For The Blue Comet Afficianado's

Such a gorgeous train.  Too bad it only ran for 14 years.  I have Tom Gallo's soft cover book on this train and to this day it remains a favorite.  

At least parts of that train still exist in various locations.

If I just modeled CNJ about 15 years earlier than I do, I'd work on making an accurate one.  Currently I'm close to getting an accurate version together once the equipment went into the commuter pool after the BC stopped operations.  Great video.

Thanks for sharing that video.

Once upon a time, railroads created and advertised trains with character that were exciting to travel on and attractive to the public. The personal automobile has changed all that. If a Blue Comet were running today, that's how I would go from Jersey City to Atlantic City.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Once upon a time, railroads created and advertised trains with character that were exciting to travel on and attractive to the public. The personal automobile has changed all that. If a Blue Comet were running today, that's how I would go from Jersey City to Atlantic City.

MELGAR

Since there is no longer a railroad passenger facility in Jersey City, you would still have to drive to a railroad station. Then again, is there even a railroad in Atlantic City anymore? Guess that's why people take those luxury busses to Atlantic City now.

A special train from a by gone era.One of the remaining cars is part of a diner in Clinton,NJ.Run my BC and CNJ Camelbacks often at the club layout McCormick/ Stillman RR Park Scottsdale,AZ

@Hot Water posted:

Since there is no longer a railroad passenger facility in Jersey City, you would still have to drive to a railroad station. Then again, is there even a railroad in Atlantic City anymore? Guess that's why people take those luxury busses to Atlantic City now.

Yes New Jersey Transit still runs to Atlantic City. https://www.njtransit.com/acrl

There was a brief experiment to run a direct train from New York City to Atlantic City directly sponsored by the Casions but it was discontinued in 2012. A bit of a modern Blue Comet without the same luxury. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...City_Express_Service

The CNJ's terminal in Jersey City survives, visitors to the statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the New Jersey side walk through the terminal where passengers of the Blue Comet once passed through to catch their train.  Every few years it seems someone talks about connecting the light rail into the old terminal but nothing ever becomes of it.

Interesting shot at the 2:00 mark with a streamlined PRR K4s on the adjacent track.

CNJ continued to have passenger service on the CNJ Southern Division until 1957 to Bridgeton  In 1982 NJ Transit suspended service to Atlantic city due to poor track conditions with a 15 mph speed restriction on the former PRSL trackage from Lindenwood.  This was part of the route of the Nelly Bly, which was PRR's Atlantic City train that operated until from NYC to Atlantic City via Trenton until 1961.  K4s also pulled lesser trains in the PRSL pool along with Reading G series Pacifics.  I'm certain that Atlantic City was quite a great place to watch steam in the late 30's!

Amtrak reestablished service in 1989 after major upgrades, but the train stopped short of the original Atlantic city Terminal.  Amtrak had big plans to make Atlantic City a tourist destination from several locations, but the demand was not there.  New Jersey Transit again began running local trains on the route from Lindenwood at the same time and after Amtrak stopped servicing Atlantic City in 1995, New Jersey Transit extended the western terminus of their trains to 30th St. Station.

Surprisingly some of the BC equipment still exists.

Coaches:

CNJ 1172 - Blue Comet 'Westphal'  - CNJ 1173 - Blue Comet 'D'Arrest'.  Others likely exist after several renamings running on various excursion lines throughout the US.

All three Observations Exist:

CNJ 1169 - Blue Comet 'Tempel' - CNJ 1178 - Blue Comet 'DeVico' (served as NJT-1 as an inspection car) - CNJ 1179 - Blue Comet 'Biela' - The car Bill mentioned.

Locomotives:

CNJ Camelback 592 - an Atlantic type Camelback that pulled the BC on several occasions during the later years of service.  It was donated in operating condition to the B&O Museum in 1954.

Truly the Seashore's Finest Train as it often has been coined.

As an aside, several studies have been done over the years about reestablishing commuter service on the CNJ Southern Division to Lakewood.  I believe the tracks are gone south of Chatsworth to Winslow Junction.  It's been so long since I've lived in NJ I don't think Conrail Shared Assets serves the sand plant anymore.  Conrail did when I still lived there.  The northern terminus of the Southern Division is in Red Bank, NJ and I spent a few summers walking the tracks from Oceanport to watch trains in Red Bank.  A former Blue Comet coach sat at the junction as a crew facility still in CNJ green paint up until about 1982 or 1983.

Bill - I just picked up a PS1 Blue Comet Pacific that has been upgraded to PS2.  Unfortunately I'm robbing most of the parts to finish my 2 rail CNJ Pacific.  The PS2 will end up in a 3rd Rail SP Mountain I purchased from Peter Atonna to run on the P&P.    All that will be left of the my BC pacific will be the boiler and the 3 rail chassis, drivers, steam chest, and lead and trailing trucks.  Eventually I'll find a junker MTH Pacific to restore that one back to 3 for the club. Confused?  So am I!

Some pics I took this year.

@SGP posted:  The CNJ's terminal in Jersey City survives, visitors to the statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the New Jersey side walk through the terminal where passengers of the Blue Comet once passed through to catch their train.  Every few years it seems someone talks about connecting the light rail into the old terminal but nothing ever becomes of it.

Trains are beautiful but did anyone notice how clean the station platforms were?

Thanks for sharing!!!