When did the CNJ retire its F3s?

[Flintlock76]

You're welcome!  But I'd remind you of one thing...

Your railroad, your rules!  If you like the look of the Jersey Central's F-3's, either the original tangerine and blue color scheme or the later green with yellow stripes, and think they're cool, go for it!  Put one on the layout!  I won't say anything...

Anyway, here's some Jersey Central F-3 action from the 1949 promo film "The Big Little Railroad."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kYeg5A6jBE  

Now here's a bit of CNJ "useless knowledge  "  for you.

Flush with cash after WW2, and not having purchased any new locomotives since 1930, the CNJ looked hard at buying 4-6-6-4 "Challenger" type steam locomotives for freight engines, but decided to go with EMD F-3's instead.   Obviously they saw the diesel handwriting on the wall. 

Interesting to speculate how that might have worked out.

[HO Hobbyist]

Thanks Flint! 

 

I model 1971 so I don't need anything any more specific than that. 

I spoke to an acquaintance of mine who happens to know a lot about these railroads, and he said that they were indeed all traded in to EMD by 1965.

[Flintlock76]

You know, it's the darndest thing.  I've got CNJ diesel rosters in my books, and I can find rosters on-line, I can find when they took delivery but nothing about when they retired any of them!

The best I can tell you comes from a caption in one of the books.  It shows a CNJ F-3 in mid-1965, but says it was one of the last to go as trade-ins to EMD.  So, it's safe to assume they were probably all gone by the end of 1965.  If I find out anything else I'll let you know.

[HO Hobbyist]

All,

 

I'm curious when the Central Railroad of New Jersey retired it's EMD F3's. Does anyone know?