Just wondering what company would make scale CNJ coaches. Maybe MTH? Atlas coaches are alright but those CNJ blue and yellow coaches were mainly seen with the red baron diesels if I'm correct.
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I couldn't say it never happened, but generally speaking, the CNJ F-units were freight engines. Of course, it's your model railroad and anything is possible.
RRRFan4, I'm assuming you are referring to the CNJ's dark green with imitation gold lettering paint scheme, correct? If so, both Lionel and MTH have made "representations" of scale CNJ passenger cars in that scheme over the years.
However, as an avid CNJ fan and fairly discriminating modeler, neither have done that CNJ paint scheme any justice. Basically, neither have gotten the colors right...not to mention the models themselves.
Although I'm a freight-first kind of guy, I'm still waiting for an accurately colored/lettered set of 1950's-era scale CNJ passenger cars in that paint scheme. I'm definitely a customer if someone ever gets them right!
The blue and yellow Atlas cars that you mentioned above are probably the most accurate CNJ cars built to date; however, you are absolutely correct in stating that the prototypes were mainly pulled by the CNJ's red or blue & yellow diesels in the company's later years of existence.
And I agree with Bob above on two fronts. The CNJ's F-units were in fact freight haulers...and this is your model railroad so you can (and should!) do what you want with it.
No one in any scale has done a correct mass produced CNJ Coach. Most were built in the late 20's by Bethlehem Ship Building and are distinguished by the non-paired windows that you see in every other heavyweight passenger coach model made. They also had AAR 4 wheel trucks and almost all models have been made with 6 wheel trucks. As a true prototypical 72' coach you'd think one of the manufacturer's would make this coach and then paint it for every other railroad made in existence. Atlas came close with their 60' Trainman series cars, but they are just a bit short to look accurate.
You would also see second hand Reading coaches in service of which some were converted for early push-pull operation as cab cars.
Being the 3RS section, CNJ's F3s did not pull passenger although the EMD builder's graphic shows the tangerine dream scheme pulling a long line of matching streamlined cars. Passenger power for the CNJ in the diesel era was pretty straight forward. GP-7Ps (not done in mass production), Baldwin double cab Babyfaces (not done in mass production), RS3's which are available, H24-66 and H16-44 Fairbanks Morse units (H24-66 Trainmasters have been done), and GP40P's starting in 1969 (never done).
The closest I have found to date are the Walthers wood and tin side kits when you can find them in 75' lengths. They aren't as common as they once were.
I've been lobbying 3rd Rail for a correct Blue Comet down to the correct 80' diner, cars and Pacific but with the costs of new tooling that is going to be less and less likely. The standard CNJ coach had a long life and many still serve in tourist operations today. Under CNJ there were at least 5 major paint schemes. I'd be interested in the "Central Railroad of New Jersey" Pullman Green cars as delivered and the following "Jersey Central Lines" lettered cars. The other schemes being "Blue Comet", the later CNJ logos at each end with no lettering and the final B&O inspired blue and yellow scheme with the CNJ logo on one end and the NJDOT logo on the other. One of the three observations for the Blue Comet was NJ Transit's inspection car for a while and was painted in the disco stripe scheme. As a separate offering that would be fun car to have for my layout as well.
Atlas did originally offer the CNJ coaches in the original "Central Railroad of New Jersey" lettered scheme. I didn't order them at the time due to them being 3" short per car, but they are about the closest you will find. Golden Gate Depot is doing SP style Harriman Cars in CNJ and the major issue vs. the prototype is the high curvature of the roof otherwise they wouldn't be a terrible stand in for the former Reading cars that ran on CNJ. I'll be doing the graphics for those in the next few months and likely do the "Jersey Central Lines" lettering we are all so familiar with.
That gets me thinking. With a clerestory style roof, those cars may not be so bad. Time to do some research.
I seem to remember MTH doing CNJ pass. cars in blue and orange Railking I think
OK found them MTH catalog 2002 vol 2, coach in picture 30-67027
4 car set is 30-67025 assume you have blue and orange F 3`s
