Last Updated on December 5, 2019 by Christopher G Mendla

A railroad once ran to Long Beach Island. Once on the island, the tracks split. One line went north to Barnegat Light and the other went south to Third Street in Beach Haven.  You may have wondered about the extra lanes on the boulevard. These were where sidings were for the railroad. When the automobile bridge was opened, the new boulevard followed the railroad. It had to go around the sidings. Today they are simply a place for extra parking.

If you look closely at the satellite view of Google maps, you can see some evidence of the former railroad bridge.  There is a historical map site where you can see the ‘Ys’ for turning the trains around in Beach Haven and the huge Y for the trains to go north or south at the bridge.  The site charges to download the maps but the prices appear to be very reasonable.

If you look carefully at the Google Satellite view below, you can see the old roadbed from the railroad located just over 400′ north of the current causeway. Crab Trap Lane is the route of the original causeway to the island. If you look in the lower right hand corner, you’ll see a street called “Railroad Ave”.

If you go a little more west, you can see the roadbed again near the Causeway Boat Rentals.

The Beach Haven station was located at the Northwest corner of Station Plaza  and 3rd Street across from the Silver Sun Mall (Formerly Kosoff’s).

There is a good Tuckerton Railroad Facebook page with a lot of great photos of the early railroad.  There is a small museum in Manahawkin with an old rail car.

Other resources

• Heritage Park in Manahawkin which has the Manahawkin Train Station.
• Stafford Township Heritage – The Heritage Park in Manahawkin