Passaic

Passaic station was a railway station for the Erie Railroad in downtown Passaic, New Jersey. The station sat in the center of Main Street at the corner of Madison Street. Though there were three other stations in the city—Prospect Street and Passaic Park to the east, and Harrison Street to the west—the simply named Passaic station was the primary station for the city, located at grade in the busiest section of its main business street. History Construction and opening (1829–1832) Proposals for a railroad through Acquackanonk Township came in 1829 when an appeal was made to the New Jersey State Legislature. Members of the town of Paterson and multiple manufacturers petitioned the Legislature to approve a new railroad to help transport goods to the Hudson River. Roswell Colt, a local industrialist, worked with engineer John Sullivan to help design and imagine a new railroad through the area the year prior. Due to a recent economic depression, manufacturers found it important to ship their products in winter months, which was difficult when local roads were obstructed and/or closed. Seeing the benefit of railroads in Europe, they felt a railroad should be built between Paterson and New York City since it could run all year, unlike stagecoach travel. Paterson officials also noted that the railroad would help communities outside municipal limits, bringing more manufacturers. Agricultural conveyors would also have the benefit of being able to ship to other places instead of delivering via stagecoach. The new railroad would begin in Paterson and cross through Acquackanonk Township, where it would cross the Passaic River via a drawbridge into Berry's Hill (later Carlton Hill). The railroad then would cross the Hackensack River, through Bergen Ridge into a location that would reach the ferries in both Hoboken and nearby Jersey City.