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Trains and Treasure In New Jersey


I love any opportunity to go somewhere I’ve never been, especially while scouting. Too often, we end up scouting the same neighborhoods and streets on every job, and it can get redundant. I had an appointment in western New Jersey farm country last week to check out some vintage train cars, and it turned out to be a great change of pace from the city.

My first stop was in Ringoes, NJ, named after a tavern owner named John Ringo. The tavern was built in the 1700’s and still stands today. Below is the old train station for the town.

NJ - 02 - Ringoes

According to local legend, John Ringo was an accomplished ship captain whose vessel was once overtaken by pirates. Ringo was captured; however, the pirate crew later mutinied against their captain and, perhaps lacking a better alternative, appointed Ringo as his replacement. Ringo later returned to western New Jersey with a substantial treasure. However, he never spent it, as it was money from slave trafficking, and instead buried it somewhere in the area. For over 300 years, treasure hunters have been unsuccessfully searching for his loot.

A small selection of some amazing trains:

NJ - 03 - Train 1
Passenger cars

NJ - 04 - Train 2
Old Diesel Engine

NJ - 05 - Train 3
Old Baggage Car

NJ - 06 - Train 4
Little Red Caboose

After shooting the trains I was looking for, I headed on to my next destination taking the back roads. I passed this honey stand, closed for the season, which is located beside a really neat crumbling stone structure.

NJ - 07 - Honey

NJ - 08 - Building

I continued on and passed through Pittstown, NJ. If you’ve never heard of Pittstown, this building in the small downtown area can help you out:

NJ - 09 - Pittsburg

Note the “RU LOST” above a state map. In Pittstown’s defense, it’s actually a very pretty, quaint little town, with some really great preserved buildings. Very pleasant to drive through.

I spent some time taking pictures of a train route that run along the Delaware River. Apparently, on rare occasions, the Delaware has risen to some unbelievable heights. My guide pointed out this house to me. You can see the river on the left, which is about 15 feet or so down the bank:

NJ - 10 - All in

The appropriately-named “All In” house features the high water mark above the front door, reached on August 19, 1955. Pretty fucking incredible.

NJ - 11 - Allin

A great stone farm building up a windy road:

NJ - 12 - Building

Finally, when you’re in farm country, it’s pretty much required that you take the iconic lone-tree-in-an-empty-field picture:

NJ - 13 - tree

Sorry about that one.

-SCOUT


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8 Comments

  1. Nothing to apologize for! Great photos. I love old tiny train stations. And now I always think of The Station Agent when I see them.

  2. Loaded! This post is on my favs of all time list! The trains were enough to send me into raptures but then you added the stone buildings and ( sorry ,love it) the lone tree. Yup, a beautiful bunch of stuff indeed! GREAT!

  3. I grew up five minutes from Pittstown before moving to NYC… imagine my surprise to come here and see the Pittstown building that I used to pass every day. awesome.

  4. Ringoes -> Pittstown – you took one of my favorite motorcycling roads, Rt. 579. Is that a beautiful ride or what?

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