I got my latest issue of Historic Rails in the mail a few days ago and like any railfan, I naturally circled every item that I wanted to buy. Sadly, I don't have $6000.00 off hand to get everything! One item that caught my interest was a DVD of The Erie Lackawanna. They said in the description it showed the infamous wreck at Pompton Junction. What exactly happened here and when? I have been unable to find anything significant to this wreck but haven't looked all too hard either, for that matter.
Just would like to know what occured and when.

Happened before my time but where I grew up in NJ (Wanaque area). Part of the story is located here about the kids throwing the switch for the siding open and the resulting wreck, http://lists.railfan.net/erielack-diges ... 00061.html

I do have the "Erie Railroad in Color" book that may have further info. It covers the area I am from.


(There was a similar wreck I saw first hand the aftermath in the early 80s when I was only 7 or 8 in Northern, NJ. Kids threw a switch open and the train went down the siding and through a factory. The engineer was killed. I have no memories where exactly it happened, but remember seeing all the wrecked equipment and the hole through the factory. It reminded me of the ending of 'Silver Streak' when the F units go through the station. Maybe someone else on here has further info on it?)

There was a similar wreck on the Susquehanna in that vicinity in the early 60's. Three or four RS1's were involved in that one and I think there were crew fatalities.

Walt Lankenau

Steve,

I have not seen the DVD but the most infamous wreck in the area actually occurred in Pompton Plains, NJ which is about 2 miles south of Pompton Junction. This was in the 1960s.

Story is some kids threw the switch into the lumber yard just south of the State Highway 23 overpass. Locomotives (I believe RS-3s) deadheading north back to Wanaque on Sunday night to run Monday's passenger trains hit the turnout and derailed. I have heard track speeds at that time in the area were in the 40+ range and you can still see some superelevation in the curves just north of that location today. The engines ended up in a pile and at least one crewmember was killed.

I have seen photos posted online probably on the Erie Lackawanna Mailing list.

I grew up in nearby Riverdale (born in 1971) so I have only heard stories and seen photos.

Never heard of any wreck at Pompton Junction proper.

Not part of the Pompton discussion but for the curious I recieved further info on the other incident that I remember. It was in Fairlawn and the train went through a pasta factory on July 7th, 1982.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A963948260

This was on the "Bergen County Shortcut" right? My grandparents lived in Glen Rock between the "shortcut" and "mainline" routes just down from Ridgewood Junction and I remember hearing about this tragedy.

I found the link to the newspaper article on the ErieLackawanna list;

http://lists.railfan.net/listthumb.cgi?erielack-01-26-10

I'm still trying to picture exactly where this train wreck happened. I never heard of Carlson Lumber or Morris Pipe Co. and can't figure out where they were on the line. I remember Wanaque Lumber which was where I-287 cuts across Ringwood Ave today. There used to be (15-20 years ago) an A&P supermarket there too.

I lived 1/2 mile from the old Greenwood Lake Division right of way. The tracks were torn up before I was born and Wanaque Elementary School was built on part of the old right of way. I went to that school and would ride my bike along the old railbed.

The only trains I remember is the Susquehanna in Pompton Lakes, which is still very much active today.

MEC,

The wreck in the artcile happened immediately south of the Route 23 overpass over the Greenwood Lake Branch. It is near the intersection of Route 23 with the Newark - Pompton Turnpike.

If you go to Google Maps the address for Morris Pipe is 777 State Rt 23, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444. The railroad right of way is to the west of the site. If you zoom in along the tracks you can still see evidence of the spur that went into the facility.

Thanks cj, I know where it is now, near Rt 23 Honda. My parents actually found the spot today too as they drove by Morris Pipe and let me know also.