"The Seashore's
Finest Train"* |
| Big Red - GG1 4877, Red MP54s, green MP60s, stainless steel car 3070, R4, G3, Camelback Steam Locomotives, Budd Rail Diesel Cars, all played significant roles during the golden decades of railroading in New Jersey. None can take "two to go" as they did so magnificently in the past. But one unit still rides the rails as triumphantly as it did in the 1930's, responding to the "two to go", the champion of its myriad fans. Today you are aboard the NJT-1, the former CNJ 1178, the De Vico. It was part of the three locomotive, 16 car roster of the Central of New Jersey service from 1929 to 1941 between Jersey City and Atlantic City known as the Blue Comet. The rationale between the start up of the Blue Comet service is strikingly similar to NJT's goal of offering "safe, clean, reliable service at a reasonable cost." The Blue Comet service was designed to increase ridership by offering additional luxury and amenities at regular fares while eliminating costly rolling stock leases. The colors chosen for the service were Jersey Cream, Packard Blue, and Royal Blue representing the sand, sky, and sea of the New Jersey seashore. The cream colored band running horizontally through a blue field across each car created the image of a comet streaking through space. Each car was, thus, named for a comet. Even the tickets were printed on a special blue stock. The Blue Comet service lasted for twelve years, enjoying initial success and fulfilled its mission for the first two years. But it fell short in later years due to first the Great Depression, then improvements to the highway system, the increase of private automobile ownership, and finally, the overall superior connections of the Pennsylvania Railroad offering direct service to New York City. All the while, it kept the CNJ's name before the public and created good will along the entire route. The sixteen car fleet was comprised of 2 baggage cars, 2 combines (baggage and smoking), 8 coaches, 1 dining, and 3 observation cars. Many of the cars were used in suburban commuter service on regular trains for the next twenty to thirty years. Some of the original fleet survived as part of a museum, and transportation orientated restaurant, and a railroad yard office. Only one car remains in service to answer the call of that glorious past : the observation car De Vico named after a comet discovered by an Italian astronomer in 1846. It was built in 1926 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company. It was renumbered car 1178 and used on the North Jersey Coast Line and the Raritan Valley Line until the late 1970s. It was reconfigured to an observation car upgraded to push pull car capability by Conrail's Elizabethport Shop forces, and repainted black and grey under the auspices of NJ TRANSIT in the early 1980s. At that time it was renumbered the NJT-1. The NJT-1 was used as an observation car for track conditions and in ceremonial activities for a decade. In 1993 it appeared that the NJT-1 had reached the end of its useful life after about 65 years of incredibly dedicated service. Wear to the center support system appeared to relegate the NJT-1 to an exhibition and nonfunctioning role. A team of MMC Car Shop Management, Technical Training Department Instructors, Brotherhood of Railway Car Representatives, and Carmen in the certified welders' program combined to maximize resources using the NJT-1 as a challenge and final exam. Their success lies beneath your feet. |
| From a NJ TRANSIT promotional leaflet
- September 1995 |
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The NJT-1 Inspection Car was donated to the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey (URHS) in 2003. URHS plans to restore the car as the "De Vico" or the "Monmouth II" |