Raritan River 7 Cupola Caboose - Allaire, NJ
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 40° 09.753 W 074° 07.926
18T E 573908 N 4446159
This cupola caboose, once used by Raritan River, is now on display at the New Jersey Museum of Transportation in Allaire State Park, along with antique train exhibits and the Pine Creek Railroad, a narrow gauge steam powered train.
Waymark Code: WM60C8
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 03/11/2009
Views: 11
The New Jersey Museum of Transportation, Inc. has many rare vintage pieces of railway equipment and exhibits. The displays increase as the museum acquires and restores more projects continually. The museum began its operations in 1951, and depends on donations and extensive volunteer hours to remain running.
The museum is also home to the Pine Creek Railroad, one of the oldest continually operating narrow gauge steam preservation railway exhibits in the country. A 1/2 hour train ride through the woods of Allaire State Park is both romantic and fun for kids. The Railway also offers Fall Foliage Tours, Great Train Robbery Re-enactments, and Haunted Night Runs.
In the 1800s, it was found that the iron ore in the central Jersey bogs was strong enough and plentiful enough to manufacture much needed cannonballs and other iron products. James Allaire, a manufacturer of marine engines in New York, purchased the property in 1822 to process the ores needed for manufacturing. Due to the long hours of strenuous work, the employees brought their families to the site of the company. This brought a need for other industries to offer services. So, soon enough, a village emerged, with a mill to make flour, a bakery to make the bread, an inn to make guests and travelers comfortable, a general store for groceries and a chapel for spiritual health. Employees worked at extracting the ore from the creek, sending it through the blast furnace and into the iron works. So Allaire, a mini city, grew, based around the industry.
The men would work the iron, their payment would be offset by the company for their lodging. The rest of their pay would be spent in the company's general store, the company's bakery, the company's carpenters, etc... Great business.
Later in the 1800s, a stronger iron was found in Pennsylvania, and the iron bogs in Jersey were abandoned. By 1850, Allaire had become a ghost town.
Current Use:
Museum Display and Attraction
Type Of Caboose: Cupola, "Standard"
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Visit Instructions:
Please visit the location of the caboose, brake van, or guard van, provide visit details through photo or narrative.