The Central Railroad of New Jersey, more commonly known as the Jersey
Central Lines or CNJ, was a regional railroad with origins in the 1830s,
lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other
bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States. Its main line ran
from a terminal at Jersey City west through New Jersey to Phillipsburg and
across the Delaware River to Easton and Scranton in Pennsylvania. Branches
also stretched into southern New Jersey to Delaware Bay.
The CNJ was acquired by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway in 1883.
Though that was later canceled, the Reading continued to exert a major
influence over the CNJ, and used it for its New York City-area terminal.
Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey includes the site of the
CNJ's terminal.
History
Origins
The Elizabethtown and Somerville Railroad was chartered on February 9,
1831 to build from Elizabeth on the Newark Bay (with a steamboat transfer
to New York City) west to Somerville. The line to Plainfield was completed
in March 1839, connecting to the New Jersey Rail Road in Elizabeth.
Extensions took it west to Dunellen in 1840, just east of Bound Brook in
1841 and the rest of the way to Somerville in 1842.
The Somerville and Easton Railroad was chartered February 26, 1847 to
continue the line west to Easton. The first extension, to Whitehouse,
opened in 1848 and was leased to the Elizabethtown and Somerville Railroad.
On February 11, 1849 the Elizabethtown and Somerville Railroad bought the
Somerville and Easton Railroad, and on February 26 the two companies were
consolidated as the Central Railroad of New Jersey.
The rest of the line to Phillipsburg opened in 1852, and on September 8,
1855 the upper level of the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Easton Bridge over
the Delaware River, taking the CNJ to Easton. At that time, Lehigh Valley
coal trains began running over the CNJ to Elizabeth. A similar operation
with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, joining at Hampton,
began May 27, 1856. This required the addition of a third rail to join the
broad gauge DL&W onto the standard gauge CNJ.
On December 1, 1859 the CNJ arranged to run over the New Jersey Rail Road
to the latter's terminal in Jersey City. That operation began December 19,
and included a third rail for DL&W trains.
The South Branch Railroad, controlled by the CNJ, opened July 1, 1864 as a
branch from Somerville to Flemington. The CNJ's extension to their new
terminal in Jersey City, including a bridge over Newark Bay, opened on
July 29, 1864, with a ferry transfer to Cortlandt Street in New York City,
ending operations over the NJRR. On July 23, 1869, the Newark and New York
Railroad opened, providing a straight route from downtown Newark to the
CNJ's Jersey City terminal. The Newark Branch, running north from
Elizabethport to the N&NY in Newark, opened June 7, 1872.
The rest of the line to Phillipsburg opened in 1852, and on September 8,
1855 the upper level of the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Easton Bridge over
the Delaware River, taking the CNJ to Easton. At that time, Lehigh Valley
coal trains began running over the CNJ to Elizabeth. A similar operation
with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, joining at Hampton,
began May 27, 1856. This required the addition of a third rail to join the
broad gauge DL&W onto the standard gauge CNJ.
On December 1, 1859 the CNJ arranged to run over the New Jersey Rail Road
to the latter's terminal in Jersey City. That operation began December 19,
and included a third rail for DL&W trains.
The South Branch Railroad, controlled by the CNJ, opened July 1, 1864 as a
branch from Somerville to Flemington. The CNJ's extension to their new
terminal in Jersey City, including a bridge over Newark Bay, opened on
July 29, 1864, with a ferry transfer to Cortlandt Street in New York City,
ending operations over the NJRR. On July 23, 1869, the Newark and New York
Railroad opened, providing a straight route from downtown Newark to the
CNJ's Jersey City terminal. The Newark Branch, running north from
Elizabethport to the N&NY in Newark, opened June 7, 1872.