New York, NY: CNJ Bronx Terminal and First Diesel-Electric Loco

(Satellite)

Just this weak I learned how B&O delivered freight to Manhattan Island using ferries. Now I learned that Central Railroad of New Jersey delivered freight from its Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City, NJ to the Bronx.

All of my text information that is not from Facebook comes from trainweb. That page is well worth a mouse click or finger touch.

safe_image for First Diesel-Electric Locomotive Restored at B&O Museum
"The first commercially built diesel-electric locomotive in the world has been cosmetically restored at the B&O Railroad Museum....On June 13, 1957, CNJ 1000 retired from service and was donated to the B&O Railroad Museum."
Dennis DeBruler

That was an interesting ferry terminal operation. In particular, note the circular freight house:

http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/crrnjbxt.html

The ferry terminal that provided the freight cars from CNJ freight trains was in Jersey City, NJ.

This satellite excerpt places the location of the following topo map excerpt.

Satellite

1956 Central Park Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

I've annotated the topo map to show the locations of the Harlem Transfer (yellow polygon), 1907 Bronx Terminal (green polygon) and the 1920s expansion (blue lines). Originally, the Harlem Transfer was shared by the CNJ, B&O, Erie and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroads. But when DL&W purchased the sole operating rights in 1906, CNJ built their own terminal about a block further south.

The round buildings in the DL&W and CNJ yards are not roundhouses, they are round freight houses! See trainweb for several photos of the CNJ freight house. Wagons, then trucks, used the inside and boxcars were parked around the outside. Unfortunately, it was built for 36' boxcars so, as trucks and boxcars grew bigger, the freight house became less efficient. There were 17 team tracks and two gantry cranes. "The Central Railroad of New Jersey ceased operations at the Bronx Terminal facility on November 27th, 1961."

1956 Central Park Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

1956 Central Park Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

The original CNJ Bronx Terminal.

Image 6 of Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from New York, Bronx, Manhattan, New York.

Harlarm Transfer and the expansion yard along East 135th Street. Note the arrow showing the direction of North.

Image 2 of Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from New York, Bronx, Manhattan, New York.

Fast Tracks posted

We are giving away 42 CNJ Bronx Terminal signed and number prints! ($150 value) Any order over $500.00US is eligible for a print to be added to the order at no extra cost. Click the link below for details...

https://www.handlaidtrack.com/bronx