Steam & Excursion > Flemington (NJ) Turntable Jct and BR&W RR; what was and what is

With the demolition of Flemington’s Turntable Junction Outlet stores, I wanted to photograph the redevelopment changes that are occurring with Black River & Western’s RR (BRW). In these photos. BRW has been operating out of here for as long as I can remember and has me wondering what impact it will have on their operations at this location.
Photo 1: Back on April 27, 2024, I photographed BRW’s 438 getting ready to run around its excursion train so it could couple up to the passenger cars for its next run to Ringoes. Take note that buildings are still standing on this date.
Photo 2: August 31, 2025 finds PRR 9206 heading down the runaround track to couple up to the two coaches and an Erie caboose for the 2:30 run to Ringoes. The buildings have been leveled and chain link fencing surrounds the Church Street grade crossing.
Photo 3: The debris from the demolition is very visible off to the right of 9206. Pennsylvania Railroad SW1 locomotive #9206 was restored and operating on August 31, 2025.
 

---

---

---

Photo 4: As the 9206 crossed Route 12, I just could not resist taking this photo of lots of horsepower!
Photo 5: Crossing the Parker Avenue grade crossing back on September 24, 1984 is ex-ATSF CF7 2421 which would later be repainted and be renumbered as BRW 42. Freight service to Flemington was still happening back then!
Photo 6: The 2:30 excursion crosses Parker Avenue on August 31 with its two coaches and trailing Erie caboose. That building, now vacant, was known as Feed Mill Station. 
 

---

---

---

All very nice photos, thanks for sharing them with all of us.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Thanks for the pictures. That outlet center used to be packed with people on Fall weekends.

Posted from Android

How has the demolition affected ridership?  It looks like it is difficult to get to the platform.  Is there adequate parking?

Are you referring to the redevelopment of the Liberty Village site into housing? Turntable Junction is across the street in the quaint little one story shops. Is that also being redeveloped?

when I last visited the Turntable Jct site (north of the Liberty Village site), the buildings were mostly abandoned, but still standing. That was 2023.

For folks unfamiliar with the area: the SW 1 and loading area is on former Pennsylvania Railroad track. Behind / north of the loading area is a marker delineating CNJ on one side and PRR on the other side. The CNJ curved northeast, past the Turntable Jct site,   and eventually joins the Nortfolk Southern (former Lehigh Valley) near the US 202 overhead bridge. The CNJ branch once continued east to Flagtown and Somerville.  

njmidland Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How has the demolition affected ridership?  It
> looks like it is difficult to get to the
> platform.  Is there adequate parking?

It is hard to say about the ridership since Saturday's run had the two coaches and Erie caboose filled. On Sunday, the two coaches were just about empty for the 2:30 run. Regarding parking, right now there is a parking area being used by people riding the train. However with the redevlopment plans (of which I am unfamiliar with how it will be laid out) that area might also be scheduled for redevlopment.

Does BR&W have any freight business left on the line? I haven't been down that way in years1

Locoinsp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does BR&W have any freight business left on the
> line? I haven't been down that way in years1

FerrellGas in Three Bridges used to get several cars weekly.  The roofing place opposite Fred Beans was good for boxcar deliveries.  Nothing else comes to mind.

Not sure, but there always seem to be a good number of cars at the interchange with NS.