to Montclair did serve 11 stations at its peak, however the real benefit would be for Amtrak to utilize this line on their new service to Scranton

[@ktyle778]

You'll have people complaing about the lack of public rail transportation and people complaining about train noises/congestion in their neighborhood. 🤷‍♂

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

I'm sure. Always complaints to be had

[@kd6pn]

Was this line ever electrified or run GG-1s?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

I do not believe so for either but I could be mistaken

[@PascackValleyandMainline]

Nice! Loved it! But question, are they ripping out everything on the line now?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Yes unfortunately the whole line is getting ripped out and replaced with a 9 mile long rail trail

[@scottmorehouse]

I’m sick of these rail trail idiots !! We need these infrastructure routes

[@jaminova_1969]

@@northjerseyaerialrail9597 That kind of answers my question!

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

There was talk about turning the lower portion into rapid transit for the world cup games, but I'm thinking that won't materialize into anything

[@paulzammataro7185]

It went to Greenwood Lake , and THEN to Boonton?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

First routing was straight up to Greenwood Lake. Second routing of the line changed it to Boonton

[@leodavis7524]

👍

[@richcook2007]

Music?

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

@@richcook2007 both are from Insterstellar

[@josephskuse9115]

The old Boonton line has been torn up. It is all gone now.

[@northjerseyaerialrail9597]

Unfortunately

[@ELcinegatto87]

This is what happens when our govt wastes resources and treasure on propping up a overseas empire. Natural result is domestic economic, demographic and infrastructure decline like this. Plenty of scenes like this in the rust belt only now catching up to the NYC area. I remember seeing trains on that line in the 90s and early 00s while on the eastern spur NJ turnpike bridge depicted in the beginning. Now that much of the infrastructure has gone to waste, we no longer have the means to rebuild it, much less barely maintain what we still have.