Former CNJ QR Tower

The former Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) "QR" tower located in Roselle Park, NJ is now occupied by a former railroad employee and lifelong railfan fan, Glenn Rush. The structure was refurbished from its previous state to habitable condition, including the addition of a new roof.

CNJ "QR" tower is now a railfan's residence. Photo by Glenn Rush.

"QR" was the official designation of the tower when it first opened (date unknown). Towers were usually given two letter designations, some only one, and in later years a single syllable name, as identification. The employees would quickly invent their own names for the tower which would usually identify it with a geographical location.

When it was open "QR" was known by the workers as Lorraine Tower, its location being between the Roselle/Roselle Park Station and Lorraine Station (Linden Road). Other CNJ towers included "WF" (Westfield), "XC" (Cranford), "GW" (Spring Street), "RU" (Eport), "FH" (Singers), "DY" (Bay Draw), "BV" (Bayonne) and "HY" (Greenville).

Information from the track diagram above indicates that on QR's westward side it controlled movements to and from Cranford Yard from the east. Track 6 extended from QR westward through XC and came back out into track 4 at WF. On the eastward side, track 5, extended from WF, eastward through XC, and came back out into track 3 at QR, east of Roselle/Roselle Park Station.

After QR closed in 1948 the passenger trains stored in Cranford Yard had to back west out of the yard through XC to Cranford Station, then run east to Jersey City. Prior to that they simply pulled east from the yard, making a station stop on track 6 at Roselle/Roselle Park, and then entered the main through QR.

Questions:
Railfan's name, Glenn Rush?
Was he a CNJ employee?
Seabee's real name?
History of QR from 1948 thru present.
Who took photo above, Seabee?

(Glenn Rush)