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The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey is aiming to preserve two passenger cars that were used on the famous Blue Comet passenger train on the Central Railroad Of New Jersey. If the money isn't raised for the transportation cost part of railroading history could be lost. 

Lionel's Blue Comet played an important role in model railroading! I hope we are able to come together to save the inspiration of that train!

https://www.givinggrid.com/BlueCometmove/

"Through some gracious donations we have funding to move one of the cars!!  Thank you for your support! 

So now, our goal is to raise $20,000 for the movement of the second car and to begin stabilizing them.  Once the cars are moved and secure, focus will begin on the preservation and restoration, but one step at a time.  Time is of the essence with this, so please, donate here on GivingGrid and help us save and preserve these important pieces.  If the goal is not met, all resources exhausted and the second car is unable to be saved, all funds raised will go towards the restoration of the one car moved.  That is worst case scenario and I have high hopes that it will not come to that. "

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I always shake my head at these campaigns to move a basket case piece of rolling stock to somewhere else for no apparent reason other than to have it rot in a different location. There are notes in this site from someone who worked on these cars years ago and said they were in rough shape even then. I’m not seeing any plan other than to move them.

I don't believe it's a cold reception. It's a realistic one. I'm a life-long resident of New Jersey and would love nothing more than to see the remaining Blue Comet cars preserved. But there isn't much more to add to the posts above. Tons of money have been thrown away on projects in the name of "it's a start". I want to see a viable plan from a capable group and I'll be writing a check as quickly as anyone.

Last edited by Former Member

While these cars will take a great deal of work and money to restore they are certainly not "too far gone" by any means for what the URHS and other groups in the northeast are able to accomplish.

I was involved in the restoration of a similar car CNJ car that wasn't on the Blue Comet, the project included stripping paint from the inside of the car and restoring the original wood work that had been painted or covered over. If you are near New Jersey I welcome you to come to the Black River & Western this summer and take a ride!

Before and after photos of our car:

 

Additionally the Whippany Railway museum is currently restoring a DL&W club car at the URHS yard in New Jersey, many people also thought this car was too far gone but the project is moving at a good pace and replica DL&W seats have been bought to be used with the car. When this project is done The Blue comet cars will not even be the most complicated restoration to take place at the yard. 

Photo source: http://www.railpictures.net/photo/504350/

The Colebrookdale railroad a fairly new tourist railroad in Pennsylvania, is currently turning a former PRR car into a dinning car. This car was 100% gutted and had its windows widened and removed to become an open air excursion car for a previous owner. The car is now receiving an entirely new interior to become a dinning car. 

Before photo and a photo during the current restoration:

The railroad preservation community is capable of some amazing things. If these two blue comet coaches are restored they will be joining the Blue Comet observation car that the URHS has already completed a great deal of work on. I hope we can come together and these coaches can join these amazing projects. 


More information at: http://urhs.org/blog/urhs-equipment-roster/#cnj1178

Last edited by SGP

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