I am not involved with this project, but the goal is near and dear to me. New Jersey's URHS group is actively fundraising for an emergency endeavor to move the last two surviving coaches from the Jersey Central's Blue Comet to an area where restoration could take place. Given that the URHS guys already have a Blue Comet observation in the collection, this is pretty cool news.

Want to help? https://www.givinggrid.com/BlueCometmove/


Before anyone blows a gasket trying to find their 20/20 Hindsight glasses, the cars, along with a bunch of other historic equipment, ended up stored or owned by the Southern Railroad of NJ. For many reasons, everything left needs to move or face its fate.

The NYO&WHS got the O&W 44-tonner out late last year. Several other pieces have left over the years. The Blue Comet coaches and a Lehigh Valley parlor car are still on site. Two F units are also apparently for sale.

The U18B was for sale last I heard, as well.

CD

For the uninitiated, what makes a CNJ "Blue Comet" coach special and different from the run-of-the mill CNJ heavyweight commuter car?

The U18B was just cut up recently I believe.

A couple of F units? Please tell me more. Where or who to contact?

It'd have to be really recently - there was a $10k asking price, but I can't find where it was. Missing trucks, main generator, wiring, and a blown turbo - which was the cause of her demise.

CD

Answers to the name of "Lucky."

From a mechanical point of view, nothing. The interiors were painted with a unique color pattern, and better seats. Perhaps Alan Maples can add some input as he is looking to follow these colors on the ex-CNJ cars he is restoring.

The observation car(s) were the signature feature of the train. The dining car featured a custom china pattern and (early on) blue tablecloths and napkins with a white comet shooting across.

Correct. The interiors were quite unique. The two cars in question eventually wound up in subscription/parlor service on commuter trains.

As for the colors, I think you'll see a bit more research is required to really nail down the exact details of "Packard Blue" which was the most prominent color of the train. The only known color photos of the Pacifics have turned a bit greenish, so they don't offer that much help, though though they do point to a deeper, richer color than usually represented on models or the few repaints that have been done of other equipment.

What Packard called "Packard Blue" was a color with beautiful depth, not the almost baby blue the train is often modeled with.

Rob

The F7's are ex-B&LE. They ran on the Salem Branch, primarily.

The two F7's are in an odd state. One is painted in an NYO&W scheme, while the other is painted for what looks like the Rock Island. Both were once owned by the Southern RR of NJ. Here is a link to a page with photos of both in happier times

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr3039.htm

Steamguy73 -

The Rock Island red and black with white trim paint scheme is one of the better one on cab units in my opinion. Here's a photo of the F's in their Bessemer & Lake Erie scheme:

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0703/ble728a.jpg

Is this the original paint scheme on the B&LE? Did the railroad ever put the "rail" herald shown on the side of the units, on the nose? Thanks for any info.

Les

Not the original. You can see the original on page 9 of the December 1959 issue of Trains, if you have that available. It's more fancy and it does have the logo on the nose.

Edit: Here's one via Railpictures.net.

An additional note - in the 1960s the B&LE F7s were often leased to the PRR and PC and could be found working as far west as Chicago.

One can find several recent videos of the equipment at Winslow Junction by using the search term "Winslow Junction."


Related to the original question - is there any news on the combination car Halley that was last located on the Santa Fe Southern. http://rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37179

I don't mind thread drift at all, but it is interesting to note that three unique passenger cars need saving, but the items of most interest for discussion are F7's.

I guess there is a reason every model train company under the sun makes an F unit. :-)

Rob