Hike #118; Long Valley to Landing

 Hike #118

13

 

Along the tracks in Flanders

Hike 118

 

12/31/3

 

For this, the last hike of 2003, I had planned yet another interesting trip. I wanted to walk

from Long Valley on the former CNJ High Bridge Branch to the former Morris and Essex

line, then walk to Netcong, and then take a train to Hackettstown where we could leave a

car. We began in the morning by leaving my Camaro at the Hackettstown Station, and

then Tea Biscuit, Joe Millionaire and I headed to a mini mart in Long Valley where we left

his Ford Probe (Actually, he called it his “Mazda Probe” because it had a Mazda engine

inside).

Patriot's Path in Long Valley

Old silo just off of Patriot's Path in Long Valley

We then stopped in a store for junk food and began walking Rt 513/24 east. We

soon reached the trailhead to the Gilette Trail, part of the Patriot’s Path system. We

walked it across fields and into orchrards, crossing the abandoned CNJ Chester Branch

followed by the South Branch of the Rariton River on a small old bridge. Along the way,

we spotted what appeared to be ruins just off the trail, so Joe Millionaire and I went to

investigate. We found an interesting old silo deep in the woods. We then headed out to the

former CNJ High Bridge Branch, following it east.

Columbia Trail in Long Valley heading northeast

Columbia Trail near Naughright

Columbia Trail near Naughright/Four Bridges area

The right of way is now part of the Colombia Trail as far east as Bartley. The footway

was all very easy to the end of the trail section. After crossing Bartley Road, the tracks are

still in place, used as a spur line now for Toys R Us.

We had contacted Delotto once again, and he planned on meeting us in Flanders at the

A&P supermarket. As we neared the Rt 206 bridge, he became visible heading toward us

on the tracks.

End of the active part of former High Bridge Branch of the CNJ in Bartley

Former High Bridge Branch in Flanders

Former High Bridge Branch in Flanders NJ

Bridge on the High Bridge Branch in Flanders NJ

Former High Bridge Branch a bit east of Flanders

Hanging out in Barnes And Noble in Ledgewood along the Hike.

Former connector track from the CNJ High Bridge Branch at Lake Junction north of Kenvil

Along the former Morris and Essex main line, now NJ transit near Lake

Former Morris and Essex main line west of Lake Junction

Along NJ transit train we boarded at Landing

On the NJ Transit train to Hackettstown

We headed back down to Flanders A&P and wandered through the store a bit looking for

junk food and such. Delotto spent most of the time at the cash register as I recall, flirting

with a cute young cashier. I chatted with a few people I knew who once worked with me

at the A&P in Mansfield before it closed. Before we left, Delotto hugged and kissed the

cashier to our utter amazement! Delotto is quite charming.

Also, before returning to the tracks, I stopped in a liquor store and got us each a tall can

of Molson Ice. We stopped for a break on the tracks and had our beers, chatting happily.

Soon, the tracks took us through the main part of Flanders, and past a golf course where

we picked up several golf balls from between the rails. Much of the railroad was quite

secluded for some time on our way into Succasunna and Ledgewood Area.

When we reached Succasunna/Ledgewood we stopped somewhere to eat (I don’t

remember where) and wandered over to the Barnes and Noble bookstore to do some

reading. Joe Millionaire was’nt feeling well, so he called to have his dad pick him up,

while Tea Biscuit, Delotto, and I continued on.

After leaving Barnes and Noble, we returned to the tracks and walked them to Kenvil.

There, we wandered into an adult novelty store and browsed gleefully for a bit.

The tracks took us on to the site of a junction where the CNJ High Bridge Branch

crossed the DL&W Chester Branch. Now, the former CNJ was operated by the

Morristown and Erie Railraod, which utilized part of the DL&W tracks to Kenvil, then

CNJ out to Flanders. The remainder of the CNJ line to the northeast of here appeared to

be obliterated. We followed the right of way across a grassy area and through weeds, but

were met by a fence at the first road crossing. I believe this was Dell Avenue. We walked

the road parallel to the right of way for some time, making our way toward it on occasion,

but could not get to it. Eventually we came to the abandoned connector track to the

DL&W line, which we used to take us to the former Morris and Essex, now NJ Transit,

main line, which was heavily used and double tracked at this point.

We began walking west, passing a few trains along the way. This section parallels Rt 80

for some time, and near exit 30, Howard Blvd, there is a large commuter parking lot.

Here, a NJ Transit truck pulled up onto the tracks, apparently to stop us from walking up

there, but we crossed over the bridge too fast for him to reach us, and the bridge had no

room for regular vehicles. The rest of our long walk on active tracks was free of incident.

We soon reached Landing Station on Lake Hopatcong, and decided to wait for a train

here rather than go all the way to Netcong. Delotto’s sugar was going low, and we kept

giving him gum and whatever we had to keep him going. The first train that came in, we

ran as hard as we could to, but it was not going to Hackettstown. The second one,

however, we just barely made. We climbed aboard and had a pleasant ride back to

Hackettstown. The train moved rather fast at times too!