BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

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Here is an interesting article on the "Trainmaster".............

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_H-24-66

Note that the ESPEE a small fleet of "Traibnasters" were STILL haulin' in San Francisci commuter service into the 1970s, hauling elderly arch-roof coaches similar to some of the CNJ cars.

Sadly, only one of these powerful, noteworthy engines was saved......

["3031"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Power distribution" on the CNJ (pre-Aldene)...........

As the Friday PM rush was winding down, a commonplace sight was seeing a very short Main Line commuter train (perhaps only two cars) with TWO or THREE of those hulking "FMs" as power0!!)

The reason for so much motive power on such a short consist was that the engines were heading "out west" beyond commuter territory"to worklong freight drags, along with the veteran "Baby Face" Baldwins.

Come late Sunday, the "FMs" would be heading back to Phullipsburgh and Raritan, ready to power any of a number of Main Line commuter trains heading eastward on Monday morning, bound for the echoi..ng Jersey City terminal and its ferry connections to Lower Manhattan....

'NYO"

["8687"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an excellent page (w/photos and other info )on the ESPEEs handsome "FMs" in commuter service; they hauled both modern bilevel cars and old arch-roof heavyweights, between San Francisco and San Jose......

https://espee.railfan.net/sph24-66.html

["4806"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

LIONEL's highly-collectible "TRAINMASTER"..............

In the mid-1950s, LIONEL introduced "TRAIBNASTERS for both the DL&W and the CNJ; both big, beautiful engines, today highly prized by collectors.

What is quite uniusual, to say the least, is that the CNJ version is wearing the bold orange and blue that was originally worn by the Baldwins when new; by the time the CNJ's Trainmasters arrived in 1957, they were painted in the familiarsea green with toothpaste stripes.

To coincide with the Statue of Liberty's100th birthday in 1986, LIONELoffered a llimited run Jersey Central "FM",attired in the prototypical sea green (I own one of these engines.....BEAUTIFUL!)

"NYO"

["CRRofNJ"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Harrisburg to Jersey City...........

Until c.1964, the RDG operated one daily train (in each direction) between Harrisburg and the CNJ's Jersey City terminal.

These trains were indeed OVERpowered, as most trains consisted of an RPO and a CNJ coach (sometimes two), but were hailed by TRAIBNASTERS.

A Geep would have been MORE than enough to handle these short consists.....

"NYO"

["READING COMPANY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an impressive builder's photo of a RDG "Trainmaster"................

https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/rdg/rdg800.jpg

["F-M"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

An interesting CNJ/RDG arrangement.........

During, 1964, for several months, as part of a locomotive mileage balancing agreement between the CNJ and the RDG, CNJ "Trainmasters" were used on both the "WALL STREET" and the "CRUSADER", betweoon Jersey City and Philadelphia..............

"NYO"

["5:02 WALL STRRET"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Matawan (NY&LB), early 1960s........

A Bay Head train from Jersey City is seen At Matawan (behind an "FM"]; the Geep on the left would have been waiting for the Bay Head train to be "split", and the rear coaches would then been hailed by the Geep to Atlantic Highlands.

This was a eush-hour only service, which ended in late 1966.............

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142356

(courtesy:nycsubway.org)

["ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS-LAST FOUR CARS"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here is a particularly dramatic color photo from c.1956, taken near Matawan the NY&LB.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?142362

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

The vivid black smoke plume marks the hard-working PRR "K-4" hailing a Bay Head-bound train, headinf south (railroad west)

The CNJ train, headed by the hulking "Trainmaster", is heading back to Jersey City, where itsompatient passengers will transfer to the ferries for Lower Manhattan (Liberty Street)..............

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"Baby" Trainmasters in the NY/NJ area.

The only two roads in the greater NY area to operate "Baby" Trainmasters were the CNJ and the LIRR.

Like the CNJ, the LIRR used theirs in both commuter and freight service, well into the 1960s.

The LIRR's were particularly ere-catching, in their bold orange and gray paint.

Scroll down page; you will find a number of historic photos of the "H15-44" ("Baby") Trainmasters that ran on the LIRR.......

https://rr-fallenflags.org/li/li.html

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Prior to Aldene......

The CNJ operated 14 car-rush hour trains on both the Main Line and NY&LB.

The big "Trainmasters" were always assigned to these rush-hour "limiteds".

As a lad, 60-odd years ago, I can still well remember seeing these lengthy trains blast through one of several "local" stations in Jersey City and Bayonne.

They would ROAR abd BLAST through, towing fully-loaded 14-car trains of heavyweights, with as much ease asa child pulling a balloon along on a string!

Not long after Aldene, the CNJ stopped running such lengthy trains,opting for shorter consists, once the "Trainmasters" were retired 1969..............

['NYO"

['JERSEY CENTRAL LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Small but POWERFUL.....

As I had already mentioned, the CNJ used its "Baby" Trainmasters in commuter service, as well as freight, until Aldene.

You'd find them hauling heavyweights on both the main line to Raritan, as well as on the NY&LB.

Though smallier size than thier big brothers, these distinctive engines could still get the job dome; a seven car train of fully loaded coaches were handled with ease......

"NYO"

["4:445 PT. PLEASANT TRAIN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The "odd one out".............

Interestinly, the CANADIAN NATIONAL rostered but one "Traimaster"; this engine was used in commuter service.

The he avyweight coaches it hauled were quite unique, as they had been rebuiltin the late 1950s with a/c and updated interiors, that featured a seating layout that combined commuter-type seating, and rapid transit, complete with sranchions for standees............

"NYO"

["F-M"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

List of locomotives built by F-M (photos included)............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fairbanks-Morse_locomotives

["BEHOLD THE BEHEMOTH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Where the behemoths roamed (and did not)..............

The only CNJ line that did not see "Trainmasters" was the Newark Branch, which was abandoned with the Aldene Plan un April of 1967.

RDCs dominated this branch; during rush hours, there were also Geep-hauled trains to Atlantic Highlands (this line lost its passenger service in late 1966)

Though Traimasters and Geeps were used to power the NY&LB trains, the "RS-3s" were not used in passenger service on the NY&LB, though they were commonplace on the main line between Jersey City and Raritam (until 1967)

prior to 1969, the CNJ used both Trainmasters and Geeps on the race trains to Nonmouth Park, duriing the racing season.

After 1969,"GP-40s"were used.

It is also interesting to note that, many years ago, the PRR operated daily race trains to Monmouth Park, while the CNJ only operatedthen on the weekends.

"NYO"

["SNACK BAR SERVICE AVAILBLE ON THIS TRAIN"]