In our hearts and prayers - the victims of September 11th.... 

New Jersey Railroad Information

The Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad

The Millstone and New Brunswick railroad was chartered to run from New Brunswick as branch from the Camden and Amboy to the Millstone River at Millstone.  It opened on December 19th, 1854. The total length was 6 and 68 / 100ths miles. 

In 1873, a connection was made with the Mercer & Somerset.  This connection allowed through trains to run to the Bel-Del along the Delaware River.  This relationship lasted on a short time as the Mercer & Somerset was abandoned in 1880.

Along the way to Millstone, it passed through several small farming villages.  However, this area of the state was not as sparsely populated as most of New Jersey, covering area between the Revolutionary towns of New Brunswick and Princeton - meaning this railroad actually had access to on-line revenue opportunities.

The M&NB had a stable business and even carried its share of passenger traffic.  It maintained stations at Vorhees (Rt 518 & Churchille Ave), Clyde (Clyde Rd, south of Rt 514), Middlebush (Railroad Ave), East Millstone.  At East Millstone a small yard and limited facilities existed. 

The Millstone & New Brunswick ended its independent corporate existence in 1871 under the presidency of Martin A. Howell,  when it was leased by the United Jersey Railroad companies, which became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad under a annual rental of 6%.  The road's balance sheet for that final year:
 

Receipts

From passengers,                  $8,561 20

From freight,                      4,617 25

                                                $13,178 45

Expenses,                                       9,164 43

Balance,                                       $4,014 02

Unlike today's annual reports - these are the 'real' numbers... Not millions or even thousands of $s....

The last of the four stations (Middlebush) was knocked down in the 1940s, about 15 years after passenger service ended in 1930.  This small box-like structure was utilitarian in design. This was the last physical remnant of the original railroad, other then the Right of Way.

The segment from Middlebush to East Millstone was abandoned by the Penn Central on 10/1/1973.  The segment to Middlebush continued to operate in the Conrail Era.  Only recently were tracks pulled up - in the 1980s-1990s. 

Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad 1854-1871

(c) 1999 - Phil Paone

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