BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The very last heavyweight (ex-CNJ) commuter coaches made it into the early NJT era (early 1980's)

They also had the distinction of being the very last heavyweight cars hauled by diesel locomotives in New Jersey (the one other lone exception was an ex-PRR commuter club car, the classic "JERSEY SHORE", which was assigned to the NJCL (ex-NY&LB) which was still in use as a commuter's club car when the very last GG-1's were retired.

The very last of the once-huge ex-ERIE "Stillwell" fleet vanished in the Fall of 1974, then running only on Port Jervis trains.

Most of the Stillwells (along with the ancient ex-DL&W "Boonton" cars) were retired in 1971, when the new push-pulls entered service on all E-L diesel lines, with the exception of the Port Jervis line.

The famed ex-DL&W MU's ("Edison Wickerliners") made their final runs in 1984, several years after the last ex-PRR MP-54's vanished from North Jersey rails.

Until the Aldene Plan in 1967, the CNJ still rostered a large number of heavyweight commuter cars; most had railroad roofs, but the newest (circa-1930) were arch roofed, and were clearly in the minority in the CNJ commuter fleet.

The CNJ, until all mail service ended in 1965, also rostered baggage/mail cars and RPO's........

"NYO"

[traildriver]

NYO—-
Great capsule history!
Thanks for posting.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

you are QUITE welcome!

Growing up in the 60's, I well remember the CNJ still running to the ferry terminal at Jersey City; the CNJ, like the E-L, were my two favorite "main line" roads!

Interestingly, when the Aldene Plan went into effect, the CNJ pulled all RS-3's from commuter service, relegating them to freight duties only.

Through the 1960's, the CNJ used FM TRAINMASTERS (and also, "Baby" TRAINMASTERS), RS-3's, and GP-7's in passenger service.

When the Aldene Plan took effect, the "Baby" TRAINMASTERS were also removed from commuter service.

The very last new passenger power purchased for CNJ commuter service were the GP-40P's, which entered service in 1969, replacing the TRAINMASTERS.

In actuality, the TRAINMASTERS were "first generation, second generation" engines, as, in 1958, they replaced the distinctive double-ended Baldwins,which were becoming more and more cantankerous.

Rebuilt over the decades, these long-lived engines are not only the only CNJ passenger power still in service, but also, are the last passenger power in service from either the CNJ or the E-L.

The GP-40P's were also unique in that they had custom-designed ends; they also had dual control stands so that they could operate long hood first.

These venerable engines have hauled everything from heavyweight CNJ commuter coaches and ex-through line cars, to modern NJT rolling stock.

I guess it's true after all....you simply just can't keep a good locomotive down........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Prior to Aldene, CNJ relied heavily on its fleet of massive, hulking "TRAINMASTERS".

These big engines could, at times, even be found hauling short consists, but, were most at home on fast rush hour express runs.

On weekends, they were also to be found hauling long freights, along with other power.

Back in those pre-Aldene days, 14-car rush hour consists were commonplace, and it was a sight indeed to watch one of these monsters blast through a local stop, hauling a dozen or more loaded heavyweights.....it was like watching a child pulling a balloon on a string!

Their distinctive harmonic humming and whining still haunts my memories today.

When a new CNJ Locomotive Department "muckety-muck" of power took over in the late 60's, he took an instant dislike to the TRAIMASTERS; by 1969, the new GP-40P's entered service, sending the massive FM's to the scrap yard (sadly, not one of these unique engines were saved)

It is interesting to know that the CNJ's FM fleet had the highest gearing of any built.

Until 1965, FM's (along with GEEPS) hauled the "ALLENTOWN MAIL" train out of Jersey City; interestingly, for a time, in 1964, as part of a locomotive mileage agreement between the CNJ and the READING, CNJ Trainmasters could be seen hauling the "WALL STREET" and "THE CRUSADER", between Jersey City and Philadelphia.......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

When plans for the Aldene Plan were finalized, the CNJ built a new commuter train storage yard at Harrison; this yard was near the site of the old PRR "MANHATTAN TRANSFER", which closed in 1937.

With passenger service to Jersey City facing abandonment, a new diesel servicing building was built at Raritan, as passenger engines would no longer be serviced/turned at Communipaw in Jersey City.

Heavy repairs to both engines and passenger cars continued to be carried out at the Elizabethport shops.

With the startup of Aldene, the PRR withdrew from the joint partnership with PATH on "joint service" between Hudson Terminal and Newark.

New "PA cars" were delivered from St. Louis (the "MP-52"/"K" cars were reassigned to other routes), a new track at Harrison (reserved only for PATH trains) was installed, and new color light signals replaced the old PRR position lights........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

It is interesting to note that, when it closed down in 1967, the CNJ terminal was the very last operating passenger terminal on the Jersey City waterfront.

The PRR terminal at Exchange Place closed in November, 1961, and the very last vestiges of the ERIE terminal on Pavonia Avenue saw their last Northern Branch and NYS&W trains in 1960.

The last PRR ferries to Cortland St. were closed down in late 1949, and the last ERIE boats crossed over to Chambers St. in December of 1958.

Interestingly, the PRR terminal was the only Jersey City rail/ferry terminal to have electrified MU service.

By the time the CNJ abandoned its Jersey City terminal and connecting ferryboats (1967), all that remained of the sprawling PRR terminal at Exchange Place were the skeletonized remains of the two remaining ferry slips, only one of which still equipped with its upper and lower loading aprons (the four other slips were removed in the early 1940's)

At Pavonia Avenue (the echoing wooden ERIE terminal building and ferry house had been torn down in 1959) all that remained were sections of weed-grown rails, crumbling, decaying platforms, and the rusting, gutted shells of the cast-iron kiosk entrances (two per platform) that had protected the stairways leading down into the H&M station concourse (today's PATH "Newport" station)

For several years after being closed down, the main concourse of the abandoned CNJ terminal (located between the trainsheds and the main station building) was used as an indoor parking area for CNJ's freight employees, while the idle ferry slips were used to dock car floats........

"NYO"

[traildriver]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

When Penn Station was approaching completion in 1910, the PRR planned to use the new facility for THROUGH trains, while Exchange Place would function solely as a COMMUTER facility.

When Penn Station opened, the PRR abandoned ferry service to W. 23rd St.; however, ferries to Desbrosses St. ran until the early 1930's.

The PRR also operated the "Annex" ferry that ran to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn; this was primarily a vehicular line (the line was abandoned in the mid/late 1930's)

The Cortland St. ferry ran (as you know) until 1949; however, most boats had already been sold (some were then operating in Maryland); at the very end, only one boat remained in service.

If the boat was out of service (for whatever reason) signs at Exchange Place would be put up, reading: "NO FERRY SERVICE TODAY".

After Penn Station in Newark opened in the 1930's, it made even less sense to keep Exchange Place open, as PRR commuters could then easily transfer to the H&M across the platform, anyway.........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The Exchange Place terminal was also the only Hudson River rail terminal where the trains were on the same level as the upper deck of the ferries (recall, the PRR trains approached the terminal over the viaduct above Railroad Avenue)

Unlike Hoboken (DL&W/E-L) or the CNJ at Jersey City, debarking PRR passengers simply walked along the platforms, through the concourse, and then directly onto the upper deck of the boats.

Interestingly, during the last few years of NYCRR (West Shore) ferry operation to Cortlandt St (which ended in March, 1959), the NYC boats switched over to the abandoned PRR slips next door as the NYC ferry slips were then in poor shape.

Of course, the upper deck loading aprons at the former PRR Cortlandt St. terminal could not be used, as none of the West Shore boats could load from the upper deck; after 1949, the upper level concourse/waiting room at Cortlandt St. was sealed off and no longer used.........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Another interesting note on the PRR ferries......

By the 1930's, the railroad removed the lower deck cabins from their ferry fleet, making for two more additional vehicular lanes, with foot passengers continuing to load/unload from the upper decks.

At the turn of the (20th) century, the PRR operated one of the largest fleets of ferries on the North (Hudson) River; by the 1940's, their fleet was miniscule, at best.........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Just a quick note on the West Shore (NYCRR) ferries.

The ferryboats of the NYC differed from those operated by the other railroads, in that their pilot houses were located on the upper deck, instead of the bridge deck.

The only ferry of the "West Shore" fleet that resembled ferries of the other railroads was the "ALBANY"; in fact, she was the only NYCRR boat to be built with upper deck loading provisions.

Like the other railroad's boats, the "ALBANY" had her pilot houses situated on the bridge deck......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Prior to WW2, the PRR Exchange Place terminal (interestingly ,the first Jersey-side ferry terminal to utilize upper deck loading) had a vast arched steel-and-glass train shed, which was a prominent landmark used by harbor pilots for many years, as was also the case with the steeple/clock tower atop the CNJ's Communipaw terminal.

Photos dating to the late 1930's show that the huge pRR trainshed had already been torn down.

The Exchange Place terminal was also unique in that it was the only waterfront passenger terminal to lack yard facilities; there was also no facilities here for locomotives (nearest PRR engine facility was the "MEADOWS" shops, that once served the majestic K-4's during the Manhattan Transfer years)

Also, regarding upper deck ferry loading, the new DL&W terminal at Hoboken (1907) had a massive, ornate upper concourse for the boats (several Tiffany skylights graced the lofty ceilings); the CNJ revamped and updated its Communipaw terminal between 1912 and 1914, which also included a new, steel-framed, copper clad two-level ferry building (sadly, though slated for preservation, the historic ferry terminal was torn down in 1983)

Though the CNJ's upper ferry concourse was simply functional, the river facade was quite ornate (like Hoboken), and also featured large illuminated signs for the railroads then using it: the CNJ, the B&O, the LV, and the RDG.

LV trains stopped using the CNJ terminal in 1918, when passenger service was shifted over to Penn Station, New York.

The B&O ended passenger service to Jersey City in 1958.

The READING, however, continued to use the CNJ ferry terminal until the Aldene Plan of 1967 re-routed all trains to Newark.....

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

As I had noted previously, the PRR was the only one of the railroads that operated ferries across the Hudson River to remove the passenger cabins from the lower decks of the boats.

Truckers surely appreciated the extra vehicle capacity now available on the PRR boats, as there were still many industries in the Hudson County area, that generated much trans-Hudson truck traffic.

As I had noted earlier, by the 1940's, the PRR ferry fleet was but a shadow of what it had been in earlier years; after WW2, the Cortlandt St. line was down to only one regular boat, the "NEWARK", with the "CHICAGO" as the reserve boat, tied up at the Jersey City terminal.

Several other PRR boats were then operating far from the Hudson River; some were running on the Love Point (Baltimore) ferry, while others were then operating between New Castle, Delaware, and Pennsville, New Jersey.

Early in 1949, both the "NEWARK" and the "CHICAGO" were towed to the Delaware River, while the "NEW BRUNSWICK" (built in 1897) returned to New York, to work the Cortlandt St. route solo, until all service ended in December, 1949.........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

One distinction that the old PRR Exchange Place terminal had, in later years, was that of dispatching the last steam-hauled (K-4) NY&LB train, "THE BROKER", in 1957.

The PRR also had the distinction of being the last railroad in Hudson County to operate steam in passenger service.

The Tuscan-painted private club car assigned to 'THE BROKER" served for many more years to come; in fact, it was not retired until NJT retired its NY&LB GG-1's in late 1983.

By that time, the Exchange Place depot had already been closed 22 years.......

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting bit of historical trivia on the H&M/PATH station at Exchange Place.......

When the "downtown" tubes reached Hudson Terminal in 1909, there was a stub tunnel just west of Exchange Place dubbed "the Penn Pocket".

Certain H&M trains from Hudson Terminal would discharge their passengers, then head into the "pocket"; there, the crew would change ends, and then re-enter the station, bound again for Hudson Terminal.

For many years after this pocket tunnel was abandoned, you could easily see electrical gear/transformers that had been installed in the former track area (westbound side)

Oddly, until the 1980's, the "pocket" track and its switch remained in place on the eastbound track.

After 9/11, when there was still no service to lower Manhattan (WTC) the "Pocket" was re-activated (new track arrangement) that allowed trains from Journal Square and Newark to enter Exchange Place (which had sustained serious flood damage after 9/11), and, after unloading, reverse and head into the rehabbed "pocket", and then pull up to the westbound platform........

"NYO"