One hundred fifty years of railroad history abandoned and left to rot in place provides the backdrop for Wheeler Antabanez as he walks the Newark Branch of the Erie Railroad. This 200-page photo essay reads like an epic travelogue, but is actually a hyperlocal adventure that unfolds in the backwaters, and sometimes backyards, of North Jersey. The abandoned Newark Branch of the Erie Railroad runs through the towns of Kearny, Harrison, East Newark, Newark, Belleville, Nutley, and Clifton. Walking the Newark Branch depicts Wheeler's journey as he treads the entire length of the unused rail line and photographs everything in his path. The images in the book provide a rare glimpse into an obscure world of abandonment that exists in plain sight, but is often overlooked.?The adventure begins on December 14, 2020, a rainy winter's day, with Wheeler infiltrating deep into the Meadowlands to find the exact spot where the Erie Newark Branch peels off from the Old Boonton Line. As the expedition unfolds, Wheeler investigates such forsaken landmarks as the abandoned WNEW radio transmitter, Clark Thread Mill, NX Bridge, Riverside Industrial Superfund Site, Walter Kidde Brownfield Site, the Nutley Train Trestle, and many more.The book documents a local adventure through a familiar landscape, but the everyday sights of New Jersey take on an almost exotic quality when seen through Wheeler's lens. Walking the Newark Branch examines the urban decay of Northern New Jersey and exposes a hidden beauty that many residents never notice. This 200-page, full-color, coffee table book is an excellent addition for any library, but is a must-own for citizens of New Jersey, railroad fans, history buffs, graffiti aficionados, and urban explorers alike.?Published October 31, 2021 - Abandoned Books, LLC - All Rights Reserved - For more information visit: abandonedbooks.org

Branch Brook Park, located in Newark, was America's first county park. The park was established in 1895 as the cornerstone of the Essex County Park System. The vision for Branch Brook Park came in 1867, when Newark park commissioners retained Olmsted, Vaux, and Company to identify a site for a park in the city. That vision matured into a reality that is now, 140 years later, woven into the urban experience of Newark and its neighboring towns. The significance of Branch Brook Park has been nationally recognized with its placement on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Home to the Newark Cherry Blossom Festival, organized long-distance runs and bicycle races, picnics, the Chrysanthemum Show, the New Jersey Symphony Under the Stars, boating on the lake, prom pictures, and sports activities from baseball to bocce to soccer and tennis, Branch Brook Park remains a constant source of great beauty.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey's Seashore Branch provided rail and boat services from New York City to points along the New Jersey Shore. It discontinued passenger service in 1966, with the last freight train operating in 1983. Official abandonment proceedings sparked the need to keep the right of way for future mass transit needs. This led to interim use. Today, the area is called the Henry Hudson Trail and is one of over 500 parks referred to nationally as a Rail-Trail. This free, ten-mile-long, hiking, biking, and walking trail is administered by the Monmouth County Parks System, and connects several towns of the Raritan Bay shore area. This rare look will enlighten trail users through images of views gone forever, while pointing out structures still in place. Over 200 images are set in geographical sequence to guide the reader along the trail.