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The Caldwell Branch Railroad.

Early History.

The Caldwell Railway was proposed by members of the First Presbyterian Church in Caldwell (NJ) to help increase the success of selling unneeded Church lands in the town. A new railroad from Jersey City might make the property more desirable. The route was proposed from Caldwell east through the Verona area, under First Mountain, and linking with the Midland Railway in Montclair NJ. This route would have roughly paralled Bloomfield Avenue, including a bridge over what is now Verona Park Lake, and then proceeded in a tunnel under First Mountain and emerging near Upper Mountain Avenue near Van Vleck Street and east into the Montclair Railway for the trip to Jersey City. The ambitious project was launched in September 1870, with the Church trustees agreeing to invest $3,000 toward building the railroad. Unfortunately the project was apparently cancelled in 1873 by unforeseen engineering problems and the financial Panic of 1873.

Establishment of service. In 1890, a more modest Caldwell Railway was proposed that used a less complex route from Caldwell NJ to Great Notch, linking to the New York and Greenwood Lake Railroad for continued travel to Jersey City. The Church trustees contributed $2,500 to the effort that ultimately attracted $75,000 of capital. The new route followed the 1870 route east from Caldwell across the "flats", then turned northward across the slope of the Second Watchung Mountain through Verona and Cedar Grove, linking to the New York and Greenwood Lake at Great Notch. Public service began on August 3, 1891 with free rides between Caldwell and Great Notch. Initial service required a transfer at Great Notch for service to Jersey City. Despite the high hopes for the line, revenues were inadequate to cover costs and the Railway was turned over to the NY and Greenwood Lake in 1893. Nonetheless, the railway may have served it's purpose - to help the rural village of Caldwell become a suburb in the early 20th century.

Operations in the post-War period.

Removed from service.

Remnants of the Road today.