Rahway Valley Railroad

Rahway Valley Railroad
Map
Lines of the Rahway Valley Railroad}
RVRR bridge over the Rahway River
RVRR bridge over the Rahway River
Overview
HeadquartersKenilworth, New Jersey
Reporting markRV
LocaleUnion County, New Jersey
Dates of operation1897 (1897)–1992 (1992)
SuccessorMorristown and Erie Railway
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Route map

7.1 mi
11.4 km
Summit
East Summit
5.0 mi
8 km
Baltusrol
4.4 mi
7.1 km
Springfield
3.1 mi
5 km
Katemiller (Arion)
2.9 mi
4.7 km
Newark Heights
0.9 mi
1.4 km
Unionbury
Unionbury Branch
2.6 mi
4.2 km
Doty's (Union)
Warren Street
Monsanto Branch
1.7 mi
2.7 km
Central (Kenilworth)
Lehigh Line
to Port Reading Junction

The Rahway Valley Railroad (RV) was a shortline railroad in the Northeastern United States. During their operations, the RV was considered as one of the most successful shortline railroads in U.S. history. The RV interchanged with the Lehigh Valley Railroad (LV) in Roselle Park, the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) in Cranford, and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W) in Summit.

The railroad was instrumental in the development of many towns along their right-of-way, including Kenilworth, Union Township, Springfield. By 1986, the RV experienced declining freight traffic, and they lost their liability insurance coverage, That same year, the railroad was sold to the Delaware Otsego Corporation (DO). Freight customers abandoned the railroad to the point only one remained, and in 1992, the RV consequently ceased operations.