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The Camden & Amboy Railroad (C&A) - New Jersey Prototype railroading
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Regular poster 363 posts cslewis Regular poster 363 posts
cslewis

I'd kind of like to think of this as a "What if?" type of post. For those that have read my post,

"A tale of three bridges." While that post mainly covers the rail structure across the Rancocas Creek and a bit of the early history of the C&A. The "What if" part I'm wondering about is: Let's just suppose that the Pennsylvania Railroad had not bothered to lease the C&A, and it had gone on to become a class 1 railroad on it's own? What would be the paint colors of the line be today? Would they have purchased the large road diesels of today,
or stayed in the neighbor of road switchers?  "What if"  the fortunes of the C&A were reversed and it had leased the PRR instead? This could go in so many different directions. Would there have been a Penn Central RR or Conrail?

 Just something to think about.

 

Charlie
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peter-f Prolific poster 1,534 posts
peter-f

C&A vs CNJ ?? or C&A + CNJ ??

The CNJ, if I'm correct, was a response to the C&A 900-year-lease... the Pols wanted a New Jersey based RR to serve the state. 

New York had the Erie (out of Jersey City!), PA had the PRR, and the CNJ would link the cities of New Jersey, and almost deny the service to into New Jersey at Trenton.  As well as deny service on to Newark or Jersey City by the PRR!  Harborside Terminal [PRR]  would have been entirely different, had the C&A merged with the CNJ...

just an example of "coulda... "
- regards

Peter
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ctxmf74 Super User 15,984 posts
ctxmf74

 "Would they have purchased

Quote:

 "Would they have purchased the large road diesels of today,
or stayed in the neighbor of road switchers?  "

Short lines seem to be heading in the direction of genset or other types of  green engines......DaveB 

1990.jpg 
Read my blog
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cslewis Regular poster 363 posts
cslewis

Short line

Dave,

While my post seems a bit disjointed. The "what if" still remains.

A. Suppose the C&A had leased the PRR? Instead of the PRR leasing the C&A.

By todays standards the C&A would be considered a short line.

B. But if the C&A had become a class 1 railroad, then what?

C. Then there's the matter of paint color, which could be totally off the wall for all I know.

 

Charlie
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