|
Jersey Central Story by Paul Carleton Locomotive history photographic remembran
Jersey Central Story by Paul Carleton
Hard cover with dust jacket
Copyright 1976 First printing
416 Pages
About the book...
THE JERSEY CENTRAL STORY is meant be an all-time photographic remembrance of the CNJ and its locomotives. Today, as the last remnants of this road disappear into Conrail, we take pleasure in looking back It the road that was and the vital function it served. Included as well is a look at the Reading and Baltimore & Ohio power that were a part of this Jersey Central story for many years. This big 416-page book with photo/factual coverage of steam and diesel Dower includes maps, timetables and rosters. [n addition, two guest authors have provided moving accounts of what the Central Railroad of New Jersey was like not too many years ago. A mighty busy road!
CONTENTS
ForewordPage 9
IntroductionPage 11
MapsPages 8,12-14
Early Days Page 15
Cnj Steam Power Page 25
Steam Power
At CommunipawPage 29
Cnj Diesel PowerPage 93
Diesel Power At CommunipawPage 97
The CNJ Of Better Days...Page 153
Of Camelbacks And Mikes And Other Hogs By Bert Pennypacker ... Page 155
-And Then Came The Diesels
By Bert Pennypacker Page 159
A Day On The Cnj
By Bob Malinoski Page 163
Jersey City StationPage 167
Elizabeth PortPage 229
ElizabethPage 239
CranfordPage 301
PlainfieldPage 357
DunellenPage 363
Bound BrookPage 381
SomervillePage 407
RaritanPage 413
AcknowledgmentsPage 416
INTRODUCTION
THE Central Railroad of New Jersey, incorporated on April 17, 1849 was basically a consolidation of the Elizabethtown & Somerville Railroad with the Somerville & Easton Railroad. By July of 1852, service had been opened as far west as Phillipsburg and three years later was extended into South Easton, Pa. by an arrangement utilizing the top level of the Lehigh Valley's double deck bridge over the Delaware River. Incidentally, Elizabeth (Elizabethtown) to Jersey City trackage went into service in 1864.
The early days saw the Central Railroad and Lehigh Valley forming a conveyor belt for black diamonds from Pennsylvania mines traveling to consumers in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area and beyond. The cooperation did not last however, with the Valley building across Jersey to Perth Amboy and later, Jersey City. At the same time, CNJ was extending west into the coal fields. Here is how. The Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad with its western terminus at Wilkes-Barre had built east to Phillipsburg, the first coal train arriving there on November 25, 1867. The CNJ leased the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad from its parent Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company on March 31, 1871. By May 1, 1888, service reached Scranton, Pa. The Lehigh Valley succeeded in building west to Buffalo, N.Y. in addition to competing with the CNJ in the eastern Pennsylvania to New York City region.
There came a time in the 1960's that CNJ's trackage in Pennsylvania was no longer profitable. First, to cut costs, parallel CNJ and LV trackage here was consolidated and the excess was abandoned. Things continued to deteriorate and on March 1, 1972, the CNJ turned all its remaining trackage in Pennsylvania to the Lehigh Valley.
To backtrack a bit, the Philadelphia & Reading Railway, predecessor of the Reading Company, became interested in the CNJ. The Reading leased the CNJ intermittently from 1883 to the turn of the century. In 1901 the Reading purchased a controlling interest in capital stock and thereafter the two roads operated in large part as a single entity. This joint operation was ended by the depression-induced bankruptcy of the CNJ. The mid-1960's found our orphaned subject courted by the remaining eastern solvent roads. It would turn out that they could not come to terms for a CNJ takeover.
On April 1, 1976, a government sponsored railroad system comprised of bankrupt northeastern carriers came into being. While predominantly made up of the disastrous Penn Central, Conrail also swallowed up other smaller roads including Erie Lackawanna, Lehigh & Hudson River and the Central Railroad of New Jersey.
The 1990's finds NJ Transit, the state of New Jersey's commuter carrier arm, operating former CNJ trackage from Cranford west on the old main line. Conrail operates numerous bits and pieces of old CNJ trackage in freight service but the balance is for the most part, torn up.
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
US Shipments: When you add multiple items to your cart, the reduced shipping charges will automatically be calculated. For direct postage rates to other countries, send me an email. Shipping varies by weight.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us before making a return. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding or buying.
Thanks for looking at our items.
| 
