Passenger Trains > An Eerie Kind of Engine on the NJT's Montclair-Boonton Line Today

Today, I found out from a reliable source that the Erie Lackawanna Painted ALP45DP # 4519 Unit would be covering the transit shuttle trains that run on the Montclair-Boonton Line between Hoboken and Bay Street and back. I decided today to photograph this same trainset at various locations between Bay Street Station in Montclair, NJ and Watsessing Avenue Station in Bloomfield. The cloudy weather made it easior to choose the spots to get pictures given the fact that much of this stretch of the Montclair Boonton Line is too grown in with trees. This would have created too many shadows if the weather was sunny today. The first two shots are at Bay Street Station this morning of NJT Train # 519 arriving into and pausing at Bay Street Station with the 4519 on it. The third shot is of the 4519 shoving NJT Train # 518 on former Lackawanna rails in Glen Ridge, NJ underneath Freeman Parkway Bridge just west of Glen Ridge Station.

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The 4519 leads NJT Train # 523 through Glen Ridge just after having departed Glen Ridge Station. He is almost finished with negotiating the crossover of Glen Interlocking. Within a few seconds, it will end its run at Bay Street Station. Comet V Cab Car # 6055 trails as shown in the second picture on this page. A short while later, it's now Comet V # 6055's turn to lead Train # 522 back to Hoboken and the train is only seconds away from arriving at Glen Ridge Station.

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In the first shot, the 4519 pushes NJT Train # 522 toward Glen Ridge Station, located in the background of the shot on the left. The bridge above the 4519 is Freeman Parkway in Glen Ridge.

Second shot shows NJT Train # 526 departing Watsessing Ave Station in Bloomfield

Third shot shows very proud 4519 pushing away toward its next stop at NWK Broad St Station.

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Picture 1 shows the 4519 leading NJT Train # 531 into Bloomfield Station. The EL colors certainly still blend in well with the Lackawanna style catenary wires and the old Bloomfield Station building on the left.

Picture 2 shows the 4519 resting at Bay Street Station in Montclair just before heading back to Hoboken.

Picture 3 shows NJT Comet V Cab Car # 6055 about to depart Bay Street Station heading back to Hoboken Terminal.

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This is a going away shot of the 4519 pushing its train out of Bay Street Station heading to Hoboken. The overpass in the background is Bloomfield Avenue.

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Good series, thank you.

The "canyon" shots remind us of the problems when leaves come down off the trees. On the up slope, with a station stop, wet leaves can be a problem.

Posted from Android

Probably the best looking loco in the Heritage series, but why can't they cover the black sections? Won't paint and or sticky-paper adhere?  

Thinking the same thing.  What is up with that black colored panel on the front sides?

I really like photo #3.  Even with the graffitti.  Thanks for all these interesting pictures.

The EL is my railroad, but there is a lot to be said for making a design fith the surface that its being painted on.  In this case, they took a paint scheme designed for a a compound curved EMD nose, and put iot on a flat sutface.  It really looks awkard.    On an engine with flat surfaces, they should have gone with something more like the EL freight scheme. Would have been a lot better if they painted a GP-40 like an EL GP-35, or came up with something better that fit the lines of the locomotive..... IMHO.

RRBaron Wrote:
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> Probably the best looking loco in the Heritage
> series, but why can't they cover the black
> sections? Won't paint and or sticky-paper
> adhere?  

My understanding is that it was a cost issue.  This design was done with a wrap (decal) and that the black section would have been out of proportion expensive to do.

I thought that catenary (and service)  went beyond Bay St. to MSU and maybe even beyond.  Any help there?

PRR1361 Wrote:
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> I thought that catenary (and service)  went
> beyond Bay St. to MSU and maybe even beyond.  Any
> help there?

Yes. It ends near the former Great Notch station.

Posted from Android

Thanks guys! The catenary, indeed, ends just west of the former Great Notch Station. The 4519 heritage unit looks great in its colors. On the electrified stretch of the Montclair-Boonton Line, when the leaves fall on the right of way, that has caused the trains to stop in areas of the platform where they don't usually during other seasons. Glen Ridge Station is on a grade so I think during wet leaf season, westbound trains will often be spotted in a way that either the engine or the leading cab car is on the platform. Between Glen Ridge and Bay Street Stations there are downward grades.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/20 15:43 by Passfanatic.

boejoe Wrote:
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> I really like photo #3.  Even with the
> graffitti.  Thanks for all these interesting
> pictures.

Second! Great series all around.

Posted from iPhone