Flemington Junction station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Flemington Junction
Flemington Junction in 1895
Coordinates	40°31′57″N 74°50′26″W / 40.532569°N 74.840429°W / 40.532569; -74.840429
Line(s)	Lehigh Valley main line
History
Opened	June 28, 1875 (1875-06-28)
Closed	February 4, 1961 (1961-02-04)
Former lines
Preceding station Lehigh Valley Railroad Following station Easton toward Buffalo Main Line Roselle Park toward New York or Jersey City Landsdown toward Buffalo Three Bridges toward New York or Jersey City Terminus Flemington Branch Flemington Terminus

Flemington Junction station was an old train station in Flemington Junction, New Jersey. It was part of the Lehigh Valley Railroad system. This station was special because it sat right where two important train lines met: the Lehigh Valley's Flemington Branch and its main line.

What Was Flemington Junction Station?

Flemington Junction station was a key spot for trains. It was a "junction," which means a place where railway lines cross or join. Even though the station was named "Flemington Junction," the special branch line to Flemington wasn't built until eight years later.

Early Days and Growth

The Lehigh Valley Railroad wanted to make its main line longer. They extended it east from Easton, Pennsylvania, all the way to Jersey City, New Jersey. This big project happened between 1872 and 1875. The new section of the railway officially opened on June 28, 1875.

A New Name and Buildings

When the line first opened, the spot where Flemington Junction station would be was called Barton's Bridge. At first, there was no station building for passengers. People who wanted to go to Flemington, New Jersey had to take a stagecoach from the train stop. On April 16, 1876, the company officially changed the name to "Flemington Junction." Later that year, a building for storing freight (goods carried by train) was opened. A separate building just for passengers wasn't built until a few years later, between 1879 and 1882.

The Flemington Branch

A special, shorter train line called the Flemington Branch opened on August 4, 1884. This branch was about 1.7 miles long and connected the main line directly to Flemington. This made it much easier for people to travel between the main line and the town.

The End of an Era

Train travel started to change over time. By 1948, a special train car called a "gas-electric motor car" (sometimes called a Doodlebug) made many trips each day between Flemington Junction and Flemington. But soon, other ways of travel became more popular.

From Trains to Buses

In 1952, buses took over from the trains on the Flemington Branch. This meant people traveled by bus instead of by train on that short line. Even the bus service eventually stopped in 1957. As fewer goods were sent by train, the freight house at Flemington Junction was torn down in 1955.

Final Closure

Passenger train service to Flemington Junction officially ended on February 4, 1961. This was also when all passenger service on the entire Lehigh Valley Railroad stopped. The railroad company left the station building empty in 1963.

What Remains Today?

Even though the station closed many years ago, the original station building still stands. It is considered an important part of the Raritan–Readington South Branch Historic District. There were plans to tear down the building by the end of 2019.