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