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The Aldene Plan/CNJ/Waterfront Rails
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 10:55 pm    Post subject: The Aldene Plan/CNJ/Waterfront Rails Reply with quote

Fellows:

The Aldene Plan (still greatly contested in some circles today) was supposed to be the "saviour" for the CNJ ("Jersey Central Lines") by rerouting the remaining commuter trains away from the CNJ's ferry terminal at Jersey City to Penn Station (Newark) to provide direct connections with PATH tube trains, and eliminating the costly ferry service that carried commuters from Jersey City to Liberty St., Manhattan.

Today, in 2020, we can see that the Aldene Plan, effectively, destroyed what had been (and still would be today for NJT trains) a vital rail link between New York (Jersey City) and the suburbs.

The massive, four track Newark Bay Bridge, the largest in the world, was long the bane of the PA; the PA stated flatly that bridge hampered the development of other areas for container shipping terminals.

The last CNJ freights crossed the span in 1974; the last passenger service were the RDC "Scoot" shuttles (ConRail), which ran between W. 8th St. Bayonne and Cranford (last run in 1978)

The massive and complex Elizabethport station ("the heart of the CNJ") became nothing more than a flagstop until the last shuttles ran in 1978; today, virtually nothing is left of this huge and busy complex, where several CNJ lines intersected.

The former "Main Line" (today's Raritan Valley Line" is only two tracks; it had been a four track "raceway" for decades, used by a steady stream of freights, commuter trains, and the through trains of the B&O (until 1958) and the RDG (1967) all of which connected with the CNJ's ferryboats at Jersey City.

No time was wasted in ensuring the Jersey City service could never be revived, if even as a result of intense public agitation; in fact, the day after all ferry service to Jersey City ended, demolition work began on the CNJ's Liberty St. ferry terminal.

Replacing the operations of a vast 20-track terminal with "tenant" status at Newark was foolhardy, to say the least.

The old CNJ ferries, ancient as they were, could carry nearly 2000 passengers in commodius fashion.

At the end of ferry operations, only the "ELIZABETH" remained of the original CNJ steam ferries; two other boats, "THE TIDES" and "THE NARROWS", had, until late 1964, operated with several sisters on the Brooklyn 69th St.-St. George crossing.

Unlike the "ELIZABETH", neither of these diesels could load or unload from the upper deck at the two terminals.

The PATH trains connecting with the CNJ at Newark were now jammed to bursting at rush hours, and lower Manhattan commuters now had to stand in very crowded conditions all the way to Hudson Terminal (lower Manhattan) instead of enjoying a brisk 10 minute ferry ride from Jersey City.

Unlike at Jersey City, CNJ trains could not linger as they did at Jersey city; they had to (literally) "clear the track" for the next arrival.

The two RDG trains to Philadelphia, the famed "CRUSADER" and the "WALL STREET" became RDC trains, as passenger power could no longer be turned and serviced at Jersey City, with the Communipaw Engine Terminal now only servicing tonnage power.

Today, in the event of an AMTRAK strike or service disruption, NJCL trains from Shore points would have still be able operate, using the old CNJ Perth Amboy line (Perth Amboy Branch) between Perth Amboy and Elizabethport, had service to Jersey City still existed.

Had the huge State and Federal subsidies of today been available back in the mid-60's, perhaps, just perhaps, one of the busiest and most useful rail corridors might still be in use today, carrying NJT trains.

Alas, all we can do today is to speculate and wonder at what might have been.......
"NYO"


Last edited by NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 on Tue Apr 14, 2020 10:18 pm; edited 2 times in total
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2020 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To this day, there are still a number of "conspiracy" theories involving the ill-fated CNJ Aldene Plan, which, effectively, destroyed forever one of the busiest rail corridors in the state.

In early 1965, the Coast Guard began declaring the CNJ's old ferryboats unfit for service one by one (all of a sudden, almost all the boats were no longer fit for service? The ex-DL&W ferries, of the same era, were all still in service, and remained in service until 1967)

This left only the "WILKES-BARRE" as a spare, docked at Jersey City, and the "ELIZABETH; the latter vessel was built as the "LAKEWOOD" and, after a fire while in drydock, emerged with a new, all-steel superstructure.

Not surprisingly, she was the most modern-looking ferry in the CNJ fleet.

On an interesting note, the CNJ's boats were the only Hudson River ferries to be equipped with short-range radar (this was installed during the 1950's)

The CNJ then leased two OOS ex-Brooklyn 69th boats; these were "THE TIDES" and "THE NARROWS", for the Jersey City-Liberty St. crossing.

These boats, being built to primarily handle vehicular traffic, were not popular with commuters, as they had no lower deck cabins, and were unable to load/unload from the upper decks, as the older CNJ boats were able to.

The CNJ eventually installed makeshift lower deck cabins on the lower deck, each taking up the space occupied by one of the four vehicular lanes.

Then, in early 1966, a ship collided with the north span of the Newark Bay lift bridge; this collision happened on a clear, calm day, with unlimited visibility.

The ship, I've read, was soon to be retired and scrapped....coincidence?

Now, the four track-bridge (the largest of its type ever built) was down to two tracks; the cash-strapped CNJ had little choice than to close that span, leaving only two tracks in operation.

With an almost non-stop parade of commuter trains, plus through trains of the RDG, along with heavy CNJ freight traffic, the cNJ dispatchers and towermen were now performing delicate balancing acts, in trying to keep four track's worth of traffic flowing smoothly on the two remaining tracks.

The first rush hours under the Aldene Plan were chaotic, from accounts I've read.

Missed stops, abandoned trainmen, missed connections......it certainly was a far cry from the easy, convenient train-to-ferry transfer that had previously been available at Jersey City.

The ferry operation was a financial drain on the CNJ, despite that rush hour sailings were heavily loaded.

One thought on this night have been having the Department of Marine & Aviation take over the CNJ's ferry operations, therefore relieving the railroad of a huge financial burden, while still providing an important ferry service.

Seeing an operation that used at 20-track terminal now reduced to basically one track at Newark, in itself, is almost laughable.

Commuters who once enjoyed a guaranteed seat of the ferries (which only took ten minutes to cross the Hudson from Jersey City, and had a capacity of nearly 2000 passengers, plus vehicles) now had to jam aboard crowded PATH tube cars, and ride in cramped conditions for close to a half-hour, to reach lower Manhattan (Hudson Terminal)

No time whatsoever was wasted in demolishing the CNJ's cavernous and ornate Liberty St. Terminal (with its two story high waiting room and Tiffany skylights); demolition began only one day after ferry service to Jersey City ended.

Even if the CNJ was ordered to restore Jersey City service (had the Aldene Plan did not work out) there would have been no Manhattan slips for the boats to dock

The Aldene Plan took place at a time (1967) long before massive subsidies were available to ailing commuter lines.

Even the once-busy four-track CNJ main through to Raritan is no more; today, the Raritan Valley line (NJ) is down to only two tracks.

If a stalled train blocks one track, we're talking big headaches here.

If, however, a derailment closes two tracks, then you have suspended service altogether, until the aftermath can be cleared and the tracks are repaired.

The old CNJ was once known as "The Big Little Railroad"; today, however, what remains might be best described as a "Little Little Railroad".......many non-railfans/retired non-CNJ commuters are usually astounded to see what a massive undertaking the CNJ's commuter/marine operations once were, through much of the 1960's.

At this same time, the long-established PRR/H&M/PATH "joint service" between Hudson Terminal and Newark ended; new "PA" cars replaced the "MP-52"/"K" cars on the Newark line (these cars were then shifted over to other PATH routes), which then became a 100% PATH operation.

New rapid transit color light signals were installed, and the use of PRR position lights was discontinued........

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another casualty of the Aldene Plan of 1967 was the abandonment of passenger service on CNJ's Newark Branch; until 1946, this "branch" had been part of the CNJ's "Direct Line" between Jersey City and Broad St. Newark.

In 1946, after a steamer knocked out a swing bridge on the line, the route was forever severed.

On the Jersey City side, a "push-pull" shuttle train (using a Camelback at each end of the short consist!) ran between West Side Avenue and the Jersey City terminal.

This shuttle operated for only a few years; it never saw diesel power.

On the Newark side, frequent shuttles connected with the main line CNJ trains at Elizabethport; at Broad St, Newark, a handsome, four track facility served as the CNJ's Newark terminal.

Its handsome headhouse gave access to the train concourse and platforms via a long, inclined, high-ceilinged passageway.

After "Direct Service" was knocked out, only two tracks remained in use.

Two were disconnected, the other two continued in use until 1967.

One of these tracks served the RDC shuttles to Elizabethport; the remaining track saw service only during rush hours, by through trains to Atlantic Highlands and Plainfield.

After service to Atlantic Highlands was abandoned in late 1966, the Atlantic Highlands trains still ran (both from Newark and Jersey City) but terminated at Matawan.

After the Broad St. station closed in 1967, it lay derelict and abandoned for many years.

Today, only the shell of the classical, ornate 1915-era headhouse still remains; the lofty train concourse and Bush sheds were torn out in the early 1980's.

There had been plans to make this historic headhouse and entranceway to the massive sports complex that adjoins it, but, as of today, that has still not come to pass.

Today, this long-vanished rail link could be providing a valuable service to today's NJT commuters.

In Jersey City, the HBLR uses the old CNJ "Direct Line" ROW for its West Side Avenue trains.

The CNJ Broad St. station sold its last ticket with the implementation of the Aldene Plan, in the spring of 1967.

I still have a very fond memory of an RDC cab ride from Newark to E'Port (about 1965), courtesy of a kindly old CNJ conductor, and an engineer attired as though he were up up in the cab of a proud, high-stepping Camelback.

Mom remembered that trip well, and we both thanked both the conductor and the engineer as we detrained at E'Port for our main line connection to Jersey City........ Wink

"NYO"


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

An interesting CNJ operation, pre-Aldene, was the rush-hour through trains to and from Broad St., Newark.

In the AM rush, the through train from Atlantic Highlands (after a station stop at E'Port, where more Newark-bound commuters boarded) would terminate at Broad St.; there, the train would back down the line to E'Port (this was BEFORE the days of push-pulls, mind you!), where it became at Jersey City-bound train.

It would load several carloads of well-dressed New York-bound commuters, and would then head eastbound to Jersey City and its ferry connections.

In the late afternoon, just as the evening rush hour was about to really crank up into high gear, a local from Jersey City would terminate at E'Port; the consist would then back all the way up the old "Mosquito Line" to Broad Street, where it would then become the evening through train to Atlantic Highlands.

After "Direct Line" service to Jersey City ended, the interlocking tower at Broad St. was closed, but remained a gutted relic for many years afterwards.

The only switches remaining were hand-thrown, and operated only during the rush hours, when the through trains operated........

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2020 11:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The last "public" run of CNJ's Liberty St. ferry in April, 1967, was made by the former 69th St. boat, "THE TIDES"; however, the actual "last run" was made by the CNJ's own "ELIZABETH".

CNJ's ferries all had triple-expansion engines; the E-L's ex-DL&W boats, however, used double-compound engines, long the standard on the Staten Island boats, through to and including the streamlined "MISS NEW YORK" class of 1937-1938.

After serving PSE&G as a "floating exhibition boat" at the utility's Salem nuclear power plant, the once-proud "ELIZABETH" suffered the indignity of becoming a floating "Hooters" on the waterfront of Philadelphia....most certainly NOT a "family friendly" atmosphere, to say the least.

After being abandoned for some time, and partially sinking at her berth, the "ELIZABETH", it was hoped, could be raised, repaired, and towed back to Jersey city, and after restoration, be once again docked in one of the ferry slips at the old CNJ terminal in Liberty Park (the old two-level, 1914-era ferry terminal, with its graceful arches and ornamental river facade, was torn down in 1983.

The wooden-truss lower deck loading aprons that park visitors see today are replicas of the ones that were still in place for many years after the ferry building was demolished.

Sadly, plans for preservation of the "ELIZABETH" never bore fruit.

She was towed off the coast, and, with one pilot house cut loose from the bridge deck, was scuttled. Sad

A sad, sad end for the very last surviving CNJ ferry. Sad

I have read that her engines were removed, and stored, until they could eventually be displayed at some location.

A few years back, the collapsing hulk of the once-grand ERIE-LACKAWANNA (DL&W) ferry, the 1905 "BINGHAMTON" was scrapped on the spot, having been severely damaged during Superstorm Sandy.

She had served as a popular restaurant/night spot in Edgewater, NJ from the late 1970's onwards, until she was abandoned prior to Sandy.

A few relics were removed prior to her demolition; with the passing of the "BINGHAMTON", not one of the dozens of Hudson River railroad boats remained in existence.

I grew up with the E-L and CNJ boats, and am truly grateful to my late mother, who took me for so many happy excursions aboard these graceful old boats, so long ago.........

"NYO"

Interestingly, the CNJ ferries (except for the "ELIZABETH") all had whistles that were higher pitched than the E-L boats, which had a deeper, "steamboat-y" sound.

The "ELIZABETH's whistle was quite shrill and and hollow-sounding, easily recognizeable from the other CNJ ferries; to listen to old recordings of her whistle today are at once haunting and soul-stirring.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another casualty of the Aldene Plan in 1967 was the en masse removal of all CNJ combines from service.

The heavyweight combines (which were unusual in that they also had vestibules at the baggage end of the car) were still hauling newspapers, REA express items, and, of course, commuters (as a kid, I used to call combos "half-a-passenger-cars"! Wink

In most CNJ consists, the combos ran with their baggage compartments to the rear.

All RPO/mail service on the CNJ came to an end in the Summer of 1965, several years before the last mail was carried on E-L rails.

After Aldene, for some time, a number of now-redundant combos and coaches sat idle under the Bush sheds at the closed Jersey City terminal; ironically, for a time, CNJ employees used the once-bustling train concourse as an indoor parking lot. Sad

These cars were later cut up on the spot; with the Jersey City coach yards now closed, and services reduced, the CNJ's fleet of commuter coaches (all heavyweights) was also greatly reduced; a "coach yard" of sorts was built at Harrison, but it clearly could not stable the once-vast fleet of CNJ coaches.

Also, with the closing of the Jersey City terminal, all CNJ trains (except RDC's) were now all push-pulls, either using cab cars converted from arch-roof cars, or, having a Geep at each end of the consist.

Your's Truly recalls such trains quite well!

Some cars sat idle outside the train sheds at Jersey City for some time; others were stored at the Elizabethport shops, before heading to Naporano for scrapping.

As for the combos, a few were retained for work service, a few were sold to tourist pikes, and the the others were scrapped.

In addition to my memories, I have since photos (some taken from aircraft) taken as recently as the mid-60's, showing the sprawling CNJ coach yards at Jersey City, between AM and PM rush hours, crowded with long strings of commuter cars, stretching close to a half-mile out from the terminal, almost to the NJ Turnpike Extension.

Vanished railroading in the Garden State, indeed.......

"NYO"


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The READING was the last of CNJ's "tenants" at Jersey City (the B&O pulled out in 1958, and the LV in 1918)

Until about 1964, the RDG operated trains between Harrisburg and Jersey City.

These trains often had CNJ cars in the consist.

The famed, posh "CRUSADER" and "WALL STREET" carried well-to-do businessmen between Reading Terminal in Philadelphia and the CNJ's Jersey City ferry terminal, branching off from the CNJ at Bound Brook Junction.

After Aldene, when service to Jersey City ended, these two trains became RDC consists, as passenger power could no longer be turned and serviced at the CNJ's huge Communipaw Engine Terminal (now the site of the Liberty Science Center), which now handled freight power only.

The revamped RDC's held down service between Newark and Reading Terminal until ConRail abandoned the trains in 1981........

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2020 11:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Today, if there is an AMTRAK strike, NJT's North Jersey Coast Line trains are unable to access Newark and New York.

Prior to Aldene, CNJ Shore trains (NY&LB) switched off the CNJ "main" at Elizabethport, and then traveled along the old "Perth Amboy Branch" (Chemical Coast) to Perth Amboy, where they switched onto PRR rails for the balance of their NY&LB runs.

After Aldene, Shore trains were also routed into Newark, now running directly to Penn Station (Newark) under PRR catenary.

Today, if a strike were to halt AMTRAK, this also means that NJCL trains cannot operate into Newark and New York.

Both the CNJ and the PRR operated lengthy racetrack specials to Monmouth Park for many, many years; a four track stub-terminal was adjacent to the Granstand, each track capable of holding trains of at least eleven cars.

In later years, all but one of these tracks were removed, and only one racetrack special operated on the weekends when the track was open.

This was NJT's popular "Pony Express", which ran for a number of years; NJT later cut back the one remaining track at Monmouth Park, and later on,, abandoned the "Express" altogether.

The former track area at Monmouth Park is now completely paved over.

The CNJ once operated a "Racetrack Special" from Broad St., Newark, as well........

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As mentioned earlier, until late 1966, the CNJ operated trains to Atlantic Highlands; RDC shuttles provided base service between Matawan and Atlantic Highlands, and through trains from Jersey City and Broad St., Newark, also operated, during the rush hours.

The Atlantic Highlands trains from Jersey City during the rush hours were split at Matawan; commuters bound for stations on the Atlantic Highlands line boarded the last several cars of these trains (signs to this effect were posted at the gates at Jersey City)

At Matawan, the front half of the train continued on to Bay head Jct.,; another locomotive coupled to the remaining cars and this became the Atlantic Highlands train.

Rush hour through trains from Broad St. (Newark), also operated.

In late 1966, the CNJ abandoned passenger service to Atlantic Highlands; the rush hour through trains then terminated at Atlantic Highlands.

These trains were axed with the implementation of the Aldene Plan in 1967.

Today, with Sandy Hook-area parking lots filled to capacity prior to 9AM during the summer, passenger service on this line would have been a welcome relief, indeed.

Too, so much building along the old ROW has taken place since 1967, there would also be many traffic-fatigued commuters who could easily avail themselves to this line, had it still been in operation.......

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

70's flashback........

There was much talk and hubub about the PA's ambitious plans to extend PATH service out to Plainfield, via CNJ rails.

For numerous reasons, this plan never saw the light of day.

At the time, however, just prior to the ConRail takeover in 1976, it was just about a done deal that ALL remaining CNJ passenger service was going to be abandoned (this, of course, would have affected hundreds of commuters, many of which who did not have bus alternates)

In fact, I've read that CNJ crews were preparing to board up stations and post notices announcing the abandonment of CNJ passenger service when the last-minute reprieve came in.

Ironically, back in the 20's, there had been plans to have the H&M build a new set of tubes east of Journal Square, and have the trains resurface near the CNJ's Communipaw station.

The trains would then follow CNJ rails through Bayonne, where they would have entered another new set of tubes, and then would have re-entered daylight on Staten Island.

How the B&O (which dominated freight and passenger service on Staten Island at the time) would have felt about this bold "Jersey Upstart's" intrusion into their long-established territory, would have been QUITE interesting, indeed.

Interestingly, prior to the depths of the Depression, there were also plans to electrify the CNJ's commuter services out of Jersey City; in fact, the arch-roof cars that they took delivery of about 1930, were built with provisions for electrification at some future date (these cars were based upon the READING's new MU's)

The ERIE, also, early on, also planned to eventually electrify their commuter runs out of Pavonia Avenue (Jersey City); the earliest Stillwell coaches, in fact, had porthole windows for the motormen, had electrification became a reality.

The ERIE coaches would have then looked quite similar to the Stillwell-designed MU's that were already in operation on the NYW&B......

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Prior to the startup of the Aldene Plan in April, 1967, the CNJ converted several arch roof coaches into cab cars.

Push-pulls would now be required on CNJ passenger runs, as, with the Jersey City Terminal closed (and the C'Paw engine terminal now off-limits to passenger power), there would be no way to "change ends" at the end of a run.

The converted coaches (several in all) were "WABCO" equipped, and the first push-pull test train operated over the CNJ's Main Line in December, 1966.

Some CNJ commuter trains, however, utilized instead a GEEP at each end of the consist (early on, a B&O engine might be one of the two engines powering an otherwise all-CNJ consist)

These unique cars (rebuilt in the CNJ's E'Port shops) lasted in service until the early 1980's........

"NYO"

*Brand new push-pulls (U-boats hauling/pushing P-S "Comet" cars) entered service on the Erie-Lackawanna's diesel lines out of Hoboken in early 1971 (MAIN LINE, BERGEN COUNTY LINE, PASCACK VALLEY LINE)

It would not until late 1974 when new-push pulls went into service on the PORT JERVIS line (former ERIE), replacing the last non-push pull E-L trains, which then consisted of ancient ex-ERIE Stillwell coaches hauled by graceful E-8's..........

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As mentioned earlier, mail service on the CNJ ended during the Summer of 1965; this was a few years before the E-L stopped carrying the mails.

Trains like the "ALLENTOWN MAIL TRAIN" became redundant; the busy "MAIL BUILDING" at the Jersey City Terminal (situated on the south side of the terminal, near the float bridges) also lost its purpose.

As mentioned earlier, however, the CNJ continued to carry REA shipments (also newspapers) in their combines until the Aldene Plan in April, 1967.

At the busy W. 8th St. station in Bayonne, the familiar green REA trucks were especially commonplace sights.

With mail gone from the CNJ rails, RPO's and mail storage cars were no longer needed, but, again, such equipment lasted on the E-L's remaining through trains for a few more years before all mail finally vanished from the E-L.......

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After the Aldene Plan went into effect, Bayonne found itself with no direct mainline CNJ passenger service.

In place of the through trains, there was a shuttle (initially using push-pull consists, and later, RDC's) that operated between Bayonne and Cranford, where main line connections could be made.

This Toonerville-ish shuttle (later known as "the Scoot") was virtually useless from Day One.

The crowds of New York-bound passengers now either took buses direct to the PABT, or to Journal Square, where the could connect with PATH trains.

There had been much agitation from Bayonne-area commuters for the CNJ to re-establish at least some "through" service, but nothing came of it.

After 1973, when the CNJ abandoned freight operations in Jersey City (its remaining lighterage operations were transferred to the LV) only "The Scoot" remained crossing the massive Newark Bay lift bridge.

As time went on, "Scoot" service was held up more and more, as the spans were raised more and more frequently to allow container ships to pass through, and "The Powers That Be" were now more adamant about closing the bridge.

In the last few years of "The Scoot", leased PRSL RDC's were in use, to help supplement CNJ's own ailing RDC fleet.

Despite protests, the shuttle (now run by ConRail) made its last run in 1978.

In 1980, the lift spans of the mighty Newark Bay Bridge was dynamited, although the approaches at both ends remained intact (including their signal bridges) for a number of years more, before finally themselves being razed.

Now, what could have been an invaluable rail link today is forever gone.

However, today's HBLR utilizes some of the ex-CNJ row north from Bayonne to Jersey City; at W. 8th St., there is a "replica" of the original W. 8th St. depot, which served the CNJ for many decades, beginning in the 1890's......

"NYO"
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Prior to the Aldene Plan, all CNJ passenger equipment had been built for the company.

By the mid-70's, second-hand through line coaches from several railroads entered the CNJ's commuter fleet.

These cars originally were owned by:

MONON

KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN

BURLINGTON NORTHERN

GREAT NORTHERN

The cars of the first two railroads were painted into the CNJ's then current-blue and gold.

The ex-BN/GN cars, however, retained their original paint, but eventually displayed CNJ "Liberty" heralds.

These cars were rebuilt with commuter-style seating, which increased their capacity.

Even though these cars were far more modern than the old CNJ heavyweights, and had a/c, they were still not all that polular with commuters, as, being built for through services, had only one vestibule per car.

This, of course, increased dwell time considerably at stations, particularly during the rush hours (not surprisingly, the old CNJ heavyweights, which had been designed for commuter service) loaded much faster, with two vestibules per car.

For a time in the 1970's, an ex-FEC streamlined observation car was used on certain NY&LB rush hour shore trains.

The CNJ trains sporting both ex-BN and GM coaches were dubbed "Jersey Builders" by the area railfans of that era...........

"NYO"
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BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 22278
Location: NEW JOISEY

PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2020 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Until 1967, CNJ Shore trains (NY&LB) used the CNJ's Perth Amboy branch between Elizabethport and Perth Amboy.

The first station on the branch was ELIZABETH AVENUE; by the 1960's, this was a rush hour stop only.

Shore trains on this line also stopped at:

BAYWAY

SEWAREN

BARBER

The old wooden shelter at SEAWAREN was mostly used by employees of the nearby PUBLIC SERVICE (PSE&G) generating plant.

The most substantial station building on this branch was BARBER; it not only housed a post office, but also, CNJ freight offices.

At Perth Amboy, CNJ (NY&LB) trains conected with the Perth Amboy & Woodbridge line of the PRR.

The CNJ commuter trains, literally, threaded their way through the extensive chemical plants in the Bayway area, the largest owned by Standard Oil (I well recall riding NY&LB trains through and past these massive, complex plants as a youngster, when my family would visit cousins in Manasquan)

Commuter trains have been gone from this branch for well over 50 years now.

The line now serves remaining industries and container terminals along the "Chemical Coast".

With the massive Elizabethport complex long since obliterated, likewise gone are the old connections in that area to the former Perth Amboy branch......

"NYO"
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