The Blue Comet Wreck of 1939

Todays Philly.com has a feature of the Blue Comet wreck of 1939.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_j ... wreck.html


Ken

Definitely an excellent read on the accident, especially with all the rain we have gotten since Saturday night. Thanks for sharing the link to the article.

What was the configuration of the Blue Comet era interchange with the Reading (Atlantic City RR) or PRSL line (whichever was in use in 1939) at Winslow Jct? Any maps or track charts that show the interchange as it was in the 1920's 30's?

Looking at it from a north-south (map) perspective, the CNJ came south, under the northernmost PRSL east-west line. From there, the interchange turned toward the east and followed an S-curve back to the line it just went under, like a left hand jug handle. This was the Blue Comet routing. There was also a connection from this spur that went southeast to connect to the "lower" PRSL line.

Someone might have a map they can post.

GSC wrote:Looking at it from a north-south (map) perspective, the CNJ came south, under the northernmost PRSL east-west line. From there, the interchange turned toward the east and followed an S-curve back to the line it just went under, like a left hand jug handle. This was the Blue Comet routing. There was also a connection from this spur that went southeast to connect to the "lower" PRSL line.

Someone might have a map they can post.

See historic aerials. Can see the S curve even on the 2007 vintage photo.

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials. ... &year=2007

In 1939, the connection with P-RSL used the S curve described above. This required trains from Atlantic City to use a crossover to the other double track to reach the East end of the S curve. The West end of this curve connected with the same curve that had been used by Westbound pre P-RSL Blue Comets on the Atlantic City RR. Southbound Blue Comets to the Eastbound Atlantic City RR used a grade separated curve that ran under the ACRR and joined a wye. The other part of that wye is still used as a connecting track by the Southern RR of NJ.
The Reading's Atlantic City RR is the Southern bridge, The Pennsylvania's Camden & Atlantic is the Northern bridge over the Jersey Central.

Lots of necessary complications to get to B from A. Took lots of land.