CNJ Bronx Terminal in 1957

Holy cow!!! Bob Hart was one of my VERY close friends, back in New Jersey (1955 through about 1960), and we still exchange Christmas cards, more than 57 years later! You should see some of the great movies he took on our rail fanning trips. Bob made a FANTASTIC 16mm Color & SOUND movie of Reading "Iron Horse Rambles" over a three year period. I asked him, some 30 years ago, if he could get the 16mm movie converted to VHS, but it was WAY TOO expensive in those days. I bet he still has the movie, and maybe now could be digitized?

Thanks for posting. Sure brings back memories. Wonder if he up-loaded any of the movies he shot on the DL&W?

In HO scale:

http://www.bronx-terminal.com/

I like the part in the construction recap where he was testing all the parts of the diamonds for electrical isolation and shorts.  Something like n! options.

Jim

Your welcome HW, glad you enjoyed it.  I would love to see that footage as well.

Thanks you for posting the video. CNJ dieselized its Bronx Terminal with the historic box cab 1000. When it was out of service for maintenance, ALCo high hood switcher 1023 was the substitute power. A fun piece of information is that due to the extremely demanding curvature - not unlike Lionel's traditional three rail track, the ALCo unit needed jointed coupler extensions so as not to derail the car to which it was coupled.  

The once numerous waterfront terminal operations in the New York City Metropolitan Area are a particular focus of interest for me. I'd like to recommend a website which has proven invaluable for my research:

http://www.trainweb.org/bedt/

The information is comprehensive in its scope and covers all railroads which operated such facilities in and around New York City. When thinking of the city itself, most folks think of the heavy passenger traffic of PRR, NYC, LIRR and the subways/elevateds but at one time, the city hosted bustling freight operations at many locations within its limits.

Enjoy the website.

Bob  

wow..this track is now used by csx and amtrak ,,not much activity nowadays ,,the park to the side of the tracks is now a waterpark ,,canoe ect,

Vic:

I believe you're thinking of the former New York Central Hudson Division which is now used by Amtrak, CSX and Metro-North. Plus, CSX has the Oak Point Connection to access the former New Haven Oak Point Yard from the Hudson Line. The old CNJ property is no longer used for rail operations.

I hope this helps.

Bob  

Must be thinking of somewhere else--the yard modeled here was located between Lincoln Ave and the 3rd Avenue Bridge. Even the CSX Oak Point trestle passes outside the boundaries of the former yard.

---PCJ

Thanks for the film.

Since the Lionel switcher wasn't exact, I converted the Lionel Vulcan into a CNJ with a made up number of 1002 vs. 1001.

Thanks for the post. I have always been fascinated with the track work at Bronx Terminal. I've also given the 1000 a good look over many times at the B&O Museum in Baltimore. I've attached a very old photo that I found of it. I believe I took it right when the museum reopened in 2004. 

you guys are right , that was the 3rd ave bridge i believe ,,i was thinking it was the whitlock ave bridge ,,

The 1001 was a former Army 35 ton Davenport two axle unit, replacing the 1000 as the regular Bronx Terminal switcher. The 1001 was acquired in 1952 as the 1000, by then just a few years shy of thirty years old, was wearing down and becoming trouble prone. Following the refurbishment of the 1001, it was assigned to the Bronx and the 1000 spent its final few years working in and around Jersey City.

Bob 

If you follow Bob's link to Trainweb.org/bedt and select Bronx Terminal (LV), property and trackage then scroll down a little there is a picture of a gantry crane.  That crane still exist today in the same spot.  I pass it every day on either the Deegan or the Harlem River Drive.

Until this article I just assumed it was part of the NYC.

Thanks for the information.

Dan