Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad |
| Founded | December 19, 1854 |
| Fate | Dissolved and integrated into United Jersey Railroad Company in 1915 |
| Headquarters | New Brunswick, New Jersey , United States |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad (M&NB) was established in the mid-1800s as a seven-mile spur connecting New Brunswick, New Jersey to East Millstone, New Jersey. Construction was completed, and service commenced on December 19, 1854. Under the leadership of President Martin Howell in 1871, M&NB entered into a 999-year lease agreement with the United Jersey Railroad Company, which later became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), designating it as the "Millstone Branch." The corporation was ultimately dissolved in 1915 and integrated into the United Jersey Railroad Company.
Planned westward expansion
The original vision for M&NB included extending westward by constructing a crossing over the Millstone River to connect with the Mercer & Somerset Railway (M&S), a brief-lived PRR line operating in western New Jersey.
The M&S line ran from Somerset Junction on the Belvidere Delaware Rail Road through Pennington and Hopewell reaching Millstone, with plans to link to M&NB via a bridge over the Millstone River, thereby creating a continuous route to New Brunswick.
However, after declaring bankruptcy, M&S ceased operations in 1880; consequently, the Millstone River bridge intended to connect with M&NB was never built. The only remaining evidence of this unrealized connection is a solitary stone pier standing in the river.
Passenger operations
The Millstone Branch provided twelve daily passenger trains running between East Millstone and New York City. Stations consisted of modest wooden shelters located at East Millstone, South Middlebush Road, Clyde Road, Voorhees (currently Route 27), and Jersey Avenue. These passenger services supported weekend shopping excursions to New Brunswick and commuting for professionals working in New York. Due to increasing automobile ownership, passenger operations were discontinued in 1930. Subsequently, track segments beyond Route 27 were used sporadically for freight deliveries to a rubber manufacturing plant in East Millstone; maintenance efforts declined alongside diminishing traffic. The stations at Clyde and Voorhees were closed on June 8, 1932, while the Middlebush station remained until its demolition in 1948.
Developments from the 1960s through the 1980s
The Jersey Avenue Park & Ride station, managed by NJ Transit and inaugurated on October 24, 1963 by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), occupies a portion of the former Millstone Branch line. In 1968, PRR merged with the New York Central Railroad, forming the Penn Central Transportation Company (PC). The Millstone Branch stayed operational eastward to East Millstone, New Jersey, servicing a rubber reclaiming facility until 1972 when the section west of Clyde Road was abandoned. Although PC attempted to discontinue service on this line, federal regulations mandated continued operation regardless of profitability. In early 1972, PC handled only six carloads for the rubber plant, generating $1,383 in revenue against $3,862 in delivery expenses. Following PC’s bankruptcy filing in 1970, most of its assets were transferred to the government-established Conrail (CR) on April 1, 1976. However, PC retained ownership of the stretch from South Middlebush Road to East Millstone while selling only up to South Middlebush Road.
In 1971, warehouse facilities were constructed along Clyde Road; although three had rail spurs installed, only Hermann Warehouse Corporation utilized rail service. One spur was removed without ever being used.
By summer 1980, tracks west of Clyde Road leading to East Millstone were dismantled except for a small buried segment near William and Market Streets. Complaints from motorists about unsafe grade crossings near Colonial Park arose. With no active customers beyond Route 27, this branch section fell into disrepair and became overgrown. For approximately thirty years thereafter, service west of Route 27 continued exclusively for Hermann Warehouse Corp. During this period, Conrail undertook infrastructure improvements including tie replacement, switch upgrades, brush clearing, and new ballast installation.
Current status
The Millstone Branch diverges from Amtrak's Northeast Corridor at County Interlocking, with New Jersey Transit (NJT) trains terminating at Jersey Avenue station. Presently, the tracks conclude between the Clyde and Dahmer Road crossings. Since 2001, residential neighborhoods have been developed on segments of the former rail corridor near East Millstone and to the west of Dahmer Road. The bridge pier over the Millstone River, originally constructed for the M&S extension, still stands, whereas the engine house and wye track located in East Millstone have been converted into grassy areas.
Ownership of the remaining portion of the Millstone Branch lies with Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), which operates limited service via the "Metuchen local," running late at night several times per week. This segment is now referred to as the "Millstone Secondary" in timetables issued by Amtrak, NJT, and NS. Since 2011, there has been no rail activity at the Clyde Road facility following Hermann Warehouse Corp’s relocation. A bumper post has been placed east of the Somerset Road/Route 27 crossing; meanwhile, crossings at Clyde Road, Veronica Avenue, and Route 27 are no longer in use. The only crossing still active is at Jersey Avenue/Route 91.
Station list
| Station | Location | Lines | Opened | Rebuilt | Agency closed | Station closed | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vorhees | New Brunswick | Millstone Branch | — | — | — |
|
Situated at grade crossing with Route 27. Service discontinued June 8, 1932. | ||
| Clyde | Franklin Township | Millstone Branch | — | — | — |
|
Located at Clyde Road junction in Franklin Township. Closed June 8, 1932. | ||
| Middlebush | Franklin Township | Millstone Branch | — | — | — |
|
Positioned at South Middlebush Road and Railroad Avenue. Original depot demolished in 1948. | ||
| Somerset Stock Farm | Franklin Township | Millstone Branch | — | — | — | — | |||
| Mettlers | Franklin Township | Millstone Branch | — | — | — | — | |||
| East Millstone | East Millstone | Millstone Branch | — | — | — |
|