By Railfan & Railroad Staff
New Jersey Transit is teaming up with the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey to operate a special excursion train on September 30, to mark the commuter railroad’s 40th anniversary. That event will be followed by a locomotive display at Hoboken Terminal on October 1.
The September 30 excursion will travel between New York, Bay Head, and Hoboken, over sections of all three of NJ TRANSIT’s major legacy commuter systems: the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. It will be hauled first by NJT’s Pennsylvania Railroad heritage locomotive, wrapped in a historic livery to represent the many GG1 locomotives that hauled commuters in New Jersey from the 1930s to the 1980s. Participants will then get to witness a recreation of the famous “South Amboy engine change,” a ritual that occurred at South Amboy station for decades until 1988. The second portion of the trip will be hauled by a pair of NJT’s surviving F40 diesels. Participants will also have a unique opportunity to travel around the Bay Head loop track and take a break for a catered lunch at the station.
The train will depart New York Penn Station in the morning and will conclude at Hoboken Terminal in late afternoon. Tickets will go on sale to the public on August 25 at 10 a.m. at URHS.org. Only special excursion tickets will be accepted on this train; standard NJT tickets and passes will not be valid. Included in the train consist, alongside several NJT coaches, will be four historic railroad cars: the URHS’s Hickory Creek and Tavern-Lounge 43, and Juniata Terminal Company’s Warrior Ridge and Pennsylvania 120. Tickets in these historic cars will include additional onboard services and are available at a premium fare. The 120 will be reserved for VIPs. Proceeds from the excursion will go to URHS.
The following day, all of NJT’s heritage locomotives will be on display at Hoboken Terminal. This event is open to the general public and is free of charge.
“This historic rail weekend invites passengers, families, and enthusiasts to join NJ Transit in a unique experience that transcends time,” said President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “From the reenactment of the ‘South Amboy engine change’ to the nostalgic display of our heritage locomotives, this event will bring history lovers together to celebrate 40 years of rail service that has connected people and places across New Jersey.”
“We are incredibly proud to be partnered with NJ Transit for this event,” said URHS Executive Director Kevin Phalon. “As historians, we want to tell important stories. This trip will help us reach a large audience in a whole new way and will help bring attention to the incredible 40-year story of NJ Transit’s commuter railroad.”