New Jersey Coast Club Car 1201

by Anthony Sacco

Title

New Jersey Coast Club Car 1201

Artist

Anthony Sacco

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This Jersey Coast club car was one of the newest, built in 1927 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding as a standard steel-bodied CNJ commuter coach with mahogany interior. The Central Railroad of New Jersey, also known as Jersey Central Lines was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s. It was absorbed into Conrail in April 1976. During the first half of the 20th Century in America, rail travel was luxurious and opulent for the rich. This commuter coach # 1201 was converted to a classy club car with its seats removed, new carpet laid, arm chairs and card tables furnished, a tiny kitchen installed, and received the name “Jersey Coast,” as all club cars had names. Beverages were served by a porter, and for many commuters this was a civilized way to travel to and from work.The “Jersey Coast” carried its passengers in style – bridge tournaments, Christmas parties and all – until the car was retired by the CNJ in 1972. “Jersey Coast” was then purchased from the railroad by a Morris County businessman who converted it into a railed-in open observation platform, so that it now resembled the famous observation cars of the Jersey Central’s stylish, seashore-bound 1930s “Blue Comet” express train. Early in 1994, the Whippany Railway Museum acquired the car and painted the exterior of the car in the three bands of “Blue Comet” color: Jersey Cream, Packard Blue and Royal Blue, representing the sand, sky and sea of the New Jersey seashore… adding “Jersey Central Lines” in the letter board above the windows and including CNJ Statue of Liberty logos from the 1940s near the steps.

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November 9th, 2024

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