Kevin Olsen will present the lecture “Rails to Sterling Forest” on April 16 at the Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg Visitor Center, 115 Old Forge Road in Tuxedo Park at 1 p.m.
The program will give an overview of the railroad’s early history and why it was built to the Ringwood Iron mines and the east shore of Greenwood Lake. The presentation will feature operations in the Highlands region and how the railroad served the local communities.
The current status of the line as part of New Jersey Transit as well as ongoing Rails-to-Trails efforts will also be explored.
Olsen, a lifelong history enthusiast, model railroader, and lover of the North Jersey Highlands, is the author of “Rails to Sterling Forest: The History of the Erie’s Greenwood Lake Division.”
The event is sponsored by the Friends of Sterling Forest (F.S.F.) is a non-profit organization established to protect and preserve the great legacy of natural resources and historical treasures within Sterling Forest State Park. The lecture is open to the public and free of charge, however, a $5 donation per person would be greatly appreciated.