NJT Heritage 40th Anniversary Program

Very cool. Hopefully the burned out headlight at the end of the first video got reported.

NJT ran their 40th Anniversary Special Saturday from NYP to Bay Head and back to Hoboken Terminal, with the engine change from electric to diesel at South Amboy re-enacted. The diesels were F40PH-2(CAT) 4119 and 4020, which were delivered in 1981. They ran light to South Amboy, photographed at Linden.
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177555
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177557

The special stopped just east of the Linden platform waiting for a signal. I walked to the end of the platform for a photo.
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177558

I started walking to a better spot for when the train resumed moving, but it started before I got there, making the location for photographing the four PV less than stellar.
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177559
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177561

PRR 120
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177562

Juniata Terminal Company WARRIOR RIDGE
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177563

NYC 43
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177565

HICKORY CREEK
http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/ ... id=6177582

"NJ Transit’s birthday party crashed by engineers upset by stalled negotiations" "Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen protest the lack of progress on a new contract in Bay Head as an excursion train celebrating NJ Transit's 40th anniversary arrived on Saturday afternoon." Behind a paywall except for the photo and first paragraph: https://www.nj.com/news/2023/09/nj-tran ... tions.html

I rode the train yesterday and had a great time. There were a few delays, but all in all, the trip went well. Getting to & from the event took up my entire Saturday, and if I had to do it all over again, I would. It was my very first excursion & first time on the North Jersey Coast Line. Plus it was my first time at Hoboken. Hats off to NJ Transit & URHS NJ.

I have more YouTube content coming as I get the time to publish it. Anyways, here's a video I captured of the engine swap at South Amboy. I did my best to capture each key moment, I labeled each section / chapter in the video to for easier viewing:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2AW5MG5SAI

The last time an engine change was done at South Amboy was in 1988, my parents didn't meet yet .
During the trip yesterday, the locomotives weren't "ran around" the train. The electrics backed the train past the Church Connecting track. Then they were cut off and moved to a storage / pocket track west of South Amboy. Then later deadheaded to Hudson Yard and possibly MMC, that's what the engineer told me when I asked him at South Amboy. The conductors set the switches and the F40s were brought onto Track 2. Then coupled to the consist.

One interesting thing about this trip was the "wrong railing" on the westbound trip from GRAW to I believe BRANCHPORT interlocking. I presume it was done to make it easier for the engine change on Track 2. Heading east we used Track 1 from BANK interlocking to I believe RARE interlocking. We actually held up the railroad crossing at Red Bank as we waited for a NJCL revenue train to pass. I'm not sure why we "wrong railed" on the return trip.

It was my first time on the NJCL and I learned the interlockings from a book they gave to the passengers. So if I misspoke, feel free to correct me.

@ChuChuBob
First things first, great photos & I've been a fan of your work for a very very long time.
Regarding the stop near Linden, we (the passengers) were told it was due to the defect detectors stating there was dragging equipment. Once the maintenance team rectified the issue, we were on the move.

Fan Railer on YouTube said it was triggered by a low hanging air hose.

Thanks for the clarification, NortheastTraonMan.

Ken W2KB wrote: ↑Sun Oct 01, 2023 9:19 am "NJ Transit’s birthday party crashed by engineers upset by stalled negotiations" "Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen protest the lack of progress on a new contract in Bay Head as an excursion train celebrating NJ Transit's 40th anniversary arrived on Saturday afternoon." Behind a paywall except for the photo and first paragraph: https://www.nj.com/news/2023/09/nj-tran ... tions.html

Glad to see my brothers and sisters standing up for what's right. Fair pay and working rights should not be challenged by any carrier. Kudos to them for making their protest very much up front and in their faces. There's no reason the carrier should be running buff trips when their workforce is in such a state of disarray. This trip could waited til after a resolution.

I went to Hoboken on Oct 1, 2023 for the Heritage Unit exhibit, and it was nice seeing a majority of the Heritage locomotives and passenger cars up close, all in one place.
I captured it on video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0PEESDSADQ

Here's what was on display:
1. ALP-46A No. 4636 (PRR Heritage)
2. ALP-46A No. 4640 "Disco Stripes" (40th Anniversary Heritage)
3. PRR / Juniata Terminal E8A No. 5711
4. PRR No. 1157 "Warrior Ridge"
5. PRR No. 120 Observation Car
6. NJ Transit F40PH-2CATs No. 4119 & 4120
7. GP40PH-2 No. 4109 (CNJ Heritage)
8. GP40PH-2 No. 4101 (NJDOT Heritage)
9. Erie Lackawanna / NJDOT U34CH No. 3372
10. New York Central "Hickory Creek"
11. New York Central No. 43

I think there was supposed to be another heritage unit unveiled at the exhibit, but it didn't make it. All in all, it was a great day. Nice weather. My only issue is that I got stung by a bee at Hoboken. But I continued my railfanning & lived to tell the tale.

NS 1700 was supposed to be there but wouldn’t fit through the tunnels into Hoboken due to the placement of PTC equipment and where the horn is mounted. It was pretty nice though. Took the train up there from Bay Head which went well minus a mishap transferring at Secaucus. They don’t have an option to transfer to Hoboken via Secaucus on the ticket machine at Bay Head soooooo dealing with that was a bit of a headache. Fun day out at least. Got to see some of my out of state friends I don’t usually see.

Can't speak to the TVMs, but the app definitely lets you pick whether you're going through SEC or direct, with the requisite $4.25 upcharge for the former.

lensovet wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2023 11:01 pm Can't speak to the TVMs, but the app definitely lets you pick whether you're going through SEC or direct, with the requisite $4.25 upcharge for the former.

TVMs do have via Waterfront or SEC, but the special "direct" low rate is only valid on Waterfront through trains.

Also, during the 40th Anniversary Excursion, NJ Transit & URHS NJ provided passengers with a few souvenirs. A route guide, golden ticket & pamphlet. There was also a t-shirt available for purchase.

I took a video of my souvenirs, spending a good deal of time on the Route Guide.
You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiu2V2r66Hc

The Route Guide was written by Rich Wisneski & Bennett Levin. It's about 14 pages on NJ Transit's history and the route of the excursion. As someone who was riding on the North Jersey Coast Line for the first time, I found it very informative & helpful. I watched numerous videos over the years and viewed photos of it, but I didn't know some of the finer details of the route before reading the guide. Hopefully others can learn more about it from me sharing it.

Once again, hats off to New Jersey Transit & United Railroad Historical Society of NJ. It felt great to experience history and know what I was experiencing as it was happening.

The video includes jazz music because I didn't want there to be total silence. If you're not a fan, always remember the mute button is an option.

Otherwise, take care & be good

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/co ... ocomotive/

Ooh, pretty:

For Atlas (Who Didn’t Shrug), a 1:1 Scale NJT Locomotive

I jumped at the chance today (Dec. 1) to attend the unveiling of a New Jersey Transit ALP-45DP dual-power locomotive in a unique livery: Atlas Model Railroad Co. of Hillside, N.J. NJT, celebrating the 40th anniversary of regional/commuter rail operations this year, partnered with Atlas to celebrate that company’s 100th anniversary, coming up real soon, in 2024. The talented folks at NJT’s Meadows Maintenance Complex, through a generous sponsorship from Atlas, wrapped ALP-45DP 4503 in Atlas centennial graphics. The result is rather stunning.

This effort is the opposite of what model railroad companies and modelers have traditionally done for generations, which is to create a scale replica of the “real thing.” Here, NJT and Atlas worked together to design a centennial scheme and apply it to a “1:1 scale” prototype. Sometime in 2024, Atlas will have 1/87th (HO) and 1/160th (N) model replicas of 4503 with matching MultiLevel passenger coaches. They are now available for preorder.
...