Paulina Dam with the Gates Up First Bridge East of Blairstown undergoing updating in 1940’s Island Reservoir project. The line then passed to the NJ DEP Green Acres in the late 1980’s-1990’s to become the Paulinskill Valley Trail. The basis of this article was from my book “The History of the Blairstown Railway” printed by the Railroadians of America in 1981 for which I own the copyright. I have gathered and/or acquired additional information over the last 30 years since the book was published. Fred W. Heilich III is member #49 of the NTW&S T&HS. He spent much time at the old family house in Paulina over the years and remembers the daily NYS&W and L&NE freights and that went past the house that was located 23 feet from the centerline of the ROW. During the summer the 5 MU’d NYS&W engines would struggle up the grade heading east out of Blairstown toward Marksboro with all the long hood hatches open to stay cool. There was at least one fantrip for the L&NE that he remembers going in each direction with Reading equipment one summer day in the late 50’s. Fred comes from a railroad family. He is a railroad historian and has written several magazine articles, contributed to several books on north Jersey railroads, and wrote “The History of the Blairstown Railway”. He has retired from a 40+ year career in aerospace industry, and maintains a locomotive engineer’s license. Westbound L&NE Freight in mid-1950’s Eastbound LN&E Freight mid-1950’s 7
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