Central Railroad Of New Jersey Timetables

These two Central Railroad Of New Jersey (CNJ, JCL) timetables appealed to me because of their dates and content. These two date from 1932 and 1933 and feature the CNJ's luxury train, The Blue Comet, between NY (Jersey City) and Atlantic City. The Blue Comet ran from 1929 until 1941. There aren't many available items from this train. The Blue Comet's big selling point was luxury at coach prices. The train carried coaches, parlor cars and a diner. A round trip from NY to AC in 1933 was $6. The Blue Comet's main competition was the Pennsylvania Railroad's Nellie Bly. The Blue Comet was faster, but the Nellie Bly won out in the end, lasting until about the mid-60's.

The other pictures show the trains' home terminal in Jersey City, NJ. These overgrown tracks have not seen a train since 1967 and they are not even connected to the outside world anymore. It is hard to believe that these same tracks served the Baltimore & Ohio trains from NY to Wash. DC and points west, trains of the Reading to Philadelphia and beyond as well at the CNJ's own commuter and long distance trains. The cavernous waiting room now hosts a museum and is the centerpiece of Liberty State Park. In 2012 Superstorm Sandy ravaged this historic landmark. The CNJ Terminal just reopened a couple months ago. I plan to visit soon to see the restoration and these old timetables will probably come along for a visit back home.