A railroad historical group finally has an indoor ace to restore and preserve the rolling artifacts of the states transportation history and strives toward a future goal of having a state transportation museum.
A former NJ Transit locomotive debuted how it looked when operated by its original owner, the New York Central railroad at a United Railroad Historical Society open house in Boonton in September 2014. The UHRS will now occupy the building behind the locomotive and the Hickory Creek observation car and use it as a home to restore other vintage trains.The historic trains of New Jersey’s past are getting a place to be slowly restored to their former glory. But first, that place needs some work.
Late last month, the UHRS moved into a 6,600-square-foot building at the small storage yard it’s leased from NJ Transit since 2007 that houses most of the society’s collection. For the first time in its 37-year history, the UHRS has an indoor space to work on its trains, instead of outdoors, said Kevin Phalon, president of the society.
The building, recently vacated by a tenant, would allow UHRS members to work on equipment indoors as efficiently as possible, Phalon said. It also will allow them to stabilize trains waiting for restoration from further deterioration for the elements. “We have been progressively bringing the many pieces of our collection together here,” Phalon said. “Currently there are 50 locomotives and cars in the yard. We have plans for 10 more pieces of equipment to finally come home to Boonton during 2022.”
Both cars are part of the UHRS Hudson River Rail Excursions that completed fall foliage tours on the Hudson River last year that were so popular, all the first round of trips sold out in 8 minutes online. A permanent New Jersey transportation museum has been an elusive goal, studied since 1980, but not realized. The UHRS came closest to that goal in 2005, when it found a 35-acre site in Phillipsburg. But that site was used for a riverfront development instead.
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