All:
So here's some background:
Did this Geep pull freight? All the pictures I can find of this loco are of it alone or with passenger.
Modeler of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Bethlehem PA, 1971 and railfan of Norfolk Southern's Lehigh and Reading Lines of the modern day.
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While the CNJ's GP7's were primarily intended as passenger power, it wouldn't be unusual for them to "pinch-hit" as freight power as needed, especially on weekends when they weren't needed for passenger trains (mostly) anyway. I just checked the books and found a picture of a GP7 in a freight power lash-up from 1972 (it's not 1523) so if you want to use that Bachman model of 1523 on a freight you're on pretty safe ground, in my opinion anyway.
The only CNJ passenger power that wasn't used for freight service in 1971 were thirteen GP40P's that were purchased for the CNJ in 1968 by the state of New Jersey. These were intended for commuter work ONLY and the CNJ was prohibited from using them for any other purpose.
Some of those GP40's are still around in New Jersey Transit use, by the way.
I'm not sure but wasn't CNJ 1523 one of the two GP7's that ran through an open draw and wound up in Newark Bay in 1958?.
The GP7's involved in the open draw wreck were #1526 and #1532. Both were rebuilt, #1526 was re-numbered to #1531 afterward.
It's never been determined why the train ran the red signals and into the open draw, both head-end crewmen were killed in the wreck.
I would opine that what's been said gives you an excellent wrinkle for operating sessions, if you run them. If you are running the session on a "weekday," the Geep hauls passengers. If you are running on a "weekend," it can haul freight.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
A little more...
I was re-reading one of my Jersey Central books last night and learned (or was reminded) that most of the CNJ's road-switcher types were purchased as dual-service locomotives to begin with.
So, any of the r/s types, Alco RS-3's, FM Train Masters, or GP7's would be OK to run with freight consists.
PS: The Train Masters were gone by 1971, so don't worry about them. The others hung on a bit longer.
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