Index>Station Info>Branchville

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Branchville, New Jersey

MP 69.5 (DL&W) 21.0 (SRR)

Telegraph Call: BV

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The Branchville Borough Station was built in 1869. It was a one and a half story, wood frame structure. A 57' turntable was used to turn the engines until about 1942 and was replaced by a wye outside of town. The wye track was replaced by a run-around in April of 1955.

A water tank and a one-stall engine house, which may have been used to house a 'dummy' engine in the 1870's-80's was torn down before 1907. (a photo of this is still unavailable)

Around 1922 there seems to have been an addition to the station. Two photos I've seen are evidence of this, one of which was dated 1922. The extension basically doubled the length of the freight end of the station, as it sported a second freight door.

In 1939 the station was moved across the tracks to accommodate the construction of the Sussex Milk and Cream building. At this time the extension was apparently removed. After abandonment of the branch, the town bought the station building and later attempted to obtain a grant to renovate it for public use. The funding fell through and the station fell into the hands of Dick Roy. When the borough decided to build a new firehouse on the site, the station was again moved to the 'tie yard' on the Roy Company lot.

On January 22, 1994 Dick Roy, the owner of the station in Branchville heard the roof of the station collapse under the weight of several storm's worth of heavy snow. The collapse occurred at 8:15 A.M. The station was razed a few weeks later.

Nearby Industries: Coal dealer (Hoos & Fletcher), stock yard, Roy Co. (feed), building materials (Hoose & Fletcher and Decker & Simmons) and the Borden creamery (Sussex Milk & Cream).

• Modeling the Branchville Station
• Station Agents List
• Track map (Map from: Railroad Model Craftsman - October 1990)
• Track map (Val Map V10/33 ca. 1945 updated to 1960, but track doesn't reflect what is depicted in photographs from the 1960s)

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• Postcard view (postmarked 1917) showing the station, Roe Co. building and part of the turntable (on right.)
• Engine 1010 in Branchville.
• Fairbanks Morse Train Master 858 in Branchville in 1958. Photo courtesy of Kent Louden
• GLF being switched.
• Back of Creamery showing tracks converging.
• Grain Silo near Wantage Ave.
• Storage shed north of grain silo.
• Rear of Roy Co. building.

From 1967:

• This is literally “End of Track” at Wantage Ave., Branchville, N.J. after the siding rails were torn up.
• Here's a shot, looking east, of the station and creamery. Note the outhouse on the left.
• Looking west at the station.
• This shot shows the siding down to the Agway. This is the siding which has recently been restored by Montague Tool & Supply.

1980's and Beyond:

• Bob Mitchell sent me these photos from the period just before the station (view 2, view 3)was moved off site. The rim of the turntable pit (view 2) was visible at this time.
• This is the brass plaque which the Branchville Historical Society (under my friend's urging) erected to commemorate the railroad into their town. Picture
  • Click here to read the text clearly.