The Jersey Central’s fabulous “Blue Comet!”
Here’s a story from todays nj.com, about the great train that ran from Jersey City to Atlantic City from 1929 to 1941, and inspired one of Lionel’s classic train sets.
How nice, someone remembers. It’s not just down South that “…old times there are not forgotten!”
Here’s the clip from that famous “Sopranos” episode. Language alert! [:O]
$8,000 bucks for a Blue Comet Lionel? I would have a heart attack before the hit men got there saving them their bullets.
Even if the hit men couldn’t do it that day, they could still save their bullets because his wife would kill him.
Great scene though. Don’t mind at all that the Santa Fe Diesel took a bullet. The Hudson falling into the abyss is symbolic.
When Bobby says " he doesn’t care" referring to his sons interest in the hobby and then later falls into the layout dead destroying it, I’m thinking that would be a fitting way to go. My kids don’t care either despite being brought up with it so if I do a face plant into the layout breathing my last so be it.
Well the gals have always loved their Chessie sleepware and their kids love Thomas so maybe there is hope yet, on a cutesy scale anyway.
Great marketing and concept on the part of the Jersey Central. They certainly were the big little railroad.
Interesting story about that “Sopranos” sequence.
It was filmed in an actual train store, “Trainland” in Lynnbrook Long Island, NY. The creator of the series, David Chase, ia a toy train fan himself and was familiar with the place. Rather than create a toy train store on a set he went for the real thing. The “shot-up” trains and boxes are on display at the store for all to enjoy.
“Trainland” had a sign in the front window after the show aired that said…
“Bobby Baccala ‘bought it’ at Trainland!” [(-D] Don’t know if it’s still there.
There were two layouts created for Bobby to fall into, but only one was needed. The actor playing Bobby, Steve Schirippa, got it done in one take! Both layouts, plus Bobby’s home layout, are on display at the New Jersey High-Railers train club in Paterson NJ, there to be seen by all on open-house days.
The O Gauge tinplate “pre-war” Blue Comet set Bobby never got to run is a reproduction, no original sets in as-new condition were able to be found. $8,000 didn’t surprise me, as far as mint condition pre-war Lionels are concerned the sky’s almost the limit. If Bobby had priced a mint condition Standard Gauge set THAT would have given him heart failure!
I’ve got an MTH Blue Comet set myself. Every time I run it I think of poor Bobby and pray for his soul. [:-^]
The Blue Comet was the idea of Roy B White when he headed the CNJ, later he became president of the B&O.
Flintlock I was going to ask if that was a actual store, thanks for answering my question. Minding reading as a side hobby??
And a great idea it was too, Balt! It was fun while it lasted and created a legend. You can’t ask for more than that!
Blue Comet lives again !
The pride of the Jersey Central… the real Blue Comet
Launched in 1929, the Jersey City-Atlantic City Blue Comet was the pride of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, as is evident in the faces and attire of conductor Joseph T. Ross and engineer John Wait, standing with immaculate Pacific 831 at Jersey City. Classic Trains collection
Brother, if I could read minds I wouldn’t get in all the trouble I do with Lady Firestorm! [:'(]
And thanks so much for that video Mike! It’s priceless! Rogers E. M. Whittaker, Oliver Jensen, railfan and Lionel collector Tom Snyder, who could ask for more?
Sadly, all no longer with us.
Tom Snyder’s Standard Gauge layout is also on display at the New Jersey High Railers as well.
www.njhirailers.com I’ve been there, it’s stunning. Overwhelming actually.
Interesting comparing the two photos, one of the former FEC Pacific 1975 excursion engine, and the actual Comet Pacific from 1929. Those Jersey Central Pacifics were beasts!
Here’s a brief video of some in action. Scroll down to see it.
https://www.johnpmedia.com/dvds/along-the-jersey-central-volume-1
None were saved. Damn it.
I’ve got that DVD, it’s excellent!
The Comet gets all the love, but someone should find pictures and stories for that other CNJ name train, the Bullet (to my ancestral city Wilkes-Barre instead of down the glamorous shore). The O scale model of its power is prettier than the Blue Comet power… put them side by side and you’ll see.
A few degrees of separation
Looking like Superman! The Roy B. White. Mikes Photo of the Day.
B&O’s future president Roy B. White referred to on CNJ stationery
http://njrails.tripod.com/20th_Century/CNJ/The_Bullet.htm
“The Bullet started its service on November 7th, 1929. It’s short life ended on July 12, 1931.”
The color used on the MTH O gauge CNJ “The Bullet” is different from some of the HO scale pro painted brass version of it. From what I saw on the web, I also prefer the color used on the real CNJ “The Bullet” to “The Comet” (as long as it was not painted with radium! [:O]), the golden strip on the driver, sand dome, steam dome, the cylinder; the shiny stainless steel headlight grill and the handrail around the smokebox door make her look very elegant.
Google image search “OVERLAND CNJ G-3 4-6-2 #834”, her (copyrighted) pic or the version I prefer will show up. [C]
Once again, I can’t resist [:$]…adjusted the color temperature a little bit.
Nice restoration job on that photo Mr. Jones! And I’ll bet that’s just what the day looked like!
This is the best I could come up with for an image of “The Bullet.” If you scroll over the picture of the model you can pick up the details.
https://mthtrains.com/20-3136-1
Very striking indeed. Maybe if Joshua Lionel Cowan had traveled to Wilkes-Barre he’d have done a model of “The Bullet” as well.
Here’s some “Trainland” action for everyone. The first video has Ken Bianco Jr. showing us the tinplate Blue Comet used in the “Sopranos” show. Be patient.
The second has Ken Bianco Sr. describing the filming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WruDSmQNsYs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ryMlE296Ys
This comes courtesy of Mike, a fine song born just as the Blue Comet was dying, and sung by the great Ella Fitzgerald.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjyySdw0fOE Germaine to the geography.
I’m so glad everyone’s enjoying this thread, by the way!
AND a reproduction no less. For just a bit more, you could have that train’s VERY BIG BROTHER:
Thanks Penny. Well heck you might as well get both then! Put it on a credit card that way it doesn’t count right?
Ok ‘this is the don’t shoot the messenger segment’… From Mike
Overmod states :
" The Comet gets all the love, but someone should find pictures and stories for that other CNJ name train, the Bullet"
Interesting that E. M. Frimboe when questioned about the coming of ConRail considered that it would be a complete disaster. I suspect, without the passing of the Staggers legislation, it most likely would have been. At the time the video was made there wasn’t any idea that Staggers type legislation was anywhere in the future.
Truman, Hoover, Ike and Einstein hanging out in Jersey
My goodness! Look at those hats on the ladies!
