Sign 14 - Railroad Bed

Building a railway to bring supplies and workers to construct the town of Belcoville and the loading plants was one of the highest priorities. In the spring of 1918, several miles of woodland were cleared to extend the tracks of the existing West Jersey and Seashore Railroad in nearby Mays Landing, the county seat. The new line traveled about one mile south to Belcoville and another two miles further south to the factories. A locomotive and passenger coaches were purchased soon after. The first tracks laid ran as far as the administration building, giving workers a faster and more convenient way to get to their jobs. The rail line to the power plant site was originally used to deliver construction materials. After the plant began operating in October 1918, it was used to deliver tons of coal used for fuel.

24 miles of wide-gauge track and 6 and one-half miles of narrow-gauge track cost three-quarters of a million dollars to build. Bridges over two waterways—the South River to the north and Stephen’s Creek to the south—were also built.

An average of 75 carloads of building supplies arrived daily by rail. Employees rode for free; all others paid 10 cents each way. The railroad system was also crucial in day-to-day loading operations, connecting all of the buildings to assure the easy flow of raw materials and shells from one structure to the next. Not surprisingly, the largest storage buildings for incoming materials were located adjacent to the railroad tracks. The New York Times estimated in 1918 that 100 carloads of shells would be shipped out daily once the plant reached full production.

Today the many routes followed by the railroad can still be traveled on foot. The rail beds have survived, but most of the rails and ties were sold for scrap after the plants closed in 1919.