Railroad makes stop in village as part of political campaign
By: Sue Kramer
RINGOES – The Black River & Western Railroad reinstated two old-time traditions Saturday when it scheduled a stop at Bowne Station in East Amwell Township for the first time in more than 70 years.
The historic event went hand in hand with another tradition – that of the whistle-stop political campaign.
The event marked the kickoff of East Amwell resident Janis Grover’s bid for a seat on the Township Committee. Ms. Grover, 41, and her husband, Gary, 45, live in historic Bowne Station that last saw a train stop in 1929, according to railroad records.
They hosted a fund-raising country picnic and pig roast on the property that drew about 90 supporters, many of whom boarded the train at the Ringoes station for the historic ride in what Ms. Grover described as a "new East Amwell tradition."
Among Ms. Grover’s supporters for the Republican seat on the committee were state Sen. William E. Schluter (R-23rd District) and Richard Zimmer, who is making a bid for re-election to Congress.
Mr. Zimmer and Ms. Grover, along with other guests who boarded the train at 5 p.m. for the whistle-stop trip through the countryside, were greeted at Bowne Station by Sen. Schluter.
"Black River & Western was kind enough to make a special historical run to Bowne Station," Ms. Grover said. "I’m very excited to start a campaign with a very old American tradition which is a whistle-stop."
Ms. Grover, a graduate of Douglass College and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., is the director of proprietary brands for Liberty Richter in Saddle Brook. The Grovers moved into the historic train station in 1986.
The station, which sits on Bowne Station Road, lies along the rail line that runs from Flemington to Lambertville. Originally called the Flemington Railroad, the lines were used to transport agricultural products to Lambertville and from there to markets in Trenton.
The Grovers’ home originally was dubbed the Prallsville Station, but later renamed in honor of area farmer and doctor John Bowne.