by NJT4272
In the interest, and out of respect, of the more recent significance of September 11th, I'll bring this up now instead:
Another sad event occurred on September 11th. Not in 2001, but in 1987. Train #5317 departed Newark Penn Station shortly after 5 p.m. and arrived at Bay Head Yard about two hours later, ending one of the greatest chapters in New Jersey railroad history. Train #5317 on that day was the last regularly scheduled NJT train powered by E8s. Two days later, the "Farewell to the E8" trip was held and the rest is history.
I don't know about anyone else, but next Tuesday I'll be making a special trip to Lebanon, New Jersey to give the old girls a "Happy Anniversary" pat on the nose, seeing as how former NJT 4323 (Erie 834) and 4248 (Erie 835) are the only two left anywhere in New Jersey that are publicly viewable (4326 is hidden in Morristown and 4253 is exiled at the PSE&G yard in Ridgefield Park). All the rest are long gone. 4267 is presumably scrapped at NRE in Silvis, Ill. 4272 was doomed to Naporano in the early 90's. All the rest are scattered across the country.
Would rather be commemorating this event at a proper museum, where my price of admission goes toward their preservation, but hey, who am I to think twenty years is enough time to accomplish something like that in New Jersey!
Ending on a happier note, here are some fond memories of my youth from my personal photo collection. I regret only that I was 12 and didn't take more pictures of those last days on the NJCL.
Another sad event occurred on September 11th. Not in 2001, but in 1987. Train #5317 departed Newark Penn Station shortly after 5 p.m. and arrived at Bay Head Yard about two hours later, ending one of the greatest chapters in New Jersey railroad history. Train #5317 on that day was the last regularly scheduled NJT train powered by E8s. Two days later, the "Farewell to the E8" trip was held and the rest is history.
I don't know about anyone else, but next Tuesday I'll be making a special trip to Lebanon, New Jersey to give the old girls a "Happy Anniversary" pat on the nose, seeing as how former NJT 4323 (Erie 834) and 4248 (Erie 835) are the only two left anywhere in New Jersey that are publicly viewable (4326 is hidden in Morristown and 4253 is exiled at the PSE&G yard in Ridgefield Park). All the rest are long gone. 4267 is presumably scrapped at NRE in Silvis, Ill. 4272 was doomed to Naporano in the early 90's. All the rest are scattered across the country.
Would rather be commemorating this event at a proper museum, where my price of admission goes toward their preservation, but hey, who am I to think twenty years is enough time to accomplish something like that in New Jersey!
Ending on a happier note, here are some fond memories of my youth from my personal photo collection. I regret only that I was 12 and didn't take more pictures of those last days on the NJCL.
Last edited by NJT4272 on Thu Sep 06, 2007 5:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"I'll keep pulling on the towpath. You keep floatin' on the river. Yeah, 'til the day is done. Keep on keepin' on the low road, Chesapeake and Ohio....."
- Neil Fallon. CLUTCH. "The Elephant Riders"
- Neil Fallon. CLUTCH. "The Elephant Riders"