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Lehigh Valley Branch

Map of the Lehigh Valley Branch through Kenilworth and Roselle Park, 1967. The Lehigh Valley Branch was a 1/2 mile long spur line that ran from Kenilworth to Roselle Park, where it connected with the Lehigh Valley Railroad , now Conrail Shared Assets (CSX, NS, NJT), just southwest of the present day Roselle Park train station on the Lehigh Line (Part of NJT's Raritan Valley Line) to Newark, NJ. This branch line was part of the original New York & New Orange Railroad that was constructed in 1897 and 1898. The Lehigh Valley Branch provided the Rahway Valley Railroad a vital connection to the Lehigh Valley Railroad, a connection the railroad relied more and more on in later years as the relationship with the Jersey Central soured. Also along the Lehigh Valley Branch, at any one time, were a handful of customers that the RVRR served. Bernie Cahill , as part of his internal improvements of the RVRR, had this branch line upgraded to heavier rail (100 lbs. to the yard) in 1979 with state funding. The interchange yard was upgraded as well. When the Delaware Otsego Corporation took over the line in 1986, the well maintained Lehigh Valley Branch was used less and less frequently, the DO relying on the old CNJ connection in Aldene where the DO could easily switch to its Staten Island Railroad just on the other side of the old CNJ mainline. The Lehigh Valley Branch was closed in April of 1988 with the rails eventually being torn up and the land sold.

#17, on its way back from the Conrail interchange, heads north to Kenilworth along the Lehigh Valley Branch and is about to cross West Colfax Avenue. The stadium lights for the Roselle Park High School Football field can be seen in the top left. 7/1988. Collection of Carl Perelman. Lehigh Valley Branch Switch Connection: Mainline MP 0.00 Grade Crossing: Fairfield Ave. MP 0.11 Grade Crossing: W. Colfax Ave. MP 0.34 Kenilworth/Roselle Park town line MP 0.34 Rahway Valley Railroad, End of Track MP 0.532 Grade Crossing: W. Webster Ave. MP 0.54 Diamond Crossing MP 0.66 Interchange: Lehigh Valley Railroad (later Conrail, NJT) ------------

#13 at the Lehigh Valley interchange in Roselle Park. Photo taken by Hal Carstens. #17 at what was at the time the interchange with the Lehigh Valley Railroad in May 1967. Roselle Park High School can be seen at left. Collection of Paul Carpenito. Coming from the LV interchange, a RV 70 tonner ambles along the Lehigh Valley Branch and is about to cross Fairfield Avenue. Map of the RVRR's Lehigh Valley Branch from 1906. The heavy black line is the border between Roselle Park and Kenilworth.

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