The Blue Comet Turns 90

Love the Blue Comet.....O, Standard gauge and the real thing.

I bought this MTH model of Blue Comet engine #833 around 1998.

MELGAR

While not original to the Blue Comet the Whippany Railway Museum has a parlor car that was built to the same plan. Painted in the Comet scheme you can ride this car on most of the museums trips through Morris County NJ.

The Jersey Coast

I have some Blue Comets in various gauges:

H0 factory painted brass model by OMI:

RivaRossi interpretation in H0:

OMI left, RivaRossi right:

RivaRossi N gauge:

More pictures including 0 gauge and the cars in chapter 7.5 of my (free to download) e-book on luxury trains:

http://sncf231e.nl/non-ciwl-luxury-trainssmall-2/

Regards

Fred

Here is a nice video compilation from YouTube of the Blue Comet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ4-SywJ3Vo

I'm still kicking myself for missing the version of the Blue Comet Lionel MPC brought out in 1978(?).

rjsmithindy posted:

It was noted earlier this year on the forum that the Blue Comet made its inaugural run on February 21st, 1929.  An icon in toy train history, this is a favorite to many in the hobby.  Let’s celebrate by posting photos, videos, etc. of this famous train. So whether it’s tinplate, O-27, 3RS, HONGZ, historical to the original, or anything relative to The Blue Comet, please contribute!

I’ll start with a few photos of my MTH scale Comet...

 

Is this a photo that has been colorized? If not, it is the first color photo of the Comet while active that I've ever seen.

German posted:

rjsmithindy posted:

It was noted earlier this year on the forum that the Blue Comet made its inaugural run on February 21st, 1929.  An icon in toy train history, this is a favorite to many in the hobby.  Let’s celebrate by posting photos, videos, etc. of this famous train. So whether it’s tinplate, O-27, 3RS, HONGZ, historical to the original, or anything relative to The Blue Comet, please contribute!

I’ll start with a few photos of my MTH scale Comet...

 

Is this a photo that has been colorized? If not, it is the first color photo of the Comet while active that I've ever seen.

This was found from an internet search and the lower right corner notes the photo restorer that colorized the photo.

While the ads for the Blue Comet would make you think it started it's route at Penn Station, you had to transfer to pick it up at it's starting point - the Communipaw Terminal in NJ.  This is a reproduction of the terminal sign.

Do not own anything Blue Comet related, but I plan to obtain a neat looking poster in the future (see below) from eBay and I made this drawing about a year ago called "Departing Atlantic City." Probably one of my better train drawings to-date but I feel as though I could've improved in some areas.

NJCJOE posted:

Love the Blue Comet.....O, Standard gauge and the real thing.

 

By any chance where did you get that "The Blue Comet" sign? Unless of course, the words I don't want to hear, its an original.

I made that sign to match the head sign on front of the locomotive. It was made to match the original as close as possible. It's 4' long and made from 1/8" steel plate. Here are the photos before and after weathering.

NJCJOE posted:

I made that sign to match the head sign on front of the locomotive. It was made to match the original as close as possible. It's 4' long and made from 1/8" steel plate. Here are the photos before and after weathering.

Custom made, only requires a 4' long steel plate. Thanks!

https://www.onlyinyourstate.co...station-diner-train/

The Clinton Station Diner in Clinton NJ uses a restored Blue Comet observation car as part of the restaurant.

CSXJOE posted:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.co...station-diner-train/

 

 

The Clinton Station Diner in Clinton NJ uses a restored Blue Comet observation car as part of the restaurant.

 

 

 

 

Wow, that's cool, I may have to stop in there!

NJCJOE posted:

Joe, I’m enjoying your posts.  Love the 400E.  Do you know the story on the other two photos above?  They appear to be from the derailment accident in 1939?

Happy 90th birthday to the Blue Comet!

The paint job on the Blue Comet reflects its destination, Atlantic City. The dark blue represents the ocean, the light blue the sky, and the cream the sand on the beach.

Each passenger car is named after a comet.

And 1929 was a terrible year to launch a new luxury all first class passenger train.