(A periodic publication of Friends of the New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center) December, 2002

The designation of Phillipsburg as the NJ Transportation Heritage Center location and Netcong Station a satellite is law, and the Commission is very close to purchasing the needed land along the Delaware River. A grant of $150,000 has been secured and title search, an appraisal, environmental assessment and surveying/mapping are complete on the Heritage Center property. We hope excess funds can be used to hire an executive director. Legislation has been introduced to establish a Board of Trustees, a Foundation for the NJ Transportation Heritage Center and to locate the Heritage Center under the umbrella of the NJ Department of Transportation. The town of Phillipsburg has recently purchased the former Central RR of NJ/Lackawanna station and it is the intention of the Heritage Center to lease at least a portion of the structure for offices, and to have a presence in town.

We sincerely thank the following for their generous donations to the fundraiser for the Heritage Center held at Hoboken Terminal on September 19th:

• ABT Products & Services
• Amercom Corporation
• Atlantic Detroit Diesel
• Best Transportation LLC
• W. Stanley Brown
• Clough, Harbour & Associates
• Community Foundation of New Jersey
• Richard R. Copeland
• Construction Industry Advancement Program of New Jersey
• Cubic Automatic Revenue Collection Group
• DeCamp Bus Lines
• Integrated Engineering
• William J. McKelvey, Jr.
• Motor Coach Industries Sales & Service, Inc.
• Port Imperial Ferry Corporation
• SYSTRA Consulting
• Tishman Construction Company of New Jersey
• Washington Group International
• Woodmont Realty

Our Progress Summarized: We are most fortunate to have buildings and lands which we lease from Warren County & NJ Transit and have the use of these and other plots for storage of materials, containers and vehicles. This has allowed us to be able to move our acquired materials and equipment to the Phillipsburg area. We look forward to an exciting New Year and wish you all the best. Some of our recent achievements are as follows;

Two dumptruck loads of historic Camden & Amboy RR stone sleepers (about 40 total) were moved from the Heightstown area to Phillipsburg. They were used to support the rail of New Jersey's first RR which opened in 1832. We plan to reinstall rail on them and to operate a horsecar on the track.
Two Jersey Central coal stoves have been donated and delivered to Phillipsburg by Richard L. Haring.
Dozens of new books for sale have been added to our "Book Shelf" list. It appears on our website: www.NJTHC.org or write to us at 103 Dogwood Lane, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922-2327
Three more trolley switchpoints were recovered from the "Bloomfield" line loop at Bell St., Montclair.
"Friends was awarded a $1,000 grant by the Warren County Cultural & Heritage Commission and our newest Benefactor member is Nancy L. Zerbe, President, ARCH² Cultural Resources Consultants.
A significant quantity of artifacts and memorabilia, mostly from the DL&W RR have been donated by Joseph M. Maline who last worked at the Dover freight office.
A cast steel Hudson & Manhattan RR tunnel segment, made by Bethlehem Steel Co. is now on display at our Pump House site, along with a brick core sample from the H&M "A" tunnel.
The Society for Industrial Archaeology National Fall Tour included a stop at our former Peoples Water Co. steam pumping plant with two bus loads of visitors.
Many railroad artifacts, collectibles, photos, videos, books, etc. were donated in memory of Frank J. Blatterspeil and Thomas P. Heitzman (two former railroaders).
Former Public Service #J-411, a 1955 GMC TDH-4512 transit bus & many truck loads of bus parts, including 5 transmissions, window sash, 6 tires & extra rims were donated by Central Jersey Bus Co.
Several truckloads of heavy timbers suitable for crossties in buildings have been salvaged.
A cast iron bridge sign and post "...Fishing Crabbing, Swimming... Prohibited" was donated by NJ DOT.
A cast iron whistle post was donated by Conrail Shared Assets.
A large volume of bus and truck parts were donated by the Bill Kober, owner of a now closed vehicle recycling facility in Montana, NJ.
A steam powered "Acorn" pump was donated by the National Canal Museum.
Recently NJ Transit Executive Director, George D. Warrington, wrote a letter of response to Assemblyman Alex DeCroce, Chairman of the Heritage Center Commission. It stated "We have evaluated the available Newark City Subway PCC cars and identified car numbers 6, 10 and 13 for assignment to the Heritage Center. ...the cars we have identified are complete units and are presently in good condition."
Friends has leased the former CNJ Lebanon station from NJT which was most recently the HQ of Iron Horse Enterprises.
Recent additions to our historic bus fleet include ex-PA/NJT #6106 and 5036, 1980's Motor Coach Industries, 40' MC9-A & MC9-B deluxe intercity parlor type coaches. Both are in operating condition.
A former Lowell, MA 1986 trolley tour bus, in running condition with a GM V-8 diesel and automatic transmission, has been donated by the Borough of High Bridge and we moved it to Phillipsburg.
A 1953 vintage GMC fuel oil delivery truck has been donated by J.W. Pierson Co. of East Orange.
Member Michael S. King has donated $1,000 to subsidize the publication of our bulletin New Jersey Transport Heritage and has indicated a willingness to do so in future years.
The extensive, mostly railroad, and mostly Central RR of NJ, photo, negative, book, and memorabilia collections of Warren Crater have been donated to Friends.

Future Projects, Initiatives & Wish List

• We have several historic trucks which need TLC - looking for some one or a group to adopt one or more.
• We need historic streetscape fixtures such as: gas & electric lamps/poles; street & highway signage; slate sidewalk sections; granite curbing; paving bricks; transport related manhole covers and more cobblestones.
• We soon hope to be able to secure a transformer & rectifier as a suitable trolley power supply.
• We own a 50' x 120' prefab steel building, but need the money to erect it.
• We need a stage coach; a vintage Jitney; an old taxi of the type Public Service would have operated.
• A boom truck (with crane) and volunteers with CDL's would really be of tremendous help to us.
• We are always looking for individuals to help us staff our information/sales tables and display booths.
• We sure could use volunteers to pursue grants, donations from foundations, and general fundraising.
• And, we always need people & vehicles to help us load and move the materials we acquire

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All of the above snippets and much more will be reported to you in great detail in each 12 page issue of the six times per year New Jersey Transport Heritage. Our annual dues are only $15. We now have over 550 members! Friends of the New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center, Inc., PO Box 147, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865-0147 To volunteer or order books, prints & drawings contact McKelvey, 103 Dogwood Ln., Berkeley Hts., NJ 07922; call 908-464-9335 or check our website: www.NJTHC.org Our 2003 Symposium is set for Saturday, April 5th. United Railroad Historical Society (URHS) 158 Heights Terr., Middletown, NJ 07748 or call 732-671-9644 or info@URHS.org URHS has set Saturday, Apr. 12th as the date for EastRail 2003 and is working hard on future excursions. Details will available on the URHS website: www.URHS.org