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Page Contents
Page Contents
Facilities:
Warren Street depot
Tin Kettle Hill
Engine House
Junction
Industrial Sidings
Grade Crossings:
N. Michigan Ave.
Industries:
Newark Brush Co.
Heyman Manufacturing Co.
France, Campbell & Darling Inc.
Synres Chemical Corp.
Synray Corp.
Warren Street depot
Warren Street depot
The Warren Street depot was located at present day 295 N. Michigan Ave. It had been constructed about 1900 and was originally located at the N. 20th Street grade crossing on the Rahway River Branch. In March 1905, the New Orange Four Junction Railroad was consolidated with the RV. Afterward, Louis Keller had William Finkle relocate the 20th Street depot to Warren Street. One Sunday, Finkle jacked up the depot, laid it on rails over wooden guides riding on the rails, and hauled it down to Warren Street with an engine. Once there, Finkle jacked the depot up again and shoved it onto a new foundation he had made previously.
Warren Street itself is somewhat of an enigma. In the original plans for the town of New Orange, a short one block long street bearing that name appears in the vicinity of where the depot was later located. Later mentions of the street seem to indicate that the present day roadway known as N. Michigan Ave. was, at one time, to be known as Warren Street. That roadway, between Boulevard and Chester Road (now Route 22), was not put through until the mid-1920s.
The depot measured 16’ 6” x 25’ x 11’ to the eaves x 16’ to the peak. It was made of one inch tongue and groove boards and had a shingle roof. The depot sat on a platform which extended seven feet from the building on three sides and eight feet on the fourth. The platform was made of two inch planks on 2’ x 6” beams and were 26” center to center. The platform was supported by thirty posts set seven inches into the ground and two feet above. The depot roof extended over the platform and was supported by 6” x 6” posts.
The last timetable to mention Warren Street was dated January 5, 1914, which listed the depot as a flagstop. Not long thereafter, Warren Street was discontinued as a passenger stop and was leased to the Newark Novelty Co. which manufactured fireworks and explosive toy novelties and employed six persons. On September 13, 1914, a fire broke out in the building at about 9:15 AM. A large order, packed for shipment, contributed greatly to the spectacle of the conflagration. The depot was completely destroyed.
Tin Kettle Hill
Tin Kettle Hill
Tin Kettle Hill was an 186-foot hill, flanked by N. 21st Street on the west, the Boulevard on the south, the Rahway River Branch on the north, and the mainline on the east. The hill was removed between 1902 and 1906 by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Borrow pit tracks were constructed from the branch to load gondolas with dirt. The fill material was used on the approaches to the North River Tunnels, and in Waverly (Newark) and Greenville (Jersey City) yards.
The railroad's mainline climbed a small grade along the northern side of Tin Kettle Hill. The grade was located along the S-curve between Kenilworth depot and Route 22. The tracks began to climb at the lower curve above the depot, straightened out, passed the Rahway River Branch switch, and entered the upper curve. The tracks passed through a short cut and began to descend back down towards Route 22. The grade was about 0.5% to 1.0% on either side. Even after the hill itself disappeared, the railroaders referred to this grade as Tin Kettle Hill.
No. 14 has crested Tin Kettle Hill at the upper curve of the grade. (William S. Young photo)
No. 14 is on the upper curve of the grade on a short-fill. The picture was taken from N. Michigan Ave.
(William S. Young photo)
(William S. Young photo)
Engine House
Engine House
A two stall engine house with turntable was constructed on the Rahway River Branch, just west of the later N. Michigan Ave. grade crossing, in September 1905. The building was destroyed by a tornado on May 27, 1906 and the heap of debris fell flat on the J. N. H. Cornell locomotive which was inside the building.
Junction
Junction
The switch connection for the Rahway River Branch was located at MP 2.00. The junction had no official name but was sometimes referred to as “Rahway River Junction” or the “Can Branch Switch.”
No. 16 is at the Rahway River Branch junction switch, January 31, 1952. (Joseph Stark photo, Michael L. Kaplonski collection)
Industrial Sidings
Industrial Sidings
The rear of Heyman Manufacturing. (Peter Thornton photo, Donald A. Maxton collection)
MP 1.83 - This siding was constructed in the mid- to late-1970s and was extant through the railroad’s abandonment in 1992. It ran alongside a concrete loading dock. The siding was for industries located at 125 N. Michigan Ave., which included: Heyman Manufacturing Co.
Heyman Manufacturing switch at MP 1.83, 1989. (John Nolan photo)
Heyman Manufacturing switch at MP 1.83. (Jeff Jargosch photo)
MP 1.98 - This siding was constructed between January 3 and February 2, 1945. It had a length of 479 feet. The switch stand was a Ramapo #17B with target, bought new, with an Adams & Westlake switch lock. The track was about six or seven car lengths long. The siding snaked around the outside of the building to a platform. Tank cars were spotted immediately in the clear of the switch, within the first and second car lengths. Pipes were utilized to unload the tank cars. After another three car lengths, there was a platform alongside the building where boxcars were spotted. The siding was for industries located at 209 N. Michigan Ave., which included: France, Campbell & Darling, then Synray Corp.
The France, Campbell & Darling switch at MP 1.98. The Rahway River Branch switch is a short distance beyond at MP 2.00. (John Nolan photo)
N. Michigan Ave.
N. Michigan Ave.
N. Michigan Ave. (MP 0.10) - One track (main), macadam crossing, concrete road, vehicular traffic heavy, 2 P.U. signs (description from 1944).
No. 17 heads westbound towards Monsanto. Photographer is looking south on N. Michigan Ave., 2/24/1972.
(Frank Reilly photo)
(Frank Reilly photo)
No. 16 returns from Monsanto and crosses N. Michigan Ave., 2/9/1983. (Bob Wilt photo)
No. 17 heads westbound across N. Michigan Ave., 10/13/1971. (Tom Nemeth photo)
No. 17 heads westbound to Monsanto, 1984. (Eugene Graber photo)
No. 116 crosses N. Michigan Ave., 4/3/1990. (Bob Wilt photo)
Looking west from N. Michigan Ave., 1989. (John Nolan photo)
Looking east from N. Michigan Ave., 1989. (John Nolan photo)
Industries
Industries
Newark Brush Co.
Newark Brush Co. (c.1940-1949)
115-119 N. Michigan Ave., Kenilworth.
Manufacturers of jewelers’ and industrial polishing brushes, tampico, wire, and nylon bristles.
The company’s main plant was located in Newark, New Jersey. They only moved LCL shipments through the Kenilworth freight agency. N. E. Nielsen was President and F. G. Stirling was Secretary-Treasurer.
Heyman Manufacturing Co.
Heyman Manufacturing Co. (c.1940-1979)
125 N. Michigan Ave., Kenilworth.
Manufactures tools and ties, metal stamping.
The company employed eight people in 1938 and twenty-nine males and six females in 1952. Originally, the company was located on Stanley Terrace in Union and moved LCL shipments through Unionbury and Newark Heights. They moved to Michigan Ave. in Kenilworth in 1940 and moved LCL shipments through the Kenilworth freight agency. A private rail siding was built for the company in the 1970s.
France, Campbell & Darling Inc. (1940-1975)
Synres Chemical Corp. (1975-1981)
Synray Corp. (1981-Present)
209 N. Michigan Ave., Kenilworth.
Manufactures resins for lacquers and varnishes; inbound soybean oil, rosin, and gum opal.
France, Campbell & Darling, Inc. was founded by T. Jay France (1884-1957) in April 1921. France had been a natural resins importer before setting up his synthetics firm and also served as the Mayor of Barnegat, New Jersey. France partnered with Robert Campbell and I. L. Darling to form the company. France, Campbell & Darling was originally located in New York City, and then Elizabeth, New Jersey, before moving to Kenilworth in 1940. The company had employed thirty five at their plant in Elizabeth in 1939. They employed twenty-five males and four females at Kenilworth in 1952. The company manufactured synthetic resin, rosin gum, and gum opal, which are materials that have properties similar to that of plant resins and act as a synthetic substitute. The products have many applications, such as ingredients in printing inks, varnishes, adhesives (glues), soap, soda, soldering fluxes, and sealing wax. Rosin gum can also be used as a glazing agent in medicines and chewing gum. A private rail siding was constructed to serve the plant in 1944. The company would receive tank cars and boxcars. They would receive about one car a week, sometimes more. The tank cars were more often than the boxcars. The tank cars would be loaded with soybean oil from Central Soya. They would be unloaded at the bottom, curved portion of the siding where pipes came out of the building. The boxcars, usually 40 or 50 foot Southern or Central of Georgia cars, would be loaded with solidified resin in five or ten gallon corrugated drums. The company would unload the drums, knock and peel them apart, melt the contents down for their purposes. The boxcars would be unloaded at a platform along the upper, straight section of their siding. France, Campbell & Darling had a turquoise or aqua painted Mack or White truck that towed around a six or eight thousand gallon trailer. The rig would sit around for the longest time and then would occasionally be fired up to deliver something. The truck had no mufflers and was very loud. Chemische Industrie Synres BV of the Netherlands acquired France, Campbell & Darling in 1973 and renamed the company Synres Chemical Corp. in 1975. The plant was completely rebuilt in 1976. The property was spun off by the Dutch company and became Synray Corp. in 1981, which continues (2019) to operate at the site. Cars moved for France, Campbell & Darling via CNJ, Aldene: 1968 – 22 carloads in, 1969 – 30 carloads in, 1970 – 29 carloads in, 1971 – 28 carloads in.
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