What's the story?

Any guesses or facts?

Googling "Zollinger Harned" brings up a short wikipedia article that it was a deparment store in Allentown, PA, with a picture that looks like the same building, still standing as of last year.
JS
Also, I recognize symbols of CNJ, PRR, LNE, LHR, LV, and Reading, all of which reached Allentown or not far away. One on the top row and one on the bottom don't look like RR symbols, but there are 2 in the middle of the bottom row I can't make out. They look familar but I can't place them. Any ideas? Could one be the Ironton RR or the Northhampton & Bath RR (both very short lines just upriver from Allentown)?
EDIT: I guess a date of mid-late 1950's based on the cars (no rear fins yet), but who can give the model and year of the cars on the right and left ?

THAT, is amazing.....hahaha I love it!

The car on the right almost looks like a Kaiser, I have one and the front grill is different, but the way the headlights are, and the hood ornament makes me wonder if its not like a 53 or 54 Special.....

The numberboard on the "loco" says 1956, so maybe it was some kind of 100 anniversary tribute to the railroad, or a predecessor or something like that?

Jtgshu wrote:THAT, is amazing.....hahaha I love it!

Yea, someone spent a lot of $$, JS

That is danged impressive. Look at all the detail. The whole photograph is wonderful.... I'd love to know what was the occasion. I'm glad they went with the CNJ paint scheme....

The first Heritage unit, ever

I asked over in the CNJ forum in the yahoo groups, where a lot of the hard core CNJ experts are, and got the following response:

A similar photo appears on page 11 of Jersey Central Lines in color vol. 2 published by Morning Sun. The caption notes it was built by CNJ shop personnel and was used in parades and celebrations....And I have a similar one of a B&O diesel with a trailer B&O passenger car in a parade.
Joel Rosenbaum

The yellow car to the left looks a little like the tail end of a '51 Mercury. The tan car to the right is a '56 Plymouth. The one in the middle is a Kaiser, with those "Henry J" taillights. Great pic.

If you look closely between the headlight and the "engineer's" side flag, there appears to be the top of a wedding gown. There's also streamers adorning the vehicle. Could this have been used as part of a wedding procession, possibly for a railroad employee or maybe just a promo for the store's line of wedding apparel? The gentleman in the cab also appears to be focusing his attention toward the sidewalk. I know we're wandering off topic, still had to have been a very cool thing to see rolling down the highway. Too bad it wasn't preserved but I guess the CNJ had bigger concerns in the years to come.

Can anyone identify the three logos on bottom row between LV and Reading?

The logo just to the right of the LV is the Northampton & Bath. I'm not sure about the others, though.

Charlie

Take 2 - the yellow car on the left is definitely a Merc, but on second thought, I think a '54.