Nostalgia & History > CNJ Raritan NJ 1970's

Raritan was/is the western limit for most commuter trains on the Jersey Central main. Back in 1974, Raritan was a regular stop in my weekend travels.
Pic #1. Riding a sunday train and about to reach the station. Boyd tower visible in the distance. Steam heat! 12/18/74
Pic #2. Boyd tower controlled the interlocking here. Building is still there.
Pic #3. GP40P 3678 brings in a train on the main. Boyd is behind the train. The station was to the right on pocket tracks, hence the separate signal on the right. 8/11/74

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The Timpany era colors on various GP7's. Quite a contrast to the dark B&O blues and yellows on the coaches. Each of these are in the last variation of the scheme.
1523 in fresh paint on May 18, 1975. She survives down in Tuckahoe, NJ in the earlier green scheme.

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Pic # 7. Former Reading RS-3 now numbered 1534 works the yard. The former Great Northern car is still in full GN colors. Known locally as Jersey Builders, the cars rode well on the rough tracks and were well liked by passengers and crew alike.

Pic # 8. 1532 still the green toothpaste scheme. This was one of the units that went into Newark Bay back in 1958.

Pic # 9. SD40 3061 on train LE-2 makes a setout on August 11, 1974. LE-2 usually had this kind of power combination and served as a local from Lake Jct. (on the EL) down the High Bridge branch and east on the main to E'Port.

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Thanks for the peek into the past.

Your picture 3 shows how much rail yard was between the lovely stone station at Raritan and the main line tracks. With the erosion of freight service, that yard is now three rows of parking spaces for the commuter traffic

Like your CNJ photos.
They certainly ran the wheels off of their equipment.
ALLEN

Many thanks for posting these photos of the Raritan area. I still cannot believe that I rode behind steam, ex-FEC 4-6-2 #148, from Raritan to Bay Head, NJ back in the mid-1970's. There sure have been a lot of changes over the years. I believe that Boyd tower used to control the movements in Somerville when the Flemington branch connected with the mainline in Somerville. I work in Somerville and have seen many changes over the years!

Great photos that brings back a lot of good memories for me when unfortunately I didn't have a camera handy. Thanks for sharing these!