Here is the wonderfull response I got from NJT4272. It's more than I thought I would ever get.
The coach that you remember in Bay Head Yard, that sat on blocks, served as the yard office, and was eventually hauled away, was Blue Comet observation car TEMPEL. It was in the early 80's when the car was removed from the yard. It was given to either Tri-State Railway Historical Society or Jersey Central Railway Historical Society. For many years it was stored at the Morristown & Erie RR's Morristown, NJ yard. It was placed back on its trucks and that was pretty much all they ever did with the car.
Some time in the late 90's, Blue Comet TEMPEL was then either given to or entrusted to the City of South Plainfield, NJ. The town had the idea of building a small park along a stretch of Conrail's Lehigh Line that ran through town. They had a length of panel track installed and placed the car there. They did put a quick, cheap Blue Comet inspired paint job on it and after that, nothing else happened. The car was left unsecured and unfenced on the spot that South Plainfield never turned into the park they had planned. I personally sat in my truck, watching the car, on several Mischief Nights to make sure no kids set it on fire. On one occasion, I actually was able to alert police when I witnessed 4 kids break into the car late one night. The cops were able to apprehend the vandals.
Despite my efforts, the car was heavily vandalized while in South Plainfield. I couldn't watch it 24/7. All the windows were broken out of the car. Every inch of the interior was covered in graffiti. I think there might have even been a small trash fire set in the car once, luckily causing no major damage.
Fortunately, around 2004, the car was removed from South Plainfield and relocated to the Cape May Seashore Lines in south Jersey. It was originally stored on a fenced siding in Rio Grande, NJ. It sat there for several years before being moved to a more secure location on the CMSL in Tuckahoe, NJ, where it has sat for the past 3 years or so.
Some of the graffiti was cleaned up. The broken windows were replaced to keep the elements out. Its still wearing the Blue Comet inspired paint. The car is safe for now, but in the past few years, rust has really taken a toll on the car.
So if you'd like to reunite your step stool with its original car, its parked at the former Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines passenger station in Tuckahoe, NJ. I'd recommend emailing the Cape May Seashore Lines. Go to their website. All their contact information is listed there. Tony Macrie, who runs that operation, is a great guy and would give it a good home. If you do decide to contact him, tell him Jeff from the URHS sent you.
On a historical note, of the 3 observation cars in original Blue Comet service, all three still survive - TEMPEL in Tuckahoe, NJ. BIELA in Clinton, NJ, which is part of the Clinton Station Diner right along Route 78, and DeVICO in Boonton, NJ which I personally repainted back into its original Blue Comet colors and lettering in 2009 for the URHSofNJ's second open house. I think I did a decent job.
Hope this answered all your questions.
you think you wear the pants in the family....untill your wife tells you what pair to put on!!
