Bergenfield Webcam – CSX Freight on the River Line

The Bergenfield Webcam watches CP 10 on the CSX River Subdivision, the old West Shore Railroad line that carries freight through Bergenfield in Bergen County, New Jersey. The camera belongs to BigTrainsTV and sits at 51 New Bridge Road, right beside the tracks, pointed at the control point where CSX dispatchers line trains through the borough. Much of the time the frame is empty track and signals. Then a headlight shows up, and a lashup of locomotives leads a long string of freight cars past the camera on its way between North Bergen Yard and Selkirk near Albany. That is the whole appeal: you never know quite what the next train will be, how long it runs or which way it is heading. After dark the scene narrows to signal lights and headlights, and daylight brings back the colors of the cars.

About Bergenfield and the River Line

Bergenfield is a residential borough of 28,321 people (2020 census) in eastern Bergen County, covering 7.55 square kilometers (2.92 square miles) at an elevation of about 20 meters (66 feet). It was incorporated on June 25, 1894, and shares its borders with Cresskill, Dumont, Englewood, New Milford, Teaneck and Tenafly. The railroad is older than the borough, and for decades the town grew up around it.

The tracks on camera were laid by the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, founded in 1880 as a rival to the New York Central. The line was finished in 1883, and the New York Central bought it out in 1885. For the next seven decades passenger trains stopped at Bergenfield station, running north along the Hudson River to Albany and south to Weehawken Terminal on the waterfront facing Manhattan. The old station stood 11.98 miles (19.3 kilometers) from Weehawken by the railroad’s own mileposts. Passenger service ended in 1959, and the line passed through Penn Central and Conrail before CSX took it over in 1999.

Today the route is the CSX River Subdivision, known to most railfans simply as the River Line. The old West Shore main line ran roughly 136 miles (219 kilometers) from Weehawken to Selkirk Junction outside Albany, keeping to the west bank of the Hudson through Haverstraw, Stony Point, West Point, Newburgh, Kingston and Catskill. CP stands for control point, a location where the dispatcher sets signals and switches remotely, which is why trains can slow, wait or change tracks in front of the camera rather than simply roaring past. BigTrainsTV runs the camera on donations, and its stream description links Broadcastify scanner feeds for the Bergenfield, Stony Point, Newburgh and Kingston areas, so you can pair the picture with the dispatcher and crew radio.

Weather and Climate in Bergenfield

Bergenfield has warm, humid summers and cold winters with regular snow. July is the hottest month, with average highs around 30 C (86 F) and lows near 21 C (69 F). Summer afternoons can bring thunderstorms that darken the frame for an hour and then clear, and on the hottest days heat haze can shimmer over the rails. Autumn is the most comfortable season for trackside watching, with mild days and early evening light that picks out the sides of passing freight cars.

January is the coldest month, with average highs of about 2 C (35 F) and lows around minus 4 C (24 F). A snowfall can cover the ballast and leave only the railheads showing, and after a storm the first train through often kicks up a cloud of powder. Winter days are short, so more of each day’s traffic passes in the dark under the signal lights, while spring brings longer evenings and a greener backdrop along the line.

Things to Do Near Bergenfield

Inside the borough, Cooper’s Pond and Veterans Memorial Park are the two green spaces most people know, and both make an easy break from the screen. A short drive west, Van Saun County Park covers 130 acres (53 hectares) across Paramus and River Edge. It is home to the Bergen County Zoo, which opened in 1960, a carousel built in 2000 and the Safari Express, a miniature railroad with three trains that is an easy sell for young fans of the big ones on camera. The park also protects the spring where George Washington watered his horse in 1780, during the Continental Army’s stay in the area.

East of town, Palisades Interstate Park runs along the cliffs above the Hudson River, with trails and overlooks across the river. Railfans who want to see the River Line in person can follow it north into New York, where it passes Haverstraw, Stony Point, Bear Mountain and West Point on the way to Newburgh and Kingston. Stony Point, Newburgh and Kingston each have their own scanner feed in the stream description, so you can track a train from the webcam up the valley by ear.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more rail action and more of New Jersey, these cams make good next stops.

• Cordele Webcam
• Conway Scenic Railroad Webcam
• New York New Jersey Stadium Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Bergenfield Webcam located?

The camera is at 51 New Bridge Road in Bergenfield, a borough in Bergen County in northeastern New Jersey, inside the New York City metropolitan area. It overlooks CP 10 on the CSX River Subdivision.

What can you see on the Bergenfield Webcam?

The frame covers the tracks and signals at CP 10 on the River Line. CSX freight trains pass in both directions between North Bergen Yard and Selkirk, and quiet spells between trains are normal.

What railroad runs through Bergenfield, New Jersey?

The CSX River Subdivision, built in the early 1880s as the West Shore Railroad. It was later part of the New York Central, Penn Central and Conrail, and CSX has run it since 1999.

What does CP 10 mean on the CSX River Line?

CP means control point, a spot where a remote dispatcher controls the signals and switches. Trains can be held, crossed over or routed at a control point, which makes it a busier place to watch than plain track.

What is the weather like in Bergenfield?

Summers are warm and humid, with July highs around 30 C (86 F). Winters are cold, with January highs of about 2 C (35 F), lows near minus 4 C (24 F) and regular snowfall.

Do passenger trains still stop in Bergenfield?

No. New York Central passenger service on the West Shore line through Bergenfield ended in 1959. The line carries CSX freight today.

Can I listen to railroad radio while watching the Bergenfield trains?

Yes. The stream description links a Broadcastify scanner feed for the CSX River Sub in the Bergenfield area, plus feeds for Stony Point, Newburgh and Kingston further up the line.

Source: BigTrainsTV