Nostalgia & History > America's Playground

Atlantic City, NJ has been a long time favorite Jersey Shore destination.  It's had its share of ups and downs over the years as many well know.  The city was served by both the Reading and the Pennsylvania through paper subsidiaries up until the Great Depression years.  An agreement by both roads in 1933 formed the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines.  The usual consolidation of trackage ensued over the years with the PRR main to AC being the prefered line.  The railroad constructed a new passenger station in AC opening in 1935.  As with most areas of the country, by the mid-1960's things were on the decline.  A new, much smaller railroad station was built just north of the 1935 building, which was converted into the city's bus depot with the new AC Expressway entrance and exit ramps built on either side.  With the coming of the casinos in the 80's, the station was torn down amid the construction boom of the time.  Conrail downgraded the few remaining trains and all service was discontinued around 1982.  With the potential for a huge volume of new customers headed to the casinos (AC was the only casino town in the east at the time), Amtrak, with obvious financial help from NJ and the federal goverment, rebuilt the entire line from the Delaware River bridge to AC.  A new 5 track terminal was built with the new convention center following shortly thereafter.  The old Convention Hall on the Boardwalk is still there, BTW.  Here are a few images from the station area over the years.

1.  The 1935 terminal building seen here 1979 as the city bus depot.  Pretty grand facade for sure.

2.  Baldwin was the PRSL's choice for diesel builders. Having the builder just over the river in Eddystone, PA may have contributed to their choice.  Here is an off-season train ready to head to Philadelphia on a November 1964 day.  From a duplicate slide by the Rail Image.

3.  Another duplicate slide image of a train along the platforms.  The area just north of the station was rather industrial with the big gas holder and the Atlantic City Electric power station located there.  This image was dated 1956.  The PRSL passenger cars were Pennsy hand-me-downs with the PRSL name spelled out on the letterboards.

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4.  A bit of a crappy image from an Instamatic camera I had back in the day.  February 1973.  The tower on the right became the railroads office.

5.  The PRSL operated a fleet of RDC cars for all of their trains in the later years.  The car on the left was for parts.  Repairs were made right here in the station.  February 1975.

6.  During the Conrail years, former CNJ RDC's were brought down here.  December 30, 1979.  

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7.  A few more of the former CNJ RDC's with a Conrail GP38 off to the side waiting out the weekend.

8.  A Budd car line-up.  Note the truck frame under-going repair.  

9.  This beat up old Pennsy P70 coach was down there for a while.  All from 1979.  The bad, old days.

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10.  A sign of the times announcing the new Amtrak service.

11.  The first public departure from the new station is about ready to go.  The consist came down from Philly the day before filled with local dignitaries, including Miss America, to much fanfare.

12.  The train is crossing the new movable bridge just outside the station.  The date was May 23, 1989.  BTW, as with most movable bridges, this one still gives NJT fits even today.

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13.  Amtrak trains to Washington and Harrisburg operated with diesels all the way.  Trains to NYC and Springfield, Mass. changed engines just over the Del-Air bridge in Philly.  The date is June 17, 1989. and this train isn't going anywhere soon. The aforementioned bridge is stuck open.

14.  On September 17, 1989, New Jersey Transit began their local service.

15.  Looking nice and shiny for the first day, 4144 awaits its departure time.  NJT locals have typically been 3 cars in length.

Although the Amtrak trains were well patronized, especially the Washington serivce, they pulled out of the market and only NJT remains today.

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As there is not much about Atlantic City on Trainorders, your images are very much appreciated, especially the photos of the original and modern Atlantic City train stations.  Thanks for sharing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/20 18:49 by RuleG.

In looking at the shots here, I thought that 2 of the NJT Units looked familiar. The NJT unit in shot 14, NJT 4141 and the next shot NJT 4144 are the ones I am referring to.  On October 4 2019 we found Ex NJT units 4141 & 4144 both stored along with a few other ex NJT Units way out west in Colorado. Alamosa to be exact, working for the SL&RG. Well not actually working. With the impending Banktruptcy of the Iowa Pacific, SLRG stored there ex NJT Units at the yard here in Alamosa. Shot 1 is the ex NJT 4141 (which is shot 14 in your set).  Shot 2 is the ex NJT 4144 (shot 15 in your's).

Both of these have found there way to the Rock & Rail in Portland Colo currently at the Holcim Cement Plant there. Looking abit worse for wear at least they still are around.  Paint is a little worn as compared to the shots you shared here, but after 30 years give or take, they still exist. There are 3 other ex NJT units here, 4138, 4142, & 4136. They are all waiting on a buyer  for further use or maybe for scrap. They have been here at Portland for about 7-8 months now. One can perhaps hope they don't go to the razor blade pile.  Thanks for sharing.   Ben

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Thanks for these interesting pictures.  In the '50s the Atlantic City Station Master took his vacation at Christmas time and worked with my fater selling model trains in Strawbridge & Clothier's department store in Philadelphia.  I worked there too as a stock boy in Infants' & Babies' Ware in '60.  Gerry

Very nice series of photos. Still need to make that trip to Atlantic City.....

Old CNJ and Reading Lines New York City based passenger train and engine crews worked between NYC and Atlantic City. Corrections welcome!
 

RodneyZona Wrote:
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> Old CNJ and Reading Lines New York City based
> passenger train and engine crews worked between
> NYC and Atlantic City. Corrections welcome!
>  
Neither the CNJ or Reading reached New York City by rail.  Their trains terminated in Jersey City.  

A question for you, Rodney (or anyone else) - how were B&O and Reading trains operating between Washington, Philadelphia, and  Jersey City crewed?  Did employees of all three roads split the work, or was there some other arrangement?

Thanks,

Dave

DavidP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RodneyZona Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Old CNJ and Reading Lines New York City based
> > passenger train and engine crews worked between
> > NYC and Atlantic City. Corrections welcome!
> >  
> Neither the CNJ or Reading reached New York City
> by rail.  Their trains terminated in Jersey City.
>  
>
> A question for you, Rodney (or anyone else) - how
> were B&O and Reading trains operating between
> Washington, Philadelphia, and  Jersey City
> crewed?  Did employees of all three roads split
> the work, or was there some other arrangement?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave

Each of the crews B&O, Reading Lines and CNJ work three months a year., B&O crews based out of Baltimore, CNJ out of Jersey City and Reading Lines based out of Philly. All worked between Washington, DC and Jersey City.