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.
West Jersey Chapter’s April membership meeting was held at the Audubon Senior Center, and virtually via Zoom on Monday, April 22, 2024. Steve Barry, Editor of Railfan & Railroad magazine, demonstrates how the art of night railroad photography has evolved by showing his own work from the past 45 years. Originally he used flashbulbs or natural light, just as the pioneering O. Winston Link had done in decades past. Then came synchronized electronic flash units and early digital cameras. Now fixed lights and High-ISO digital cameras can produce nice images in previously impossible conditions. Mixed among the trains and streetcars from across North America he also features historical reenactors and modern-day neon signs. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 1:09:22.
West Jersey Chapter held a special meeting on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at the Audubon Senior Center, featuring Dr. Albert J. Churella, Professor of History at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, who spoke on the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad during the period 1917-1933. Much of this critical period in the history of the PRR was during the administration of W. W. Atterbury (1925-1935). Dr. Churella is the author of The Pennsylvania Railroad, Volume 2: The Age of Limits, 1917-1933. Attendees had the opportunity to purchase this volume through West Jersey Chapter at a special low price, and Dr. Churella was available to autograph copies his books. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking any image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 1:35:12. After his presentation, Dr. Churella hosted a Q&A session on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The length of the Q&A session is 29:45. Photos by Dave Homer.
West Jersey Chapter’s March membership meeting was held at the Audubon Senior Center, and virtually via Zoom on Monday, March 25, 2024. John Barth, former president of the North Jersey Chapter, NRHS, takes a look at standard-gauge logging railroads that connected with the New York Central in the Adirondacks. Included are the Newton Falls & Northern RR, Cranberry Lake RR, Grasse River RR, Brooklyn Cooperage, and the Oval Wood Dish Company's railroad. A variety of Climax, Shay, and Heisler steam logging locomotives are shown as well as Barnhart steam-driven log loaders. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 45:20.
On Sunday, March 10, West Jersey Chapter participated at the 17th 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 3, 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. Photos by Dave Homer and Kyle Payne.
West Jersey Chapter’s February membership meeting was held at the Audubon Senior Center, and virtually via Zoom on Monday, February 26, 2024. Dale Woodland grew up watching and photographing trains in the Reading Railroad’s Abrams Yard near Norristown, Pennsylvania, and has continued doing so for over seven decades. His photos document the evolution of the yard and railroading itself through Reading ownership, to Conrail, and finally to current owner Norfolk Southern. We get to see a wide variety of diesel locomotives: yard switchers, road units, foreign power, and present-day NS heritage units. You can play a recording of this presentation by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 48:20.
Seventeen West Jersey Chapter members took a ride on the Woodstown Central Railroad on Saturday, February 17, from the new South Woodstown station to Swedesboro and return. Power for the trip was SMS GP38-3 2003, which was built as PRSL GP38 2003 in December, 1967. After lunch at the Woodstown Diner our group visited SMS in Logan Township. Photos by Dave Homer.
Don Lee and other WJC members discuss 12 mostly aerial photos of Camden, NJ, and the railroad history they depict. This virtual meeting took place on February 6, 2024 via Zoom. You can play a recording of this roundtable by clicking on the image or by clicking here. The length of the program is 1:35:18.