Erie Animal Quarantine Facility in NJ

I was raised, in my later years (Junior and Senior High School), on the DL&W railroad during the mid to late 1950s. We lived on the Morris & Essex Main Line, and I knew lots of Engineers, Conductors, and Towermen from Hoboken to Port Morris, and I have never heard of such a place. Sure would be interested in learning more about when that occurred and where such a place would have been located.

Hot Water,

   I do believe he is talking about the 30's & 40's era, I was told about these animal holding areas here in the Pittsburgh, Pa down town station area, however they were long gone when I was a little boy in the late 40's early 50's, so I never really got to see one what the PRR had actually set up. 

PCRR/Dave

Here's a clue, a veterinary meeting was held at the location on July 9th, 1903 in Athenia at the United States Animal Quarantine Station.

Journal-American Veterinary Review- Volume 27

EDIT: Wiki hit on photos of restored facility

And a passiacriver.org document with some history.(attached)

Are you sure it was the DL&W?  If it was the CNJ this might be the place in Linden

Looks like Moonman answered the question. Happened in 1903, a bit before my time, and was on the Erie Railroad.

Here's the page from the Clifton document. It was used for animals into the '50's.

Located in Clifton. I don't know why that pdf locks up. Have to save it locally.

Here's a 1941 map showing the DL & W with the Erie only sharing a small bit a track.

The red is the Central RR.

LOL, I did my snow prep, now I am bored as you can see.

So, Rich, you can go to Clifton and take measurements and photos.

Ask and you shall receive...Digital Sanborn Maps...just need to feed them you email addy

Princeton U has them for looking:

Boonton

Google Earth can be searched for City Hall in Clifton, NJ.

There appears to be about 13 building of the same roof design.  The site is located adjacent to the tracks. You can see how large this facility was.

One even houses the current Animal Shelter.

I grew up in Clifton, NJ about 3 miles from the quarantine facility.  When I was a kid, whenever we would drive by, I'd always be looking to see what animals were there.  As best as I can recall, it was almost always horses.

Clifton n j? The only thing I know about Clifton is.... 

Joeys in Clifton.... NOw Bliss lounge

U.S Custom are required to check all live animals( and a lot of dead ones) entering the U.S territory. depending on some animals they may have to be quarantined. They have facilities on most port of Entry's in the U.S sometimes they will be manned by Custom agents and officers other smaller ports were manned by contractors that checked for Customs or maybe an ICE agent multitaking.( I read this somewhere . 

Clifton NJ is just a few miles from me.  My dad owned a business in Clifton NJ, right next to his property was a branch line of the Erie Railroad (later Conrail). The same branch line passes right next to the area where the animal quarantine buildings are.  City hall was built in the same area where the buildings used for the animals are.  Many of the buildings still exist today, for a while they were used as misc garages for the various municipal departments.  Not sure if they are still used for anything.

Located right by the animal quarantine station on the Erie-Conrail branch line is a Railroad Station, which later became a bank. 

The place was called the US Animal Quarantine Station, the article pretty much gives its story.  The first portion was sold (given) to the city of Clifton to build a High School very late fifty's early sixties.  The second portion was given to the city around end of the 70s to build a City hall Police complex where I worked until I retired in 1996.  The barns that are still standing are all used by various city and civic groups and for the most part have their original appearance on the outside but have been rehab-ed inside.  I believe that there is a Historical society or commission who are in charge of them and if you were interested you could reach out to them by contacting City Hall. When the Station originally opened that area was very rural with few homes and mostly wood or small farms as the city grew and the start of WW2 the area became very industrialized with Major Car (a producer of freight cars) being located about 2 miles down Van Houten Ave from the station and many other companies that sprang up during the war effort.  Today the city is mostly a bedroom community with it's easy access to New York City, about 12 miles to Times Square, 3 major North Jersey highways, Rt3. Rt 46 and the Garden State parkway run through Clifton and Rt 80 is a mile away.