It was noted earlier this year on the forum that the Blue Comet made its inaugural run on February 21st, 1929. An icon in toy train history, this is a favorite to many in the hobby. Let’s celebrate by posting photos, videos, etc. of this famous train. So whether it’s tinplate, O-27, 3RS, HONGZ, historical to the original, or anything relative to The Blue Comet, please contribute!
I’ll start with a few photos of my MTH scale Comet...
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I bought this MTH model of Blue Comet engine #833 around 1998.
MELGAR
While not original to the Blue Comet the Whippany Railway Museum has a parlor car that was built to the same plan. Painted in the Comet scheme you can ride this car on most of the museums trips through Morris County NJ.
I have some Blue Comets in various gauges:
H0 factory painted brass model by OMI:
RivaRossi interpretation in H0:
OMI left, RivaRossi right:
RivaRossi N gauge:
More pictures including 0 gauge and the cars in chapter 7.5 of my (free to download) e-book on luxury trains:
http://sncf231e.nl/non-ciwl-luxury-trainssmall-2/
Regards
Fred
Here is a nice video compilation from YouTube of the Blue Comet:
I'm still kicking myself for missing the version of the Blue Comet Lionel MPC brought out in 1978(?).
rjsmithindy posted:It was noted earlier this year on the forum that the Blue Comet made its inaugural run on February 21st, 1929. An icon in toy train history, this is a favorite to many in the hobby. Let’s celebrate by posting photos, videos, etc. of this famous train. So whether it’s tinplate, O-27, 3RS, HONGZ, historical to the original, or anything relative to The Blue Comet, please contribute!
I’ll start with a few photos of my MTH scale Comet...
Is this a photo that has been colorized? If not, it is the first color photo of the Comet while active that I've ever seen.
German posted:rjsmithindy posted:It was noted earlier this year on the forum that the Blue Comet made its inaugural run on February 21st, 1929. An icon in toy train history, this is a favorite to many in the hobby. Let’s celebrate by posting photos, videos, etc. of this famous train. So whether it’s tinplate, O-27, 3RS, HONGZ, historical to the original, or anything relative to The Blue Comet, please contribute!
I’ll start with a few photos of my MTH scale Comet...
Is this a photo that has been colorized? If not, it is the first color photo of the Comet while active that I've ever seen.
This was found from an internet search and the lower right corner notes the photo restorer that colorized the photo.
While the ads for the Blue Comet would make you think it started it's route at Penn Station, you had to transfer to pick it up at it's starting point - the Communipaw Terminal in NJ. This is a reproduction of the terminal sign.
Do not own anything Blue Comet related, but I plan to obtain a neat looking poster in the future (see below) from eBay and I made this drawing about a year ago called "Departing Atlantic City." Probably one of my better train drawings to-date but I feel as though I could've improved in some areas.
NJCJOE posted:Love the Blue Comet.....O, Standard gauge and the real thing.
By any chance where did you get that "The Blue Comet" sign? Unless of course, the words I don't want to hear, its an original.
NJCJOE posted:I made that sign to match the head sign on front of the locomotive. It was made to match the original as close as possible. It's 4' long and made from 1/8" steel plate. Here are the photos before and after weathering.
Custom made, only requires a 4' long steel plate. Thanks!
https://www.onlyinyourstate.co...station-diner-train/
The Clinton Station Diner in Clinton NJ uses a restored Blue Comet observation car as part of the restaurant.
CSXJOE posted:https://www.onlyinyourstate.co...station-diner-train/
The Clinton Station Diner in Clinton NJ uses a restored Blue Comet observation car as part of the restaurant.
Wow, that's cool, I may have to stop in there!
NJCJOE posted:
Joe, I’m enjoying your posts. Love the 400E. Do you know the story on the other two photos above? They appear to be from the derailment accident in 1939?
Happy 90th birthday to the Blue Comet!
The paint job on the Blue Comet reflects its destination, Atlantic City. The dark blue represents the ocean, the light blue the sky, and the cream the sand on the beach.
Each passenger car is named after a comet.
And 1929 was a terrible year to launch a new luxury all first class passenger train.
The Blue Comet has always been, and will always be, my favorite train. Thanks to NJCJOE for helping me find the poster in the top photo--it's a permanent fixture in my train room. The middle photo is from the 1975 excursion from Raritan to Bay Head, headed by ex-Florida East Coast #148. Last but not least is my 1936 prewar Blue Comet, all original, running like the day she was made.
rjsmithindy posted:NJCJOE posted:
Joe, I’m enjoying your posts. Love the 400E. Do you know the story on the other two photos above? They appear to be from the derailment accident in 1939?
Yes, those photos were from the derailment but that's all I know about them.
I work about 5 minutes from the Communipaw Terminal. I def. gotta check out the sign soon.
The Blue Comet was my first RTR set and is still my favorite train. The Premiere version is top notch and wonderful.
My first introduction to the Blue Comet was seeing Lionel’s #8801 in a hobby store in my hometown. After a lot of talking and wishing, my two brothers and I were fortunate enough to find the engine and cars circling our Christmas tree on Christmas morning in 1980. I still have the set and it comes out for the holidays every year.
Hello all Blue Comet fans ...below is a link to see a Boucher standard gauge Blue Comet in motion .
Unknown who came out with the Blue Comet first ...Lionel was showing a mock up in July of 1930 ....suspect Boucher had a model of the Blue Comet at the NYC show show in February ...but not verified yet .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQcKbTPDn04
Suspect about 50 sets were made 1930-34 .. more engines were made ... the 2500 engine has double motors ..and automatic reverse .
here is a link to see a double head Boucher Bleu Comet engines
https://www.facebook.com/Tinpl...eos/297342980944689/
Cheers Carey
There was a presentation about the Blue Comet back in February 2018 at the old CNJ Terminal. The author "New Jersey Central's Blue Comet" was doing a signing. Parts of the indie film "Wreck of the Blue Comet" was shown as well.
Actual artifact from the Blue Comet, a table cloth:
Everyone received a cool replica dinning car menu:
No visit is complete without a shot of Lady Liberty.
Speaking of the Clinton Diner, the Blue Comet portrait that hangs inside:
While visiting my son in Santa Fe New Mexico we stumbled across the CNJ 300, former "Halley" repainted for the Santa Fe Southern Railway excursion line that never was.
Love the MPC Blue Comet.
And this hangs in my office at work.
A 90 year old train and I'm still looking for an accurate version of it! 
I have always loved this flagship train of the CNJ. Don't have any pictures to post, but the Tom Gallo book on the entire train and how to model it accurately in HO is still one of my favorites. I've had it since high school.
My daughter’s LCT Blue Comet at Christmastime
A quick note of thanks to everyone’s contributions to this post so far. Great information on all things Blue Comet!
I also ran across a song on iTunes called Blue Comet by Tom Stackhouse. I hadn’t heard it before but it is about the train and even notes the wreck. One of my favorites is Johnny Cash’s Blue Train - always made me think of The Blue Comet. Here is a link to an updated version:
Samplingman posted:While visiting my son in Santa Fe New Mexico we stumbled across the CNJ 300, former "Halley" repainted for the Santa Fe Southern Railway excursion line that never was.
The Santa Fe Southern actually ran passenger service for several years (at least from 2007 through 2012). No passenger service was run in 2013, but some ran during 2014. Nothing since then.
GG1 4877 posted:A 90 year old train and I'm still looking for an accurate version of it!
AFAIK, nobody has ever released any blue comet set, in any gauge, which is anywhere close to being prototypically accurate. MTH's O scale Premier engine is a great model, but their passenger cars are wildly inaccurate. Aristocraft's G scale passenger cars are close (including the truss rods under Giacobini), but their engine leaves a lot to be desired.
Magicland posted:GG1 4877 posted:A 90 year old train and I'm still looking for an accurate version of it!
AFAIK, nobody has ever released any blue comet set, in any gauge, which is anywhere close to being prototypically accurate. MTH's O scale Premier engine is a great model, but their passenger cars are wildly inaccurate. Aristocraft's G scale passenger cars are close (including the truss rods under Giacobini), but their engine leaves a lot to be desired.
According to Joshua Lionel Cowen, this is the most accurate model of the Blue Comet ever released!
The Blue Comet regularly operates on my railroad. All of the Blue Comet trains are MTH Rail King. 
Santa brought this LionChief+ Blue Comet for my grandson. It stopped flying like a comet. This video is after it returned from Lionel. It's a very nice engine. Hope you agree::
I apologize for the poor quality of the video. Not sure what's up. I used my iPhone so this is a mystery.
AmeenTrainGuy posted:Why is it that no one has been able to create an accurate model of the Blue Comet? I would assume the HO scale brass version is very detailed and realistic.
The H0 brass model is indeed an accurate model of the locomotive, but the Blue Comet is a train, and in brass the cars are never modelled. The MTH Premier model is also accurate (the locomotive) but the cars are a generic type in (as far as I know) accurate colors. It looks good running in my garden:
Regards
Fred
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