u/Zahvi_Bo

​

The Lehigh and Hudson River Railway (L&HR) right-of-way (ROW) that cuts directly through the Pequest Trout Hatchery grounds is a prominent, historical artifact of Northwestern New Jersey's rich railroading era.

Historical Background:

The line was originally chartered as the Pequest and Wallkill Railroad in the 1870s before merging to become part of the L&HR. The tracks through Warren County were constructed in 1886. It operated primarily as a highly efficient freight "bridge line," connecting the industrial Lehigh Valley region in Pennsylvania eastward to Maybrook, New York, where trains could cross the Hudson River to southern New England

A devastating fire on the Poughkeepsie Bridge in 1974 severed the railway's primary connection. Following the decline, the L&HR was absorbed into Conrail in 1976, and the tracks through the Pequest area were ultimately abandoned and ripped up in 1986.

Current status:

Today, because the line runs through protected state land within the 5,200-acre Pequest Wildlife Management Area, much of the old rail bed is preserved and used informally as a nature and hiking trail.

Anglers use the old flat grade to access prime trout-stocking spots along the river.

Though there are talks, Local initiatives, such as the proposed Lehigh & Hudson Rail Trail project, aim to formally link these scattered publicly owned segments into a continuous multi-use greenway extending from Belvidere up toward Great Meadows.

There is not much left here besides a few moss covered ties and some infrastructure like telegraph poles, signal boxes and a few miles posts that are left to decay back into nature. And even though a few spots are overgrown it is still an awesome area to go hike and to sit and just a picture what it was like to see freight trains rumbling through the wooded area that once was a hustle and bustle of a line.

Historical Background: The "Old Road"

Built originally as part of the Warren Railroad in 1856 under the direction of industrialist John I. Blair, this segment allowed the DL&W to cross Warren County and transport anthracite coal from Pennsylvania down toward Jersey City. On December 24, 1911, the DL&W opened the famous Lackawanna Cut-Off. This massive engineering project bypassed Washington completely to cut down on travel time. Consequently, this section through Washington was relegated to secondary status and became known affectionately to rail historians as the "Old Road".

Service and Demise:

Passenger & Freight Declines: Passenger service along the Washington branch steadily dwindled throughout the mid-20th century, with the final commuter and passenger services ending on September 30, 1966, under the Erie Lackawanna Railroad.

While parts of the line north toward Portland, PA were officially abandoned around 1970 following severe track washouts and floods (notably around Manunka Chunk and Buttzville), parts of the right-of-way near Washington lingered on as disconnected industrial spurs.

Washington was once a major focal point for this line, complete with a landmark wooden and brick train depot built in 1900. Though it was the only building in Washington listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was unfortunately demolished in 1982.

This section:

This short abandoned section runs north from the Washington yard up to the old worn lumber and American can sites. After Conrail disbanded and this area was taken over by Norfolk Southern, Norfolk Southern continued operations up to these industrial sites until their demise within the last decade.

This was the original main line for the Delaware Lackawanna and Western Railroad that has long since been abandoned. The Washington yard and Washington secondary line is now leased by Chesapeake and Delaware from Norfolk Southern.

The Short line brings cars from the Washington yard up to Phillipsburg where Norfolk Southern picks up to run out on the mains.

The remaining tracks that are overgrown and rusted are now part of an abandoned industrial spur.

The former Portland, Pennsylvania train station, serving the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W), stands as a historic reminder of the region's rich industrial past.

The Lackawanna Railroad first reached Portland in 1856, triggering an economic boom that transformed the borough into a highly prominent local junction and Portland quickly grew into a bustling rail hub as the Bangor and Portland Railway and the Lehigh and New England Railroad both established connections here by 1886.

The main combination passenger and freight station was officially retired from active passenger service in 1953, though the standard mainline tracks passing by the station remain intact and are actively utilized for freight service by the modern shortline operator, the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad.

The Lackawanna Cut-Off:

Built between 1908 and 1910 by the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, it was a foundational piece of the "Lackawanna Cut-Off" project. This massive engineering initiative aimed to minimize steep grades and curves, ultimately shaving 11 miles and considerable travel time off the rail route between New York City and Scranton.

Abandonment:

Passenger operations ceased over the years, and the line was fully abandoned in 1983. Its tracks were completely pulled up by March 1989.

The Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project:

The long-term vision is to establish a 133-mile corridor linking New York City and Scranton, Pennsylvania, with trains reaching speeds up to 110 mph.

Restoring passenger service across the Delaware River Viaduct is one of the most visually striking and engineering-intensive components of the broader Amtrak expansion plan. Because the bridge has sat abandoned since 1983, decades of weathering and unchecked tree growth must be remediated before the first passenger train crosses the New Jersey-Pennsylvania state line.

Based on the current project schedule, the first train is expected to roll across the Delaware River Viaduct between 2028 and 2030.