Diesel Locomotives of the CNJ >
Diesel Class | Paint Schemes
The CNJ introduced a mix of diesel
yard switchers from Alco, EMD and Baldwin throughout the 1940s to the
early 1950s. They
then introduced freight cab units from EMD (F3s) and Baldwin (DR 4-4-1500)
from 1947 and the unique double ended Baldwin DRX 4-4-2000 passenger
cab units (picture right). Mainly-Alco road switchers (mostly RS-3 and RSD-4s)
were added to the roster around 1950-3 and were accompanied by passenger road
switchers from Fairbanks Morse:
H15-44s (picture below) & H16-44s (1948-50), and EMD: GP7s (1952). The FM Trainmaster
H24-66 was first introduced in 1954 and the
last batch in 1956 were a replacement for the "double enders"
which were withdrawn at the same
time.
For more detail, the
Diesel Class table (above) lists
all of the diesel locomotive classes that ran on the CNJ before 1959.
For other tables go the the North East Rails website for locomotive details and
photos, in particular the
North East Rails CNJ Diesel Roster and the
Fallen Flags
CNJ page.
Bernet's "Jersey Central Diesels"
is the most detailed exposition of the diesels of the
CNJ, with diagrams,
statistics and photos. It has recently been joined by "Jersey
Central Power In Color Volume 1: #50-1709".
Books with lots of
color photos of CNJ diesels from this period are
"Jersey Central
Lines In Color, Volumes
1, 2 & 3", Jeremy
Plant's "Trackside around Allentown,
PA" and "Alcos to Allentown"
by Tom Biery. See the
CNJ Books
page for details. Plans
and photos of many of the diesels (not in CNJ paint schemes) can be found in the Kalmbach
"Model Railroader Cyclopedia - Volume 2, Diesel Locomotives".
Victor Roseman adds:
In the '50s when CNJ first got diesels, they had
about a dozen of the big Baldwin double ender cab units. Those were the only
non-roadswitcher passenger engines they had. At the time they operated the
mainline to Allentown and Scranton, their share of the New York and Long Branch
RR to Bay Head, the Seashore branch to Atlantic Highlands (Highlands) to
Freehold, Carteret, Flemington (which was usually steam-) the Newark branch, and
dozens of turn-back trains on the mainline making turn arounds at Plainfield,
Cranford and Bayonne. As steam passed into history, all of those runs were
operated increasingly by road switchers. Baldwins were often seen on the
Carteret branch. Alco RS-1s and I think the FM 1500s went to the seashore, I
remember GP-7s, FM 1500s and 2400s (Trainmasters) on the mainline to Raritan,
Trainmasters and RS-3s to Philadelphia, RS-3s to Allentown, Trainmasters, FM
1500s to New York and Long Branch points. After the demise of the Baldwin cab
units (Guessing around 1958-60) all the C?NJ had in passenger service were road
switcher configurations. There were a bunch of RDCs that ran all over, usually
as single cars but sometimes in a train of several to Hampton or possibly
Allentown, but otherwise roadswitchers were all they had especially after the
passing of the F-3s in the 1960s. There was a resurgence of cab units when
second hand GM diesels came from Wabash/N&W and possibly from other roads, but
those were freight only engines.
