Hello All,
I too was able to attend the very sparse gathering of this year's CNJ Fest for 2005. Let me say that it was truely a shame that the NJ Parks Department did not advertize this event in any way. Most of the people that were at the historic CNJ Terminal in Jersey City that day didn't even know that there was a "Train Thing" going on. Most people were only there to purchase tickets for the Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty ferry ride.
At times, it seemed as if there were more vendors then attendee's. Only about one quarter of the train concourse was filled with exhibits or vendors. Members of the CNJ Veterans group were made to sit in the cold concourse area with a small exhibit. Inside the heated waiting room, those few attendee's were treated to a couple of live performances from local bands. The only train related item inside the waiting area was the homemade point to point children's push train that has been seen at each of the prior CNJ Fests.
Alas, my friends, I fear that the Parks Department and the State of New Jersey is no longer interested in our rich transportation history. They are hoping that the people that helped build this state into what it is today - fade away and are no longer important and become just a memory. They see this as progress.
Look what has happened over the past couple of years.
1.Trenton has turned it's back on support for a Transportation Museum.
2. The Parks Dept. refused a FREE GIFT and delivery of the ferryboat Elizabeth. They said they couldn't aford future staffing of the ferry. Now it's gone and sleeping with the fishies.
3.Now the CNJ Fest got the cold shoulder.
I fear that the CNJ Terminal will become an extension of the Liberty Science Center, permanently. With the current expansion of the LSC and the so called temporary movement of exhibits to the Terminal, it will be just a matter of time before someone gets the idea to do it permanently.
So Long CNJ Fest, it was nice knowing ya.....
Jon Wiz[/b]
