BASS RIVER TOWNSHIP, N.J. HISTORY . . . etc.: The Tuckerton Railroad

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The Tuckerton Railroad

I included a story about the Walter Adams farm in New Gretna by Ben Allen in the December 7, 2009 Blog. Ben mentioned, in the first paragraph reprinted below, that Walter Adams' stage coach made trips from New Gretna to Tuckerton where your could catch the train to New York City and beyond. (I still don't have a photo of Walter Adams. I wonder if there is a member of the Adams family out there in the Blog-O-Sphere who might have a photo of Walter and his family?)

The big barn on Walter Adams farm housed four cows, a bull, four or more horses plus salt hay, bedding hay, a stage coach, a sled, and several wagons used to haul hay, wood, etc. The cows provided milk for many people in the area. The stage coach was used to take people to and from Tuckerton. I don’t know what the fee or schedule was, but you had to go to Tuckerton to catch the train to New York, etc.

That there was a train line and railroad station in Tuckerton may come as a surprise to some of our Blog readers, as there is little evidence that such a service ever existed. The only hint that I have seen while travelling around Tuckerton is the street sign at an intersection of North Green Street and Railroad Avenue the street that I take to get to the Tuckerton Lumber Company for my home improvement projects.

The street sign at the corner of North Green Street and Railroad Avenues provides a hint that a railroad station was once present nearby. (December 9, 2009 photo by Pete Stemmer.)

The old Tuckerton Railroad station was located at the corner of North Green Street and Railroad Avenue about where the Concrete Depot building is now located. (December 9, 2009 photo by Pete Stemmer.)

Present day site of the old Tuckerton Rairoad Station at the corner of North Green Street and Railroad Avenue. (Map courtesy of Bing Maps.)

The Tuckerton Railroad was built in 1871 from Whiting to Tuckerton, mainly to meet steam ships that would bring summer tourist to Long Beach Island. Over the years additional track was layed and the line was linked to others that ran to New York and Philadelphia. The railroad became a boom to the local shell fish dealers as they were able to get their oysters and clams to big city markets on a regular schedule. They no longer had to depend on the weather for the shipping of their products by schooner. The railroad was also popular with the locals as they could travel from Tuckerton to West Creek, Mayetta, Manahawkin, Barnegat, and other shore towns.

The increased use of the automobile, along with better area roads, led to decreasing business for the railroad, and it gradually became less and less profitable. It finally closed in 1940 with the scrapping of the 50 year old Engine No.5 at Barnegat.

Engine #5, shown above at Tuckerton in 1933, was scrapped in 1940 at Barnegat. (Photo courtesy of the Tuckerton Historical Society.)

I'm not sure when the Tuckerton railroad station and the auxiliary buildings on North Green Street were dismantled or demolished. Perhaps one of our Blog readers can fill in those details.

Following are some photos of the old Tuckerton Railroad station and auxiliary buildings.