The Former Casey Jones Restaurant in Long Branch

[Earle Baldwin]

When we passed through Long Branch on Saturday's NJCL Santa Train, I noticed the former Casey Jones Restaurant appears to be back in business under new management. Has anyone eaten there since it reopened? If so, how was it?


Thanks in advance,

Bob

[Jtgshu]

yea, I had a burger from there a few months ago, and while it was later on in the evening,and the place was empty, the burger took 15 minutes to cook, and it was horrid. The fries were rubbery (they were sitting and just reheated) and it was quite pricy, like 11 dollars for burger, fries and soda.

Needless to say, I haven't been back.

they did a nice job with it, they took out the bar and made more room for tables and its really nice inside.

I should give it another chance....but that first impression was pretty bad.

[CNJGeep]

I went there for Thanksgiving. The place was deserted, and the food was pretty good. For four people, it ended up being about $70, which isn't all that bad compared to some of the prices you see at places like Friday's Houlihan's, etc. The freight cars are still open, and the caboose has been feshly painted (on the inside, not the street side) into an E-L Grey/Maroon/Yellow livery. IIRC, that was the original heritage of the caboose anyway.

[Earle Baldwin]

Thanks for the responses. It's sounds like it's worth a shot. I'll give it a go and see what happens.

[southern sec. kid]

how were those cars put there?

[Earle Baldwin]

I wasn't there when they moved the equipment into place on the exact site of the restaurant; however, I do remember the EL caboose being dropped by a local freight in Long Branch. It sat on a siding adjacent to the station for some time.

[Jtgshu]

Just thought Id give an update/heads up to folks about the former Casey Jones Restaurant in Long Branch....

Its currently closed up and the entire building is for sale/lease. The diner that was there was a disaster (and food horrible), and its been closed again for probably over a year now.

With the entire property for sale, you have to wonder about the fate of the rolling stock that is there.....

The EL caboose is still in near perfect paint on the side inside the restaurant, but the outside was painted in a cheap red paint a few years ago. The boxcars are less noteworthy, and aren't in any original or special paint, but still in good condition.

If anyone wants a Caboose or Boxcar, now might be the time! hahaha

[NY&LB]

There is another resturant with the exact same configuration (2 box cars and an EL caboose) on rt 130 (NB) just south of I 195 in Hamilton TWP that has also been closed for some time.

[RailsEast]

The two locations were owned in the '80s by the Moses brothers, and were quite popular at the time. I was dating a waitress in the Long Branch location at the time ('80-82), and some very good times were had. I remember that one of the siblings had passed some years ago (Ed, perhaps?), but have no further info on the restaurants or the rolling stock involved. The White Russians & Chicken Kieve (or Chicken Heave as the staff humored) were top notch back in the day, along with the baby back ribs.

It is true that girls outweigh trains at some point in a young mans life, and it was 1980 that it officially occurred for me. I didn't even bother to ask about the hacks or boxcars at the time, I just wanted to get back to Shark River Hills to meet my honey after work.......

Aah, the good old days; miss you, Jo.......

[EDM5970]

I've eaten in the caboose on 130, when the place was called Savoy's, and it is of Reading heritage (or at least that design) and not EL. It has been gutted inside to make it just another room, all of the railings on one end are gone, and the end door has been widened. It would take lots of work to restore it as a caboose again.