I am looking for some detailed pictures of the Blue Comet to eventually build one. Not much on the net or books on the CNJ. Also what Pacific would be a good starting point...Thanks
I think the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society 's "Flags Diamonds & Statues" magazine had an article on the Blue Comet. You might want to get a back issue.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
AHM made one from Rivarossi cars and a pacific years ago. They won't be accurate depending on your desire for acccuracy. They show up on E Bay occasionaly.
dehusman I think the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society 's "Flags Diamonds & Statues" magazine had an article on the Blue Comet. You might want to get a back issue.
Now that I am out of the hospital, Vol 11, No 3 issue of the FDS on page 14 has an article by Bert Pennypacker, "Jersey Central's Colorful Pacifics". It has history, pictures, an engine diagram.
They were a CNJ class G3s heavy Pacific. They had 79" drivers 6'11" driver centers, 36' 8" overall engine wheelbase. They had an Elesco feedwater heater and two single stage air pumps on the engineer's side. The tender overall wheel base was 23' 10.5" and had 10k gallons of water and 15 tons of coal.
All 5 engines 831-835, had there boilers, cabs, cylinders and tenders painted Nile green with black running gear. Lettering was aluminum.
In 1929 831-832-833 were painted Royal and Packard Blue and used on the Jersey City-Atlantic City Blue Comet.
An additional class of G4s engines 810-814 were built with 74" drivers, bigger welded tenders, painted Nile green and run on other trains.
All the colored engines were repainted black during the early 1930's. By 1933 or so all were black.
So your blue engines would only run between Feb 1929 and 1932-33.
Blue Comet
The West Jersey Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, P.O. Box 647, Palmyra, NJ 08065-0647 published “The Trail of the Blue Comet” during 1994. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 93-061448. It is 488 pages in length.
It contains the whole story including photographs, diagrams, and data sheets on The Blue Comet. It is must to have and probably can be obtained from a local library.
I built my train with previous mentioned HO model cars but could not find an engine. I finally bought a 4-6-2 Pacific and with parts from Bowser and blue paint built my locomotive. Although I only model PRR it shared the CNJ tracks with PRR not far from my home.
I also picked up a 3 foot wide, framed, colored photograph of the Blue Comet locomotive and six cars at a garage sale for a dollar. It hangs on the wall over my computer.
Doc
probably a good book......but The ones i found went from $194 - $300 !!! have to try the library.
Our library system does not have the book. ordered the back issue w/ Comet article...would still like a color picture or 2....thanks. jerry