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  • Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

  • 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/
It is currently Thu Apr 18, 2024 5:51 pm

Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

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

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Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #679488  by CJPat
 
Based on the descriptions, I gather the PSCT Terminal building was located on the property that the NJPAC building now sits.

I have read thru the book "The Public Service Trolley Lines in New Jersey" by Edward Hamm (on-sale at Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Public-Service-Tr ... 0933449291). A fantastic book with excellent track sketches and many, many pictures of back in the day. The infrastructure that used to exist was so extensive with the hundreds of miles of track and thousands of miles of wire, not to mention all the required power stations & substations, Car Barns and other structures like the PSCT Terminal Buidling, the Hoboken Elevated trestle to the DL&W Ferry Terminal, or the Weehawkin Trolley Elevator. Comparing it to today, you can't help but feel impressed at the level of their technology and that maybe, our level of "civilization" has actually gone backwards a bit.

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in traction.

Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #679576  by Jtgshu
 
Comparing it to today, you can't help but feel impressed at the level of their technology and that maybe, our level of "civilization" has actually gone backwards a bit.
Amen! ain't that the truth....and to think they did it, and it worked, WITHOUT computers!!!! Wow!!!

Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #679694  by Ken W2KB
 
CJPat wrote:Based on the descriptions, I gather the PSCT Terminal building was located on the property that the NJPAC building now sits..
No, that is approximately where the H&M station was until moving to the new (present) Penn Station.

The PSCNJ Terminal Building was located immediately to the west of the present corporate headquarters of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated, successor company to PSCNJ. The park, with the large sunburst, is where it was. The tracks are buried under 30 feet or so of soil.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4&t=h&z=19

Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #760311  by TREnecNYP
 
The CNJ station was cut off forever by prudential center & new buildings. I'd love to see inside.

As far as the streetcar etc, i believe that is the city subway.

- A

Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #781239  by kilroy
 
I'd love to see inside.
Nothing inside to see. At this point the station facade is all that exists. The guts of the station were torn down in the 80's during an attempt to build a mall on Broad St. All that happened was the station being torn down and a few steel beams and a brick wall with "Renaissance Mall" on it. The station was abandoned when the Aldene Plan went into effect with the CNJ going into Newark Penn Station (1967 I think).

There was talk of incorporating the facade as an entrance into the "Rock" but I don't think it has actually been done but may be wrong. I always go to the arena from the direction of Penn Station.


The old PS building is now the fountain and public park area next to the current PSE&G headquarters building as Ken mentioned.

Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #781315  by Ken W2KB
 
kilroy wrote:
I'd love to see inside.
Nothing inside to see. At this point the station facade is all that exists. The guts of the station were torn down in the 80's during an attempt to build a mall on Broad St. All that happened was the station being torn down and a few steel beams and a brick wall with "Renaissance Mall" on it. The station was abandoned when the Aldene Plan went into effect with the CNJ going into Newark Penn Station (1967 I think).

There was talk of incorporating the facade as an entrance into the "Rock" but I don't think it has actually been done but may be wrong. I always go to the arena from the direction of Penn Station.


The old PS building is now the fountain and public park area next to the current PSE&G headquarters building as Ken mentioned.
I spoke to the demolition crew foreman when it was being razed for the Rock three or so years ago. I was able to walk part way into the property at lunchtime and saw that the aborted mall construction had retained the main hall (waiting and ticket window) area of the station, the major change being the installation of escalators. It looked to me that the main waiting room was to be the focal point of the center of the mall. That was torn down for the Rock project, the foreman said that he was only to save the "hallway" which is the corridor/walkway from the facade to the waiting room. The intent was to convert the facade and walkway to a rear entrance to the Rock. Hasn't been done yet.

Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #781316  by Ken W2KB
 
Ken W2KB wrote:
kilroy wrote:
I'd love to see inside.
Nothing inside to see. At this point the station facade is all that exists. The guts of the station were torn down in the 80's during an attempt to build a mall on Broad St. All that happened was the station being torn down and a few steel beams and a brick wall with "Renaissance Mall" on it. The station was abandoned when the Aldene Plan went into effect with the CNJ going into Newark Penn Station (1967 I think).

There was talk of incorporating the facade as an entrance into the "Rock" but I don't think it has actually been done but may be wrong. I always go to the arena from the direction of Penn Station.


The old PS building is now the fountain and public park area next to the current PSE&G headquarters building as Ken mentioned.
I spoke to the demolition crew foreman when it was being razed for the Rock three or so years ago. I was able to walk part way into the property at lunchtime and saw that the aborted mall construction had retained the main hall (waiting and ticket window) area of the station, the major change being the installation of escalators therein. It looked to me that the main waiting room was to be the focal point of the center of the mall. It was quite ornate, last time I saw it inside was the last Friday that trains ran in April, 1967. The waiting room was torn down for the Rock project, the foreman said that he was only to save the "hallway" which is the corridor/walkway from the facade to the waiting room. The intent was to convert the facade and walkway to a rear entrance to the Rock. Hasn't been done yet.

Re: Old CNJ Underground Station in Newark?

 #786309  by pumpers
 
Ken W2KB wrote:
The PSCNJ Terminal Building was located immediately to the west of the present corporate headquarters of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated, successor company to PSCNJ. The park, with the large sunburst, is where it was. The tracks are buried under 30 feet or so of soil.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4&t=h&z=19
When I bring up the link, at appearing at the bottom of the sunburst is an icon labeled "Newark Public Service Terminal". Is this perhaps a phantom from some database of 40 (?) or so years ago that made it somehow into the modern era undisturbed? JS
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