The High Bridge Branch was a branch line of the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) that started in High Bridge, New Jersey at a connection with the CNJ main line and continued north to iron-ore mines in Morris County. The line followed the South Branch of the Raritan River for much of its duration.
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The High Bridge Branch connected to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W)and the Wharton & Northern Railroad just west of Wharton, New Jersey and to the Mount Hope Mineral Railroad and the Dover and Rockaway Railroad in Wharton. It originally connected with the Chester Branch of the DL&W at Chester just north of U.S. Route 206, but from Long Valley to Chester became the Chester Branch when the railroad was extended north from long Valley to the Wharton area. The line once carried both freight and passengers, with iron ore being its primary commodity.
Most of the line was abandoned on April 1, 1976 when Conrail assumed operations of the CNJ. The portion from Bartley to High Bridge was converted to a recreation trail, known as the Columbia Trail and the portion from the crossing of the High Bridge Branch and the DL&W Chester Branch to Main Street, Wharton was abandoned; the portion in Wharton is being converted to a hiking trail.
The northern portion from Bartley to Kenvil was purchased by the Morris County on July 1, 1986 and was immediately leased to regional short line operator Morristown and Erie Railway (M&E). Shortly thereafter, a new track connection was built just east of Kenvil with the former DL&W Chester Branch named Ferromonte Junction.
After the county acquisition of the High Bridge Branch, freight customers were sought. The first R. P. Smith & Co., a brick customer near Route 10 in Ledgewood. Service began to that location on May 2, 1988. Within the next few years, the railroad was opened to Flanders to a plastic extruding company and ultimately to Bartley where Toys "R" Us built an almost fully automated regional distribution center of 1/2 million square feet with a footprint to expand to 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2). The line currently ends in Bartley, just south of Toys "R" Us.
Local legend has named a ghost that haunted the High Bridge Branch in Washington Township just south of Bartley "the Hookerman". It periodically appeared between Naughright and Four Bridges Roads as a yellowish-orange light being swung from side to side as if warning trains to stop.
There are few remnants of the former High Bridge Branch rail line along the present rail trail, except for the occasional rotting railroad cross tie along the trail. The former wye connection to the CNJ mainline is still partially present in High Bridge in the parking area for the trail as is the CNJ Ken Lockwood Gorge Trestle, high above the South Branch of the Raritan River in High Bridge. In the late 19th century, the trestle was the site of the worst wreck ever on the High Bridge Branch when it collapsed as a train was going over it, sending several freight cars and at least one locomotive into the river.
There is a small section of track preserved in Califon and a small but rarely open museum dedicated to the High Bridge Branch history in the beautifully preserved field stone railroad station in the Califon town center.
The saving and restoration to service of the currently active portion of the High Bridge Branch (Bartley - Kenvil) was accomplished by Frank Reilly, Executive Director of the Morris County Department of Transportation Management with cooperation from the late Benjamin Friedland, President of the M&E.
The remaining northern section of the High Bridge Branch has been owned by Morris County and managed under the auspices of the County's Department of Transportation Management since 1986. It is operated under a lease agreement by the M&E. The branch starts at Ferromonte Junction, which is a switch on the M&E Chester Branch. The High Bridge Branch is served five days per week and terminates just west of U.S. Route 206 in Bartley, New Jersey.[1]
South of Bartley to High Bridge is owned by the Hunterdon and Morris Counties' Park Commissions with an easement in perpetuity by the Columbia Gas Company. Bartley to just east of Kenvil is owned by the Morris County Department of Transportation Management, and just east of the County ownership in Kenvil is privately owned. A portion of the former railroad in Wharton is owned by Wharton Borough government.