This was a special commission print for the New Jersey Lottery called The Shoreline Express. The standard gauge Lionel Blue Comet train was painted at the New York & Long Branch (joint Jersey Central-Pennsylvania RRs) train station at Red Bank, NJ. Red Bank station still exists on the NJ Transit commuter line from Bay Head Jct. to Newark, NJ.
Inaugural Run of 'The Blue Comet' from Atlantic City, NJ to Jersey City, NJ (New York City) on February 21, 1929 Railway Age photo
Red Bank station was built by Central Railroad of New Jersey in 1875, has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976 and is part of the Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource. Notable visitors included Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and King George VI of the United Kingdom. The 1876 station house was renovated in 2012–2014 to its appearance when built, including historically correct material, reconstruction of "Yankee" gutters, installation of new downspouts, and replacement of historic windows, shutters and gingerbread trim. Repairs were made to roof soffits and wood framing of the structure, and to repoint the brick foundation wall and the brick chimney, and to recreate a brick "crown" atop the chimney. Exterior paint of the station matches its original color scheme.
NJ Transit photo and info
I passed this station many times as a conductor or brakeman on former Jersey Central RR enroute to the sand pits at Lakehurst, NJ...all on former Blue Comet trackage.
