Photos of the historic Sea Bright  Railroad …

Also, how a SB train almost killed a jet age pioneer.

The first railroad station in Sea Bright was built in 1871 and then replaced with another in 1900, according to Benjamin Bernhart’s 2004 book, Historic Journeys By Rail: Central Railroad of New Jersey Stations, Structures, & Marine Equipment.

Trains and Sea Bright had a strong connection during the town’s resort glory days. For an idea of the summer time rail volume, in August 1889, 84 trains were running between Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright every day. Still, the building and tracks were frequently under assault by storms and high tides through the years.

When the trains stopped rolling in SB in 1945, the station fell into serious decay (the SB American Legion used it as a clubhouse for a bit). It was removed in the late 1940s to make way for the new Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge then under construction. In 1950, part of the old SB station was disassembled and moved to Red Bank for use by the Monmouth Boat Club.

Rail travel officially began in August 1865 when the Long Branch & Sea Shore Railroad opened, running from Spermaceti Cove on Sandy Hook to Long Branch (in 1884 the line was stretched to Bayhead junction). It was the great rail man himself, President Abraham Lincoln, who allowed the creation of the first train to serve the north Jersey Shore. The Central Railroad of New Jersey acquired this line in 1882.

As getting to the beach by car grew, railroad executives sought to eliminate the line’s “profitless commuter” service which had been in great decline for years. In November 1945, the Central Railroad of NJ ended service from Highland Beach to East Long Branch.

Sea Bright Railroad Station with the Seabright Beach Club behind, early 1900s. Image taken from the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge.

Sea Bright Railroad Station, 1911.

Railroad tracks cut through the center of Sea Bright, late 1800s. The train station is at upper right.

Railroad tracks cut through the center of Sea Bright, 1901.

Train coming through Sea Bright, 1920s.

Storm damage along the SB railroad line, 1917 (Michael Kaplonski Photo). Perhaps the Normandie station?

Sea Bright Railroad Station, 1916.

SB Railroad Station, early 1900s.

SB Railroad Station, early 1900s.

Sea Bright Train Station, 1903.

Train in Sea Bright under water, 1889.

SB Train Station, 1907.

Sea Bright Train Station, early 1900s.

Train headed north through SB, 1940s.

SB Train Station, early 1900s.

SB Railroad Station, 1908.

Monmouth Beach Railroad Images / Long Branch Railroad Images

SB Train Station on Ocean Avenue looking north, 1930.

SB railroad tracks covered after major storm, 1944.

SB Railroad Station, early 1900s.

SB railroad tracks, early 1900s.

Storm damage to SB railroad tracks, 1914.

Central Jersey train coming through SB, 1940s. (Painting by Andy Romano)

SB train tracks near Dixie Bowser’s Esso Service Station (l), 1930s.

The Peninsula House in background; railroad tracks in foreground, 1925.

Railroad running through Highland Beach, 1910s.

Highlands-Sea Bright railroad bridge (l), 1933.

Unknown SB railroad station after a storm, 1917. Might it be Low Moor?

NJ Central Railroad system around LB, 1941.

NJ railroad system around SB, MB and LB, 1887.

J.H. Schenck map of train tracks, 1868.

Cancellation notification by CJ Railroad ending stops in SB, MB, and LB, December 1945.

The founder of Pan American World Airways, Juan Trippe, was the surviving baby in the story. He had been born in Sea Bright that June. Asbury Park Press, September 1899.

Sea Bright Express …Part of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The line end in 1944.