On Sunday, March 9, West Jersey Chapter participated at the 20th Annual “Lines on the Pines” festival held at Stockton University in Galloway Township. This festival celebrates everything Pinelands, and participants include authors, artists, craftsmen, historians, and musicians. WJC’s exhibit focused on the railroads which served the Pinelands. Many WJC members and friends stopped by. Photos by Dave Homer.
On Sunday, March 2, West Jersey Chapter participated at the Jersey Central Chapter, NRHS, show held at Mother Seton High School in Clark. This is the largest railroadiana show in New Jersey, and vendor tables occupy both the gymnasium and the cafeteria at the school. WJC’s table is front center. Photo by Dave Homer.
West Jersey Chapter’s February membership meeting was held in-person at the Audubon Senior Center and virtually via Zoom on Monday, February 24, 2025. WJC member and former SEPTA employee Harry Garforth shows us the evolution of public transit in the Frankford section of Philadelphia (formerly Frankford Borough). Following horse cars, steam railroads, and trolleys, the electrified Frankford Elevated rapid transit line was built during 1916-1922. Today this route is part of SEPTA’s “L” or Market Frankford Line. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 50:42.
West Jersey Chapter members took a ride to the western end of NJ Transit’s Morristown Line electrification at Dover on a crystal-clear February 22, 2025. Our journey started at the Pennsauken Transit Center on the River Line. At Trenton our group took NJT Northeast Corridor Line express No. 7822 to Secaucus Junction, where we boarded train No. 6921 for Dover. Pictured on the Dover station platform next to NJT ALP46A 4664 are (left to right) Jim Murphy, Hooper Murphy, Ben Makem, John Burlage, and Bob Douglas. The trip report is available here. Photo by Dave Homer.
West Jersey Chapter’s January membership meeting was held in-person at the Audubon Senior Center and virtually via Zoom on Monday, January 27, 2025. The PRR T1 Steam Locomotive Trust has mounted an ambitious 15-year effort to build a new 4-4-4-4 from original PRR plans using modern parts and design techniques. The Trust’s General Manager Jason Johnson joins us to provide an update on recent fabrication efforts and where the project is headed next. He explains why deviations from the PRR design are needed to safely and economically operate in 21st century excursion service. The Trust’s ultimate goal is the same one that motivated PRR in the first place: to have a beautiful and functional machine that can reach 120 mph or more out on the mainline. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 1:01:08.
Several West Jersey Chapter members visited the SMS shops at Center Square, Logan Township, on the morning of January 27. Locomotives in the shop on this day are, from left to right, EMD FP7 903 in Reading Company livery, Baldwin DS-4-4-750 102, Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 9069 in Pennsylvania Railroad livery, GE B23-7 1961, and Baldwin AS616 554. No. 554’s 608A prime mover has been rebuilt. Photo by John Burlage.
West Jersey Chapter attended the Strasburg Model Railroad Club show at American Legion Post No. 72 in Brooklawn on Saturday, January 25, 2025. Pictured are President Dave Homer and Directors Ben Makem and Brian Yates manning WJC’s table. The next Strasburg show will be held in Magnolia on April 12. Photo by John Burlage.
West Jersey Chapter’s December membership meeting was held virtually via Zoom on Monday, December 30, 2024. WJC President Dave Homer and five other members take turns showing their photos from 10 years ago, illustrating the subtle and not-so-subtle changes in US railroading since then. In 2015, diesel heritage paint schemes were relatively new, as were Amtrak’s ACS-64 locomotives. On the other hand, the then-ubiquitous AEM-7s have since been fully retired. While many of these shots were taken in New Jersey, subjects as far away as Texas, Colorado, and Alaska are also covered. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 54:03. Photo by Will Dicke.
Several West Jersey Chapter members spent time at Holmesburg Junction in Philadelphia on the Northeast Corridor on Sunday, December 1, to photograph Amtrak’s post-Thanksgiving rush - Amtrak’s busiest travel day of the year. Photos by Dave Homer.
West Jersey Chapter’s November membership meeting was held in-person at the Audubon Senior Center and virtually via Zoom on Monday, November 25, 2024. WJC Vice President Fred Ciocciola spent five days walking around rail yards and along main lines in Kansas City, Iowa, and Illinois in 1971. The diversity of paint schemes and locomotive models is striking 53 years later. With the exception of Union Pacific, all of the Class 1 railroads he photographed have merged or gone out of business. Most unusual of all, he was able to witness the steam-powered switchers of the Northwestern Steel & Wire Company in Illinois earning their keep more than a decade after most other railroads had fully switched to diesel. You can play a recording of Fred’s presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 44:12.
West Jersey Chapter’s October membership meeting was held in-person at the Audubon Senior Center and virtually via Zoom on Monday, October 28, 2024. WJC member and prolific railroad photographer Bob Vogel shows us a rapid-fire selection of electric railroad operations from Montreal to Miami, and as far west as Harrisburg and Atlanta. Freight, intercity passenger, transit, and tourist trains are all represented. You can play a recording of Bob’s presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 28:35.
On Sunday, October 20, 2024, West Jersey Chapter, NRHS, and the Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys had a joint charter as part of West Jersey Chapter’s 80th Anniversary celebration. This was the first railfan charter utilizing a rebuilt PCC III, No. 2322. This trip operated on the SEPTA’s Subway Surface Lines where PCCs don’t usually operate in service. This sold out trip left Elmwood Depot and operated on sections of routes 10, 11, 13 and 36 and the Subway Surface Diversion trackage. Photos by Scott Barnes, Christopher Buckley, Mike Hudek, Bill Monaghan, and Bob Vogel.
West Jersey Chapter's 80th Anniversary Luncheon was held at the Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford, N. J., on September 28, where 58 members and guests attended. Our speaker for the afternoon was Frank Wrabel. Frank is a railroad historian, photographer, and proficient writer, having authored six books on railroad history. His latest book is The Great Race To The Jersey Shore. Frank was available to autograph books following his presentation. West Jersey Chapter would like to thank the following individuals and companies for their donations for door prizes: Michael Burshtin, Dave Homer, NJ Operation Lifesaver, Kevin Painter, PATCO, Wanamaker Kempton & Southern Railroad, White River Productions, and Wilmington & Western Railroad. Photos by Kevin Painter.
West Jersey Chapter’s September membership meeting was held in-person at the Audubon Senior Center and virtually via Zoom on Monday, September 23, 2024. WJC member Russ Sharp took advantage of many railfanning opportunities during a long career at the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) of General Motors. This portion of his presentation includes photos and stories from his time as a field instructor and sales engineer in the US from 1969 to 1976. Then until 2000 he worked in export locomotive sales across numerous countries. He shows EMD products as well as other diesel, electric, and steam locomotives he encountered in his travels. You can play a recording of Part 1 of his presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of Part 1 is 1:05:04. You can play a recording of Part 2 of his presentation by clicking here. The length of Part 2 is 35:52.
As part of our 80th Anniversary Celebration, West Jersey Chapter chartered a three-hour round trip sail aboard the schooner North Wind on the Delaware River to the Delair railroad bridge between Philadelphia and Pennsauken on Saturday, August 31. Our party of thirty WJC members and friends boarded the schooner at Freedom Pier in Gloucester City, and we were underway at 11:00 AM. Nearing the Ben Franklin Bridge, an eastbound six-car PATCO train crossed the bridge. While at the Delair Bridge two NJ Transit Atlantic City Line trains crossed the bridge. This was followed by westbound Norfolk Southern freight 39G to West Falls, which had two locomotives on the front end and one helper on the rear. Photos by John Burlage.
West Jersey Chapter members and friends took advantage of NJ Transit’s Fare Holiday (August 26 to September 2, 2024) on August 29 to ride to the western end of NJT’s Raritan Valley Line at High Bridge for free! Our journey started at the Pennsauken Transit Center on the River Line. At Trenton our group took NJT Northeast Corridor Line express No. 3932 to Newark, where we boarded train No. 5719 for High Bridge. Service on the Raritan Valley Line to High Bridge runs only on weekdays except holidays; on weekends and holidays service extends only to Raritan. Photo by Dave Homer.
West Jersey Chapter’s August membership meeting was held virtually via Zoom on Monday, August 26, 2024. WJC member and newsletter editor Will Coxey has been a keen observer of the South Jersey rail scene since the mid-1950s. This presentation starts in the waning days of Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines and Central Railroad of New Jersey. Then it shows the Conrail transition from the very beginning, including the evolution of several yards and towers. We also get to see the future River Line as it was in the 1980s before any passenger service was restored. WJC Vice President Fred Ciocciola digitized Will’s work and hosts this showing. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 1:00:27.
West Jersey Chapter’s July membership meeting was held virtually via Zoom on Monday, July 22, 2024. WJC member and newsletter editor Will Coxey has been a keen observer of the South Jersey rail scene since the mid-1950s. This presentation includes freight trains, towers, branch lines, steam excursions, and the construction of PATCO. WJC Vice President Fred Ciocciola digitized Will’s work and hosts this showing. WJC member Don Lee, a former PRSL employee, provides additional commentary. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 50:50.
West Jersey Chapter’s June membership meeting was held virtually via Zoom on Monday, June 24, 2024. WJC member and newsletter editor Will Coxey has been a keen observer of the South Jersey rail scene since the mid-1950s. This presentation focuses on his color slides of Atlantic City passenger service plus some bonus B&W photography. WJC President Dave Homer and Vice President Fred Ciocciola digitized Will’s work and co-hosted this showing. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 51:08.
West Jersey Chapter’s May membership meeting was held at the Audubon Senior Center, and virtually via Zoom on Monday, May 20, 2024. WJC member Hank Cutler shows the wide variety of motive power, passenger cars, trolleys, and ferries used between Philadelphia, Camden, and Atlantic City before the mid-1950s. The photos come from WJC’s archives and were taken by various photographers including Robert Long and Don Wentzel. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 1:00:12.