Comet IBs

How many of these are still in service and when is their planned retiring date? So far, I've only seen these in solid 6-car sets (I saw two trains in the same day) and used on the RVL. Any reason for this?

And what is the brief history of these 'ComArrows'?

To add, does anyone have a pic of the Comet IIBs? And how were these different from the unrefurbished Comet IIs?

We usually get two three car outfits of Camaros every night in Port Morris. And with the CometV saga seemingly neverending, they should be around for a while to come.

Where is Port Morris?

It's the yard West of Lake Hopatcong on the Morristown Line.

F40 wrote:And what is the brief history of these 'ComArrows'?

There is a nice history of the Comet IB on Michael Steinberg's hoboken terminal.com site here:

http://www.hobokenterminal.com/comet1b.html

F40 wrote:To add, does anyone have a pic of the Comet 2B's? And how were these different from the unrefurbished Comet 2's?

Ask and you shall receive. Here is a photo I got at Rahway almost a year ago now (It was taken on 10/15/03.) The Comet IIB behind the engine (5810) was one of the last Comet IIBs around. By the time I started photographing, all the Comet IIs were off to be rebuilt or were rebuilt and all that was left was a handful of Comet IIBs. About three weeks after this photo was taken, they were all gone.

The Comet IIBs and IIBs were virtually identical on the outside. One difference on the exterior between the IIBs and the IIs was the disco stripe. The colors where slightly different on the IIs while the IIBs had the more common color scheme as you can see here. On the interior, the IIBs looked virtually identical to the Comet Is. I can't think of any major differences between the two. The original Comet IIs had the orange flippable seats (the same kind of seats found on the Metro North Comet IIAs.) Plus, I'm not sure, but I heard some of the Comet IIs had carpet. Can anyone confirm?

Also, take notice how the Comet IIBs on the outside look just like the high Comet Is EXCEPT that they don't have the door dressing next to the doors.

http://home.comcast.net/~njosullivan9/101503B.jpg

nick11a wrote:The Comet IIBs and IIBs were virtually identical on the outside. One difference on the exterior between the IIBs and the IIs was the disco stripe

Another difference was in the steps underneath the trapdoor. Comet II has four steps of short height while Comet IIB has three, of height similar to the Arrows. I always found the Comet II steps the easiest to climb.

Metro-North's Shoreliner I is based on the Comet IIB IIRC. They also have the same kind of non-reversible seats, although differently colored to NJT ones.

As for the Comet IB/Arrow I history, there are a lot of gaps that I need filling in :-\ I know that their current configuration as the ComArrow dates back to 1987. I recall someone saying (Bob Scheurle?) that NJDOT was going to rebuild them as EMUs for use on Erie-Lackawanna lines back in the very early 1970s...? Anyway, here's a gratuitous image of them at Elizabeth NJ in their original configuration (as "Jersey Arrows")...pic shows the CNJ main line still in use, with RDC and B&O freight loco.

^That's an incredible picture! Wow. And yes, Metro North's Comet IISs are similar to the IIBs except for the color of the seats (the mixed red and blue seats.) And the Metro North IIBs are like the NJT IIBs.

As of 9-26-2004 there's one Comarrow set in Raritan:
4139-5222-5230-5227-5232-5233-5167

That's a neat shot at Broad St. but looking at the nose of that B&O unit, might it be one of the SD-40s that they sold to the CNJ?? I can't quite make out the number but the "Capitol Dome" looks to have been painted out in that photo.

And being as I'm straying OT here, I finally had a close look at the horn on the 4112. It's a Nathan Air-Chime like all the others on the Geeps but the only real difference is the length of the bells which must account for the different tone. A nicer sound, IMHO.

thebigc wrote:And being as I'm straying OT here, I finally had a close look at the horn on the 4112. It's a Nathan Air-Chime like all the others on the Geeps but the only real difference is the length of the bells which must account for the different tone. A nicer sound, IMHO.

Interesting. Thanks!

thebigc wrote:That's a neat shot at Broad St. but looking at the nose of that B&O unit, might it be one of the SD-40s that they sold to the CNJ?? I can't quite make out the number but the "Capitol Dome" looks to have been painted out in that photo.

And being as I'm straying OT here, I finally had a close look at the horn on the 4112. It's a Nathan Air-Chime like all the others on the Geeps but the only real difference is the length of the bells which must account for the different tone. A nicer sound, IMHO.

BigC,

Hate to go off topic, but didn't the horns on the 4112 come off a NS ex Southern high nose geep??

If there is only 1 Comet IB set in Raritan then there must be several other 3 car sets on Hoboken division trains...

Steve

When were the Comarrows taken out of electric MU service? I think I remember reading on Mr. Steinburgs Hoboken terminal site that it was in teh late 70's? How long did they sit in storage before NJT decided to rebuild them into trailers?

They are some of the smoothest riding cars NJT has though (IMO at least)

Irish Chieftain wrote:

nick11a wrote:The Comet IIBs and IIBs were virtually identical on the outside. One difference on the exterior between the IIBs and the IIs was the disco stripe

Another difference was in the steps underneath the trapdoor. Comet II has four steps of short height while Comet IIB has three of height similar to the Arrows. I always found the Comet II steps the easiest to climb.

Metro-North's Shoreliner I is based on the Comet IIB IIRC. They also have the same kind of non-reversible seats, although differently colored to NJT ones.

As for the Comet IB/Arrow I history, there are a lot of gaps that I need filling in :-\ I know that their current configuration as the ComArrow dates back to 1987. I recall someone saying (Bob Scheurle?) that NJDOT was going to rebuild them as EMUs for use on Erie-Lackawanna lines back in the very early 1970s...? Anyway, here's a gratuitous image of them at Elizabeth NJ in their original configuration (as "Jersey Arrows")...pic shows the CNJ main line still in use, with RDC and B&O freight loco.

Nice picture Chief!! That's a keeper. Maybe soon we'll be seeing an updated picture of an AIII (NEC) passing over a new LR (CNJ).

As for the 1Bs, if I ride one again it'll be too soon.

Where are the main line tracks, who were they used by, and when did service terminate?