by Erin Feith, Research Assistant
July 16, 2024
Top photo: The section of railroad in Morris Township between Washington Valley and Watnong Station, 1910
From its inception in the late 19th century, the Rockaway Valley Railroad (R.V.R.) struggled to get on the right track. Ultimately running 25 miles from White House to Watnong (Morris Township), the line garnered the nickname “Rock-A-Bye Baby,” due to its bumpy ride and was plagued by financial and structural issues. Despite its setbacks, the railroad’s history is a fascinating reflection of developments in the area’s economy by the turn of the century.
Chartered in 1888, the R.V.R. was created amid increasing pressure for a train line to connect growers in the expanding peach industry of Hunterdon County with larger markets. The new line, proposed by John E.V. Melick, would connect New Germantown, Peapack, and Mendham to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in Morristown. While Melick’s limited railroad experience and cost-cutting methods soon created complications, the prospect of the line drew the interest and investment of local orchard owners, namely James N. Pidcock and William W. Sutton. Despite their support, the line was faced with building delays, mounting debt, underperforming industries, and poorly constructed roadbeds. Though buoyed by several bountiful peach-growing seasons, the R.V.R. had to find a new profit-maker by 1904, as a blight effectively ended the industry in the area.
Renamed as the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Railroad (1904), the line saw an increase in merchandise business and passenger travel during the early years of the 20th century. One of R.V.R.’s more successful endeavors was free freight delivery into Morristown. Being the only railroad to do so, many local merchants opted to send their freight via the smaller R.V.R line as opposed to larger ones who charged cartage fees. These items could then be purchased by passengers who also sought to ride the R.V.R., as it also offered free stage rides from the line into town. On two occasions, the railroad even arranged “shoppers days,” with Morristown business owners, where special trains carried buyers to their doorsteps.
While local merchants and passenger travel helped, the long-term financial and safety issues of the line forced the last train to leave the station on October 18, 1913. A series of attempts were made to revive the R.V.R. line for the next several years, but the rails and ties were finally taken up and sold in 1917. Ironically, this sale netted one of the largest profits the railroad had ever seen and marked its final role in local industry. Today, remnants of the R.V.R. can still be found along Patriot’s Path, keeping pieces of the past chugging along into a new generation.
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