PHOTO GALLERY

With the overall decline of passenger service in the 1960’s, Penn Station Newark was underutilized and able to absorb the insertion of the Jersey Central schedule of trains with the April 1967 Aldene Plan. While some CNJ riders gained from this changeover (those destined for Midtown New York City or downtown Newark itself), many Wall Street workers missed the quick ferry ride to Lower Manhattan. CNJ main line (Raritan Valley Line) riders were especially displeased with their isolated Track #5 segregation requiring an up-and-down transfer from New York arrivals. On July 3, 1967, barely two months into the Aldene Plan, a PRR train arrives from New York on Track #4 while a CNJ main line train outfitted with one of the cab cars custom-converted for this service awaits the transfer of passengers on Track #5.

At Newark, Trenton, No. Philadelphia, 30th Street, Wilmington and Baltimore, station stop markers were added to aid in the platforming of MU trains. The illuminated “A” seen at far right indicated “Engineman must platform leading end of first car of train of 7 or more cars opposite this marker.” A marker “B” applied to 6 or less cars, while “AB” simply meant to stop the first car at that point. (Rich Taylor)

Photograph from Pennsylvania Railroad Facilities In Color Vol. 1.

ORDER TODAY

Back to Special Features Photo Gallery