CNJ GP40Ps

pierrerabbit wrote:Trains magazine put out a special issue "Locomotive 2008" recently, had a nice article about the GP40P's, it may still be on the news stand.

Bought one a few weeks ago...........still out there........

Pinewald station;
Where did you buy the special issue?Was it local,i.e,Ocean County?Thanks in advance for your reply.
VJH

I lived in Raritan from 11/70 to 1/78 and was a frequent rider behind these locomotives, especially in 1973 and 1974 when I commuted from Raritan to Dunellon. Remember at that time the engines had steam boilers and the electrical equipment for the the 64 (?) volt passenger car lighting. On the RVL, CNJ GPs would be used as substitute cab cars. I remember one winter night when there was a GP pulling on the front and a GP-40P pushing on the back and a six or seven 1300 series coaches in the middle (try duplicating that in HO-gauge with DCC equipped locos consisted). Between Dunellon and Bound Brook, the GP-40P died sending the coaches into darkness and killing the steam heat. Fortunately no one got hurt getting off the train in the darkness. Some RVL trains of the time were not set to use cab cars and the locomotives ran around the trains at Raritan and Harrison (a P'burg). CNJ had yard steam at Raritan so trains leaving in the morning were usually warm even on the coldest mornings.

John

GSC wrote:I've seen an occasional 4100-something once in awhile.

Try hoboken terminal. Often i'll see 5 or 6 of them ready to serve.

- A

They are mostly on the Hoboken Division, and are best found on the Main, Bergen or Pascack Valley lines.

Next to Red Baron 3067 these were my favorite CNJ locomotives. My aunt lived about 20 yards from the main in Hampton. I used to see the two nightly westbound trains to P'burg almost always pulled by the P's. I always remember the CNJ lettering on the sides as these were the only units that had that. I also saw one close up from the High Bridge laundry near the station. I must say that looked HUGE to a nine year old. I still saw them in '78 when I worked after hours at Rudl Fencing in Glen Gardner. They still had the CNJ but I believe the numbers were Conrail white then.
I have a few stills form the RV line after Conrail rebuilt them in early '90's. I have maybe three on video between Netcong and Hoboken from '98- 2000. I haven't shot video of any NJT trains since 9-11.
I live near the old CNJ yard in Phillipsburg. Whenever I visit my friends at the PRRH site I always look over near the PU tower and remember how I saw the P's parked on a weekend layover way back in '76.
I wish somebody made them in O scale.I have some old style coaches that would be perfect to use with them.