The Old Greenwood Lake/Boonton Line

Today, the Greenwood Lake/Boonton Line is being transformed into the Essex Hudson Greenway, which will turn the old right of way into a 9 mile long rail trail. Though rails have been removed on the vast majority of this route, the chance to explore the line by drone is one that was worth taking. The Greenwood Lake/Boonton Line served for over 100 years as a passenger route through Northern New Jersey. The New York and Greenwood Lake Railway line originally ran from Jersey City, NJ to Greenwood Lake, NY. The line saw a multitude of changes throughout the years. The NY&GL fell under control of the Erie Railroad, which invested several infrastructure upgrades into the rail line. By the beginning of the 20th century, the old alignment of the NY&GL had been abandoned in favor of the more direct right of way seen today. This rail line would see the end of service north of Mountainview in Wayne, and New Jersey Transit continuing the route west on former Lackawanna trackage as their Boonton Line. With the completion of the Montclair Connection, NJT deamed there to be no further need for passenger service on the Boonton Line. Norfolk Southern had utilized the eastern end of the line for storage and equipment movement just off of their Croxton Yard. Music Credit: Cornfield Chase (Envire Remix) by Hans Zimmer Interstellar (Symphonic Remix) by Xenon