New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center Railroad Rolling Stock Collection
As most know, the transportation heritage center will not be located in Phillipsburg for reasons already published in "Transport Heritage" and enumerated at the "Friends of The New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center" website. Those reasons will not be listed here.
The United Railroad Historical Society exists to collect and restore railroad rolling stock for a future railroad or transportation museum within New Jersey. Over the years the URHS has collected almost 90 items in anticipation of having sufficient equipment on hand to be displayed or to provide parts for those items being restored for display or operation. The effort to acquire equipment, begun in 1987, has been making progress, albeit, slowly.
The State of New Jersey was not willing to provide the necessary funds for the museum. Our efforts were then redirected toward obtaining help from private sources. However, Governor James McGreevey's administration stalled a bill in the New Jersey legislature that would have allowed the creation of a foundation to be used as a tool for gathering donations from private businesses. Assemblyman Alex DeCroce once again supported the venture, but was unable to proceed given the political climate.
Now, after nineteen years we see most of the equipment that was saved from the scrap yard, turning into scrap. It is being subjected to weather and vandalism. The liability resulting from owning this equipment, stored all over New Jersey, is astronomical - insurance premiums are extremely expensive and steadily increasing. In addition, the URHS is responsible for relocating or scrapping nonessential equipment. This, too, is expense - fifteen years ago a scrapper would pay for an item to be scrapped. Today, the owner pays the scrapper.
While the "Friends of The New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center" searches for a new heritage center site, the URHS has determined it needs to divest itself of duplicative rolling stock. This includes, but is not limited to, items seriously deteriorated or items having no hope of being operated in the future. When the rolling stock collection is pared down, it might be possible to keep it in one or two locations - thus saving expenses. Today, there are four areas serving as storage facilities.
Below is a list of rolling stock equipment being offered to interested parties for restoration or for other use. These items are located on the properties of others and would need to be relocated by flatcar or truck.
- PRR 4879 GG-1 Loco
- DL&W 2200 MU low roof coach
- DL&W 2453 MU Parlor
- DL&W 2454 MU Parlor
- PC 18303 Transfer Caboose
- PRR 427
- PRR 437
- PRR 453 - three MU MP-54 coaches
- ERIE 2620 Coach-Stillwell
- PRR 1734 Coach-P-70
- URHS 448 (ex US Navy 89448, US Army hospital car) - cafeteria car
- URHS 492 (ex-US Navy 89492, US Army hospital car)
So much of New Jersey's transportation history has been saved. We hope to continue what was started - having a first rate heritage center in the State of New Jersey. Thank you for your continued support.