Newark CNJ Terminal To Be Torn Down

MickD wrote:When was the shuttle to E-Port discontinued?

The same day that the Aldene Plan went into operation and all passenger service east of Bayonne East 33rd Street was abandoned. April 30, 1967.

But when dod the last passenger train operate out of the station?

I believe it was in 1971 when the PC went on strike and the CNJ operated one Coast line train and one Main Line train for commuters for the one or two day duration of the strike. I have pictures of the train in Long Branch...2 RS-3's and about a dozen CNJ coaches. Even it it's final days, the CNJ provided SERVICE to it's commuters!

I saw the "strike train" in Newark. It did not get as far as the station platforms as by then they were not safe, full of debris, etc.

The train discharged and picked up passengers just east of Mulberry Street in what is now the very large pay parking lot in what was the yard and approach to the terminal.

Is there any good photographic retrospective of this complex on the web or elsewhere? I'm kind of familiar with the area, but can't picture all that stuff there.

Lackawanna484 wrote:The CNJ right of way in Newark from the station's NEC bridge to Brills Jct is almost entirely gone. The 20 foot high right of way has been removed for most of the way, and houses built on the stretch. I think there are a few bridge abutments still up.

If you're flying out of Newark airport, taking off to the north, it's very obvious where the r-o-w was.

You can even see it clearly in the left-right band of buildings at

http://snipurl.com/btm1

that stand out from the rest in their newness and brightness.

What a colossal waste this was. Hindsight is 20/20, though. Who'd have thought we'd be talking about adequately serving the demands of getting people to and from development in downtown Newark (and on a line to and from Jersey City, of all places)?

Ken W2KB wrote:I saw the "strike train" in Newark. It did not get as far as the station platforms as by then they were not safe, full of debris, etc.

The train discharged and picked up passengers just east of Mulbury Street in what is now the very large pay parking lot in what was the yard and approach to the terminal.

I too remember the 1971 "strike-trains", but never got a picture of them.
As mentioned they ran to a point just east of Mulbury Street, and passengers were directed down the concrete steps to the street itself.
Another reason that these trains ran just this far was the Newark Branch trackage was still in freight service at this point to serve the large Central Graphic Arts/Central Paper Co. Building, and these trains were often backed up to a point just east of Mulbury Street. The trackage into the station itself (Tracks 2 & 3) had not seen a train since the Aldene Plan, and although still in place, the track was in no shape for this inpromptu
passenger service. I remember seeing that the rails were loose, bolts were loose etc., although the station platforms themselves were still in relativly decent shape. The last time I can recall seeing a freight along this line was 1978, I was waiting at Penn for my Bus to school, and
a short Conrail Freight was heading west over the "still in place" trestle bridge over the NEC.

For the longest time (at least through the early 80's), the station still had one tennant, the parking garage in the basement ""Jersey Central Parking"
was it's name.

My best memory of the station was watching the Budd cars come and go, and for whatever reason I liked the exhust smell from these RDC cars.

Ken

There is a bit of a tug of war going on over exactly what is going to happen to the CNJ terminal building in conjunction with the Arena. Historical preservationists want to preserve the entire building, while the Arena plan only preserves the facade. It seems silly that there is concern about keeping the building when, other than the facade, everything of historical value was stripped out 15 years ago.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/essex/ind ... 307830.xml

I'm sure that the Railroad Station alogn with the Fianace and Bluebird buildigns wille be save and restored. hopefully they can be blended to co exists with the Arena to help generate more revenue. Too bad the Newark subway/lightrail cannot come into the station and serve the arena that way. now that woudl make more sense. since there were orignally four tracks they coud easily have two trains leaving and two trains comming in esp during the buys Devils games alogn with concerts and conventions that would be held there. Fore Newark not to take advantage of this opportunity would be foolish and would once again make Mayor Sharpe James look like a fool.

He had better not drop the ball on this one. If so then he will aleinate even more people

Does anyone realize that the Graphic Arts building just north of the parking lot is the CNJ freight station. When built, it was one of the largest concrete buildings in the world. The entire second floor had enough tracks inside to hold 48 freight cars.
I believe that this building is the largest standing building left from the CNJ and no historic designation.

The facades of the buildings will be saved, but the rest of the buildings were already gutted for the Harry Grant-mall that was left half built.

As for rail connections, the Newark-Elizabeth subway extension is slated to run right next to the Arena on Mulberry and on Lafayette Sts. No need for a station in the Arena itself.

Just a point of clarification, the Graphic Arts building is still in use and is not slated for demolition or alteration.

And the Graphic Arts building still has the exterior siding intact along the south-side wall. Rest of the exterior trackage was pulled to become a parking lot.

Destruction of the unfinished superstructure around the ex-CNJ terminal has begun today, 3-4-05. I'll be keeping an eye on it to see what is going to happen to the terminal structure.

Update: The demolition crews have reached the interior wall of the former terminal. I can't be certain, but it appears that some of the platforms were still in place as the demolition crews have been smashing what look like platforms.

Anyone have any pics to share?

My turn to walk over to the CNJ Newark Terminal area demolition today. The platform area is gone. The walls and roof of the main terminal building were still there, and the interior brickwork and columns are in view. The concourse area had a couple of escalator remants that would were installed to service the upper floors of the aborted mall project. It appeared that the area where the ticket office windows were was still intact, though I don’t think any interior brasswork was left.

I spoke with a demolition foreman and asked what portion of the complex was to be left intact. He stated “only the front and the hallway.” For those unfamiliar, the CNJ building did not extend all the way to Broad Street except for the 25 foot or so wide entrance way to a hallway that extended about 75 or so feet back into the main concourse. I’m not sure if the concourse will be considered part of the "hallway" and retained; a shame if not so, as it has the decorative interior brickwork, columns, etc.