JUST A SHORT LINE SERIES

The Rahway Valley Railroad was a colorful short line that operated in northern New Jersey for much of the last century. For the past several years, author and historian (and Tri-State President) Richie King has been researching and collecting everything he can about this little railroad. In an effort to share what has been found, Tri-State will host occasional programs on the Rahway Valley Railroad in addition to the regularly scheduled monthly meetings.

Stories & Anecdotes

The Rahway Valley Railroad was a colorful short line that operated in northern New Jersey for much of the last century. For the past several years, author and historian (and Tri-State President) Richie King has been researching and collecting everything he can about this little railroad. In an effort to share what has been found, Tri-State is hosting occasional programs on the Rahway Valley Railroad as part of the Just a Short Line series. In this program, King shares the more amusing side of the Rahway Valley through the laughable anecdotes, harrowing tales, and sardonic letters he has collected. You’ll learn about the lazy conductor, the kids of the railroad, the tale of the engineer’s ill-fated pie, the firebug, calamities with cars, and much more. You’ll be sure to let out a laugh, or two.

TOUR THE RAILROAD - 1940s and 50s

In this program, King takes you on a tour of the railroad in the 1940s and 50s. The RV was a bustling little freight operation back then. In this presentation, you’ll take a ride along the RV’s 11.8-mile-long streak of rust, including the mainline, three branches, and three interchanges.

LOCOMOTIVES & EQUIPMENT

In this program, King was joined by Jeff Jargosch, a longtime Rahway Valley fan and steam locomotive aficionado, and Walt Switz, a retired railroader and former Rahway Valley employee, for a look at the railroad’s locomotives and equipment. The show covers the earliest locomotives and their histories. With Jeff, we take a detailed look at the last three steam engines, Nos. 13, 14, and 15, what is was like to operate them, their differences, and idiosyncrasies. With Walt, we cover what it was like to work with the 70-tonners in daily freight service. We even cover the railroad’s lone caboose, the 102, and more.

BEST PHOTO FINDS

In this program, King shares some of the best photography of the Rahway Valley he has come across in his searching. "The “best” photos are rare finds, high quality, or just photos with a good story behind them. There are early color (both steam and diesels), photos from well-known photographers and railfans, and lots of good stories.

JUST A SHORT LINE MAN: THE STORY OF GEORGE A. CLARK

Perhaps the most interesting part of the railroad’s story is that of its long-time President & General Manager: George A. Clark.

King presents an in-depth look at George A. Clark, a complicated man known for his unique brand of opinion, profanity, and sarcasm - as well as his generosity, work ethic, and level of attention to just about everyone and everything. The presentation follows Clark’s life from his birth in Rochester, NY, through his formative years in Oregon, to his nearly fifty year career with the Rahway Valley. We also see some of Clark’s most pungent literary creations, his famous calendars, and some of the many letters he received from railfans. King also touches upon the lives of Clark’s father and son, who also served as President and General Manager of the railroad in their own day. The show was certainly a crowd pleaser, eliciting a laugh or two, and demonstrates just what it took to run a one-horse railroad.

FREIGHT OPERATIONS

This presentation features a deep dive into freight operations on the Rahway Valley Railroad. Customers the railroad served are also featured, as well as an abundance of humorous anecdotes. Most, if not all, the information is from extensive interviews Richie King conducted with Walt Switz, who started his railroad career on the Rahway Valley in 1966. A number of Switz's own photographs are also featured... as well as a surprise appearance at the end.