Following the Trail of the CNJ “Blue Comet” on a Homemade Speeder

WJC President Dave Homer recounts a 2006 speeder trip with two friends along the abandoned Central Railroad of New Jersey tracks near Lakehurst, New Jersey. The speeder, once assembled on-site, allowed them to explore three miles of the historic “Blue Comet” passenger train route through the Pine Barrens.
This presentation was recorded live at the April 19, 2023 virtual meeting of the West Jersey Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
For more on the West Jersey Chapter NRHS: www.westjersey...

[@billrobbins5874]

Looked like quite the adventure. ♥️👍♥️

[@vipchiropractic5972]

Al was a heck of a good guy. Really knew his local train material. He taught a non credit one day class at Ocean County College on local railroads. Also spoke at local historical society's on train related items. I regret not taking him up on his offer to " take a ride ".

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

I once visited the tracks in Lakehurst. Most of them are still intact and I heard that the Cape May Seashore Lines will be using those tracks in the future.

[@craigfazekas3923]

I remember seeing insulated boxcars parked on the siding at Atsion. This would've been in the early Conrail era, I believe. They packed & shipped cranberries if I recall correctly- may have been blueberries, too.... That old CNJ trackage in The Pine Barrens always fascinated me, including the plate-girder bridge over Rt. 72- in the middle of nowhere.... Do they still move freight down to Lakehurst, like I remember in the late '80s ? Anyone know ? 🚬😎👍

[@charlespaterson9714]

The line is cut up in Lakewood just west of the Cross Street Runaround. Conrail got tired of having to run their locos all the way to lakehurst to switch ends so they built the runaround after Woodhaven to make it easier to handle the freight exchange without have to run to Lakehurst which is about 5 miles further down the track.

[@johnblair8146]

Looks like a modified Nolan Cart.

[@foulball48]

Boring