NJ Transit is celebrating its 40th year of rail operations with a unique excursion train on Saturday, Sept. 30 and a special display of heritage decorated locomotives on Oct. 1.
“This special weekend is an amazing and fun way to honor NJ TRANSIT’s rich history and gives the public an exclusive look at our railroad’s heritage,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.
F40s will provide power for part of the excursion.
Photo/Russell Sullivan for NJ Transit
NJ Transit partnered with the United Railroad Historical Society of NJ to operate the special excursion train, which is titled the “40th Anniversary Express.” The special train will have historic and conventional equipment and take riders down the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Lines and recreate the “South Amboy engine change” and ride the Bay Head loop track in a unique railroad experience.
Excursion Details
The train 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 NJ Transit’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 get to witness a recreation of the famous “South Amboy engine change,” which is a ritual that occurred at South Amboy station for decades until 1988.
Heritage Display at Hoboken Terminal
The second portion of the trip will be hauled by F40 diesels, the F40 being the first model locomotive purchased by NJ TRANSIT as part of its major renewal in the agency’s early years.
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 trip will then resume the journey back through Newark Penn Station for a great photo opportunity and then depart for historic Hoboken Terminal to end the day.
Ticket Sales & Information
The train departs at 10 a.m. from New York Penn Station and ends at Hoboken Terminal in late afternoon. Included in the train consist, alongside several NJ Transit coaches, will be four historic railroad cars: the URHS’s Hickory Creek and Tavern-Lounge No 43, and Juniata Terminal Company’s Warrior Ridge and Pennsylvania No. 120. Tickets in these historic cars will include additional on-board services and are available at a premium fare. The No. 120 will be reserved for VIPs.
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 NJ TRANSIT tickets and passes will NOT be valid. Prices range from $83 for coach to $399 for first class; more information is available here. Proceeds from this excursion will support the non-profit United Railroad Historical Society of NJ.
Heritage Decorated Locomotives
On Oct. 1, all members of the public are invited to historic Hoboken Terminal for a special display of NJ Transit’s heritage decorated locomotives celebrating 40 years of NJT Rail Operations and its predecessor railroads. A recruiting table will also be available to those interested in joining NJ Transit’s ranks.
“This historic rail weekend invites passengers, families, and enthusiasts to join NJ TRANSIT in a unique experience that transcends time,” said NJ TRANSIT President & 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.”
About NJ Transit
NJ Transit is the nation’s largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 253 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.