• When Was the last Steam on the Central RR of NJ

  • Discussion of the CNJ (aka the Jersey Central) and predecessors Elizabethtown and Somerville, and Somerville and Easton, for the period 1831 to its inclusion in ConRail in 1976. The historical society site is here: http://www.jcrhs.org/
Discussion of the CNJ (aka the Jersey Central) and predecessors Elizabethtown and Somerville, and Somerville and Easton, for the period 1831 to its inclusion in ConRail in 1976. The historical society site is here: http://www.jcrhs.org/

Moderator: CAR_FLOATER

  by NYS&W142Fan
 
I was wondering if anyone out there could tell me when was the last use of Steam on the CNJ through Long Valley? As a kid in School in Long Valley I thought I saw a steamer around late November or early December 1956. Does anyone know?
  by Steam man
 
Last steam powered freights were in 1953,last regular scheduled passenger trains in 1954,last steam excursion trip using 4-6-0 T-38 #774 was in 1955 from Jersey City over the Wharton & Northern and High Bridge branch.
  by NYS&W142Fan
 
To those who replied, thank you for the information. What I saw was in the distance and could have been a "smoky" Baby-Faced Baldwin!
  by JimBoylan
 
If your sighting was about 5 years newer, it could have been the start of the original Black River & Western RR steam operations on the Chester branch of the High Bridge branch of the CNJ.
  by GSC
 
The original Black River operation began in 1965, to help date things here.
  by Ken W2KB
 
GSC wrote:The original Black River operation began in 1965, to help date things here.
Correct, though I understand that the locomotive was stored for a few years before 1965 on the Chester Branch off of the High Bridge Branch.