McMickle Cut is the longest cut on the Lackawanna Cut-Off railroad line in northwest New Jersey. It was built between 1908 and 1911 by contractor Timothy Burke between mileposts 47.1 and 48.1 where Stanhope and Byram Township meet. Some 600,000 cubic yards of material was removed by dynamite and other methods to make the cut, which is 1.04 miles (1.7 km) long, has an average depth of 29 feet (8.9 m), and a maximum depth of 54 feet (16.6 m). [1]
A NJ Transit construction vehicle loaded with concrete ties heads west through McMickle Cut towards the new CR 605 bridge on January 14, 2012. The stream to the left feeds wetlands within the cut.
McMickle Cut, the first major cut west of Port Morris Junction on the Cut-Off, begins just west of County Road 602 (site of a future grade crossing) in Hopatcong. Sussex County Road 605 (Sparta-Stanhope Road) crosses over the Cut-Off about midway between the ends of the cut (MP 47.8), near its deepest point, where the line is on a 2° curve (70 mph, 113 km/h).[2]
Formerly, CR 605 crossed the Cut-Off on a one-lane bridge that was completed in 1911. Although the original bridge (known as K-07) still exists—it carries an adjacent hiking trail—it was considered functionally obsolete (although not functionally deficient) and was replaced by a modern two-lane bridge of similar design that opened on September 30, 2008. The old bridge was also rehabilitated at the time of the building of the new bridge.[3]
McMickle Cut is within the section of the Cut-Off that is being rebuilt by NJ Transit for rail service to Andover, which is slated to open in 2018. Lack of maintenance has allowed the area to drain increasingly poorly and meet the technical definition of wetlands. It is thought that its creation unearthed an underground stream not on the 1906 survey map.[2]
The original County Road 605 bridge looking westbound in April 1989. The bridge crosses roughly in the middle of McMickle Cut. Note that there are the remains of two tracks through the area. Although the Cut-Off was single-tracked in 1958, the second track (westbound main - left) was not removed here; instead it became a passing siding that ran from the western end of McMickle Cut to Port Morris Junction, nearly 3 miles (5 km).
McMickle Cut is named for John McMickle, who owned most of the land that became the cut.
Chuck Walsh President, North Jersey Rail Commuter Association presented photographs taken by Watson Bunnell D,L&W(1905-1919) on December 1, 1909 showing the area just west of County Road 602 part of Section 1 of the Lackawanna Cut-Off as being named the Huyler Cut after the family who owned that section of land.
Referencesedit
^Taber, Thomas Townsend; Taber, Thomas Townsend III (1980). The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad in the Twentieth Century 1, p. 35. Muncy, PA: Privately printed. ISBN0-9603398-2-5.
^ abMap of Hopatcong-Slateford Cut-Off, dated September 1, 1906.
^Cramp, Walter H. (November 25, 2008). "Historic Bridge K-07 Put to Recreational Use". Sussex County, New Jersey.
April 11, 2024
mcmickle, lackawanna, mcmickle, longest, lackawanna, railroad, line, northwest, jersey, built, between, 1908, 1911, contractor, timothy, burke, between, mileposts, where, stanhope, byram, township, meet, some, cubic, yards, material, removed, dynamite, other, . McMickle Cut is the longest cut on the Lackawanna Cut Off railroad line in northwest New Jersey It was built between 1908 and 1911 by contractor Timothy Burke between mileposts 47 1 and 48 1 where Stanhope and Byram Township meet Some 600 000 cubic yards of material was removed by dynamite and other methods to make the cut which is 1 04 miles 1 7 km long has an average depth of 29 feet 8 9 m and a maximum depth of 54 feet 16 6 m 1 A NJ Transit construction vehicle loaded with concrete ties heads west through McMickle Cut towards the new CR 605 bridge on January 14 2012 The stream to the left feeds wetlands within the cut McMickle Cut the first major cut west of Port Morris Junction on the Cut Off begins just west of County Road 602 site of a future grade crossing in Hopatcong Sussex County Road 605 Sparta Stanhope Road crosses over the Cut Off about midway between the ends of the cut MP 47 8 near its deepest point where the line is on a 2 curve 70 mph 113 km h 2 Formerly CR 605 crossed the Cut Off on a one lane bridge that was completed in 1911 Although the original bridge known as K 07 still exists it carries an adjacent hiking trail it was considered functionally obsolete although not functionally deficient and was replaced by a modern two lane bridge of similar design that opened on September 30 2008 The old bridge was also rehabilitated at the time of the building of the new bridge 3 McMickle Cut is within the section of the Cut Off that is being rebuilt by NJ Transit for rail service to Andover which is slated to open in 2018 Lack of maintenance has allowed the area to drain increasingly poorly and meet the technical definition of wetlands It is thought that its creation unearthed an underground stream not on the 1906 survey map 2 The original County Road 605 bridge looking westbound in April 1989 The bridge crosses roughly in the middle of McMickle Cut Note that there are the remains of two tracks through the area Although the Cut Off was single tracked in 1958 the second track westbound main left was not removed here instead it became a passing siding that ran from the western end of McMickle Cut to Port Morris Junction nearly 3 miles 5 km McMickle Cut is named for John McMickle who owned most of the land that became the cut Chuck Walsh President North Jersey Rail Commuter Association presented photographs taken by Watson Bunnell D L amp W 1905 1919 on December 1 1909 showing the area just west of County Road 602 part of Section 1 of the Lackawanna Cut Off as being named the Huyler Cut after the family who owned that section of land References edit Taber Thomas Townsend Taber Thomas Townsend III 1980 The Delaware Lackawanna amp Western Railroad in the Twentieth Century 1 p 35 Muncy PA Privately printed ISBN 0 9603398 2 5 a b Map of Hopatcong Slateford Cut Off dated September 1 1906 Cramp Walter H November 25 2008 Historic Bridge K 07 Put to Recreational Use Sussex County New Jersey Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title McMickle Cut Lackawanna Cut Off amp oldid 1165188063, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
