[?]

Aldene Station The Second Depot at Aldene

Here we see the second Aldene Station, located on Westfield Avenue, the present site of Sun Tavern. Roselle Park Historical Society, courtesy of Don Maxton. This view shows CNJ 2-8-2 Mikado #865 on the point of a westbound freight at Aldene. Of particular interest is the Aldene passenger shelter on the right. The shelter was connected to the main station building (seen above) by the pedestrian bridge seen in the background. Also seen is the large Lehigh Valley bridge over the CNJ mainline. Collection of Todd Hollritt.   #16 pulls a lone boxcar across a quiet Westfield Avenue in this 1963 view. The interchange track curves westward at this point, indicating the "flip" from east to west may have occurred earlier than the Aldene Plan of 1967. Photo taken by Bruce Trampler, courtesy of Don Maxton.   After the first Aldene Station disappeared from existance at some point in the early 20th Century, after which the Central Railroad of New Jersey constructed a 'second' Aldene Station. The old station site was obliterated by the construction by the plant of Romerovski Brothers, so the new station was relocated to the other side of the Lehigh Valley Railroad embankment, closer to the RV-CNJ interchange. The CNJ inadvertently constructed the station on Rahway Valley Railroad property, well at least one corner of it. To make amends, the CNJ paid $1 annually in rent for the use of a sliver of its property. The Aldene Station served as a passenger depot, amidst other nearby CNJ train stations at Roselle Park and Cranford, as well as the LV's Roselle Park station. The station also, may of, housed a freight agent to handle interchanged cars between the RVRR and the CNJ. After the Aldene Plan was implemented in 1967, the Aldene Station came within inches of the ramp that now connected the LV and the CNJ. Being rendered useless by the new arrangement, the Aldene Station was eventually razed. The site is now occupied by Sun Tavern.   It's 1971 and the Aldene Plan has been in full effect for almost four years. Another CNJ train makes its way down the Aldene Connection ramp at Aldene, having come from Newark Penn Station and its next stop is Cranford Station. A stop that has been missing from the schedule is Aldene itself. The old Aldene passenger depot can be seen on the left. It is every bit apparent that the years have been unkind to the structure and soon it will disappear altogether. 1/9/1971. Photo taken by Rich Taylor. See Report of the Board of Public Utility Commissioners, 1914, concerning the moving of Aldene Station

Head Back to the Station!