HIGHTSTOWN When Alex Prunchak of Boy Scout Troop 59 was deciding on an Eagle Scout project, his first priority was to choose something to help the community. He also wanted something that would stand the test of time and would be interesting to research.
After talking to Historical Society members Warren and Shirley Olsen, he knew what that project would be: reconstructing a 20-foot section of the Camden & Amboy railroad from the 1830’s for the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society.
Once the design for the project was approved by the Historical Society and the Boy Scouts Central New Jersey Council, Alex began the challenging task of pulling together resources to get this project moving.
This is where Alex learned what generous and helpful communities Hightstown and East Windsor are.
First, Alex contacted Hightstown Public Works. He then sought the help of construction official George Chin, who granted permission for construction on the plot of land next to the Ely House on the corner of Bank Street and North Main Street.
Next, Public Works Superintendent Larry Blake proved to be a key factor in guiding the construction of the project by lending his knowledge, time and equipment to help move the 700 pound “sleeper stones,” predecessors to modern wooden railroad ties. Interestingly, these authentic stones are scattered about Hightstown and were originally quarried by prisoners of the infamous Sing Sing prison during the 1830’s.
But where would Alex find the proper rail and spikes dating back to 1832?
Alex consulted the expert advice of local railroad historians, John Kilbride and John Keterba. In an attempt to make his project historically accurate, Alex sought steel rail from the 1830’s. He even contacted the Smithsonian Institute, but soon learned that the rail from that time period had been re-melted to aid the war effort of the early 1940’s.
Instead of the authentic 14-pound rail used during that time period, the closest rail he could get was 10-pound rail that was donated by Northlandz’s Bruce Zaccagnino, the owner of the largest model railroad in the world, located in Flemington. As for the spikes, Cindy Sosa, the mother of fellow scouts Danny and Anthony Sosa, donated spikes from her brother.
The work itself was labor intensive. Scouts and friends would show up at 8 a.m. in the heat of July and August 2010 to dig soil and lay gravel and mulch. Along with the railroad, Alex had decided to place edging around the mulch beds of the Hightstown-East Windsor Historical Society.
Placement of more than 500 feet of edging required many hours by scouts and volunteers during the summer while older scouts took on the responsibility of manually adjusting and leveling the heavy sleeper stones and hammering in the railroad spikes under the watchful eyes of adult volunteers.
Aside from the labor, Alex also had to raise money to fund the project. This was an opportunity to spread the word about his project and seek donations.
For instance, Alex was invited by former Mayor Robert Patten to describe his project to the Hightstown Council.
Mayor Patten also helped produce maps clarifying land ownership at the reconstructed site. Furthermore, Alex held a successful car wash and received donations from the Hightstown Elks Club and Masonic Apollo Lodge No. 41. Discounts from Home Depot and Timothy’s Garden Center were very helpful, but an extremely generous donation from Cappy Stults of Allen & Stults completed the project.
The final touch came from Richard Teller of Beekman house Art Studios. Alex found a picture of a Camden & Amboy Railroad sign from the early 1900’s. Richard Teller was able to recreate the sign and put the historical information on the back. The accuracy of the information was approved by both John Kilbride and Historical Society President Christian Kirkpatrick.
After completion of the project, Mrs. Kirkpatrick said, “This has been a complex undertaking, certainly the most ambitious that any scout has suggested for the Society. (Alex) has rewarded our trust in him with a wellresearched and cleanly constructed addition to our property. I know that visitors will enjoy viewing it-and learning about Hightstown’s part in railroading history when they tour our museum and educational center.”
Upon reflection, Alex said, “Researching this project was very enjoyable to me. But the best part was meeting so many kind people who care about the history of Hightstown. Before I started this project, I had no idea that Hightstown was an important stop along the Camden & Amboy Railroad, the first railroad in New Jersey and third in the United States. If it weren’t for the generosity of the people who helped me, this project could not have been completed.”
Finishing the project was the last of more than 300 requirements needed to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. After submitting the 63-page project write-up and successfully passing his Eagle Scout Board of Review, Alex was recently notified that he attained the rank of Eagle Scout.
Submitted by Alex Prunchak

