1911 trolley tracks uncovered.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Courtesy of Bill McKelvey

PERTH AMBOY – In 1911 the Jersey Central Traction Co. built a bridge across the Raritan from South Amboy and began providing trolley service between Keyport and the business district of Perth Amboy.  Their line began at the ferry slip at the east end of Smith Street on Public Service Ry tracks; operated west to Division Street (which at some point was renamed Davidson Avenue), where they switched to their own tracks and operated one block south (this one block of track remained until 2014 – 113 years!) and west on Market Street for four blocks; turning south on Sheridan Street, continuing on their trestle to South Amboy and beyond.  Note that at the south end of Sheridan Street a paved walkway on the former trolley embankment leads south to the Cornicopia Cruise Line site.  In addition, JCT Co. also operated a Perth Amboy – Maurer shuttle entirely over Public Service Ry on trackage rights from Smith Street, north on State Street to end at Woodbridge Creek, total 2.15 miles.  It basically operated as a factory shift change car to connect with their Keyport cars on Smith Street.  Public Service Ry required the car to use a coal stove for heat in the wintertime in order to conserve on electric power as was the practice for their own cars.  The JCT Co. cars were painted green with gold trim.  Following several years of losses, a strike, and deteriorating maintenance, the company filed for abandonment and ceased operation at midnight on 28 July, 1923 – ending only a dozen years of trolley operation in Perth Amboy.  Streetcars of New Jersey by Joseph F. Eid, Jr. and Barker Gummere.