"New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Museum" in Pompton?

[Steamtown Observer]

http://www.northjersey.com/news/transportation/70435417.html

Town property targeted as site for train museum
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
BY STEVE JANOSKI -Suburban Trends -STAFF WRITER
At their Nov. 10 meeting, members of the Township Council heard an appeal from Brian Sweeney of the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Museum seeking support for his plans to create a sort of "living history" railroad museum along the township's old rail line that parallels Route 23. Sweeney told the council that groups have had proposals for a state museum of transportation and industry in the legislature over the past 25 years and that it was an example of "a dream that was never accomplished for one reason or another." He said that although there is a "very large collection" of vintage pieces of transportation machinery and locomotives in the hands of private collectors, they have not yet found a home for a museum site.

I guess this means the corn field outside of Phillipsburg is out? It sounds like if there is a vacant lot next to railroad tracks one of NJ Friends people will swoop in and tell you this is the new home for the NJ Transportation Museum - I think there have been more potential museum sites than there are places where George Washington slept.

[YOU MUST PROVIDE A BRIEF QUOTE OF THE ARTICLE YOU ARE LINKING TO - omv]

[R36 Combine Coach]

I'm not even sure if there is sufficient room in Pompton, which is located along the NYSW Pompton Branch (former Erie Greenwood Lake Line). NYSW does have a small freight yard in Riverdale, though. The Pompton Plains station (Erie) is restored, although track is gone. Pompton Branch between Pompton Plains and Riverdale was abandoned in 1988.

The fitting home for the NJ State Transportation Museum, would of course be the CRRNJ Terminal in Jersey City. However there is no rail connection currently.

[wok3002]

Why can't they just see that the most logical place is somewhere in Central or Southern Jersey with easy access to highways (aka tourists) along a stretch of "friendly" state owned trackage. At this point pretty much all of the URHS collection that is operable is in Tuckahoe anyhow. Plus they already have a branch to run trips on. Why not just choose the Cape May branch as the official home of the NJ RR Heritage Museum? Heck if planned properly you could locate it close to some of CM County's other historic attractions like Cold Spring Village and the air museum. You could even use the historic bus collection as shuttles between attractions. Oh right, I forgot, it wouldn't somehow help out corrupt North Jersey politicians which is why we are in the mess we are. The collection is scattered and inaccessible and a good portion of it likely headed to scrap in the next few years if something isn't done. What, pray tell, is wrong with any place in the state with a decent tourist draw that is south of the Raritan River?

Frustratedly Yours,
Kevin O

[Mr. Ed]

Kevin.

I see many posts like yours that say the collection is scattered. Exactly where is it scattered? Or are you referring to the miriad of individual museums that have rolling stock stashed in different corners of the state? And what exactly is going to be scrapped? Thanks.

Later!
Mr. Ed

[blockline4180]

Kevin.

I see many posts like yours that say the collection is scattered. Exactly where is it scattered? Or are you referring to the miriad of individual museums that have rolling stock stashed in different corners of the state? And what exactly is going to be scrapped? Thanks.

Later!
Mr. Ed

Well, i can tell you that at least 1/4 of the stuff in Boonton is on the scrapping block. I can't speak for the other stuff, but I know there are several PRR P70 coaches at the old plant in Holland off the Bel Del that are beyond saving.

[NJT4272]

Oh geez! Do NOT get ME started on this one!

I'll offer my unique perspective on this topic later today.

In a nut shell: Yeah right! I'm looking for those flying pigs as we speak.

[Ken W2KB]

This article is about a presentation by an individual who was and is not authorized by the URHS or Friends (and to my knowledge any other organization) to engage in any negotiations or other activities. This individual representing only himself adopted a name for his "organization" that is deceptively similar to that of the Friends and URHS. This individual has caused confusion on this Forum as well as at the involved municipalities and other political contacts. Such confusion and single person initiative is not in the best interests of a transportation museum in the state.

Accordingly, please do not continue to discuss this as if it were a Friends or URHS activity. Thank you!

[Otto Vondrak]

The topic of conversation is this article discussing Pompton as a possible location for a railroad museum.

If you want to open up the discussion about where the New Jersey State Transportation Museum should be, please start a new thread (though I'm pretty sure we've covered that ground before)...

-otto-