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The Suzie-Q at Aldene and Cranford

NYS&W #120 rolls past Excee Tower after switching the Rahway Valley and will switch across the former CNJ main to handle operations on the Staten Island. NYS&W #120 is the power for RV-1 at it pulls off the Staten Island line and into Cranford Junction. 1991. The New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railroad (NYS&W or 'Suzie-Q'), a wholly owned subsidary of the Delaware Otsego Corporation, made its appearance at Aldene/Cranford starting in 1985. After a dwindling customer base and a strenuous relationship with Conrail, the Chessie System (formerly the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad), decided it had had enough of operating it's Staten Island Railroad subsidiary. Passenger operations on the island were taken over by the City of New York while the DO was contracted to provide freight service, between Cranford Junction and Staten Island, on the line starting in 1985. Less than a year later, in April, 1986, the DO took over the operations of the Rahway Valley Railroad after it was unable to obtain liability insurance. The DO, which used Suzie-Q motive power on these two lines, consolidated the operations of its Rahway Valley and Staten Island lines. The DO used one train, designated RV-1, to operate both lines. The Suzie-Q continued operations at Aldene/Cranford until April 21, 1992 when both the Rahway Valley and Staten Island were unceremoniously closed. NYS&W #120 is seen here at the former RV/CNJ interchange at Aldene with two former NJT E-8's in tow. The owners of the E-8's had leased space in Kenilworth to restore them. Photo taken by Carl Perelman. NYS&W #120, rolling past Excee Tower, is seen here with several loads of lumber bound for Ply-Gem and Jaeger Lumber on the Rahway Valley Railroad. 1/6/1988. Photo taken by Carl Perelman. NYS&W #1804 is seen here working the Aldene interchange as a New Jersey Transit commuter train rolls on by. #1804, designated as 'RV-1,' is waiting for clearance to switch over to the Staten Island line. The Garden State Parkway bridge can been seen in the background. 2/21/1991. Photo taken by Carl Perelman.

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