James Truex Campaign Train on the M&NJ
September 24, 1960
by John Deserto
photos by Richard Cobb & Bill Grohoski
The election season of 1960 was truly
historic. Eisenhower's Vice-President, Richard Nixon was locked in a very tight
race with John Kennedy in an election for the Presidency. In a race for
Congress' 28th District, Democrat James Truex was running against incumbent Republican
Katherine St. George. Truex sponsored a Campaign train on the M&NJ, which
was the first passenger train on the line in 20 years in order
to drum up support in a traditionally Republican area. Candidate
Truex played to the crowds that gathered along the line by calling
on the Federal Government to help support the rehabilitation of
American Railroads, particularly the commuter lines. He also noted
his opponents statement that compared railroads to the Pony Express.
The train stopped at Amchir Heights, Slate Hill and Westtown for
brief speeches. In Unionville, the end of the line in 1960, the
approximately 200 excursionists detrained and a political rally
was held with flags, bunting, hotdogs and soda. Passengers not
only included the general public but a half dozen leaders and
candidates from the Democratic Party and Pat Zawaski the reigning
Onion Harvest Festival Queen and her court who appeared at Truex's
side on the caboose while making speeches.
Several contests were held
on the train. The first was a contest to see who had the best
"Gay 90's" period costume. This was judged by Mrs. Kevin
McCarthy who played Tracy Malone on the TV soap opera "Young
Dr. Malone". Eleven year old Dee Ann Bogdanski won the $10
prize. Another contest sponsored by Candidate Truex included the
dozens of photographers that captured the event on film. It is
not currently known who won this contest. What is known is that
Truex lost.
This train was historic as it was the first passenger
train on the line in 20 years. The last passenger train was the
M&U's Brill car that was annulled in June 1940 when the new
High School in Middletown opened and the students from towns along
the railroad were bussed.
(Left Photo) In 1960, Rich Cobb
enjoyed a unique excursion on the M&NJ. He and a friend captured the event
and have allowed us to relive this experience also through the photo's they
took that day. We see Rich here on the platform of the M&NJ's 44 tonner #1.
It is still in its original black and white paint scheme that it wore as M&U
#1. It has been said that the masks for the white stripes came from the
O&W's 44 tonners and used upside down. A beautiful day and a great train,
Rich seems to appreciate this moment as we all would.
Rich saved his
ticket
from the trip. Even though the M&U had been gone as a
corporate entity since 1948, the name still appears on the ticket.
Two 18 year old railfans
named Rich Cobb and Bill Grohoski were aboard for the trip from
Middletown to Unionville and return. They enjoyed the M&NJ's
44 Tonner #1, two borrowed Erie (soon to be Erie Lackawanna) Stillwell
coaches #2175, #2345 and Erie caboose C238. Rich Cobb scanned
these pictures and has shared them with us. We thank you Rich.
The special
is getting ready for its 11AM departure from the East Main
St. station in Middletown bound for Unionville. The only modifications
the new owners of the M&NJ made to the #1, after purchasing
the line in 1948, what to paint out the Middletown and Unionville name
on the cab and substitute the initials M&NJ. Interestingly
the M&NJ owners had purchased the 44 tonner new in
1946...before
they purchased the railroad. Manning, Simmons and Clark, the
M&NJ's first owners, had several feed outlets along the line
and purchased the engine and then the whole railroad to insure
service to their feed business'. The old 1922 railbus shed is
now serving as the diesels home. While cramped (as can be seen
with the doors wide open) the building was conveniently located
next to the East Main St. station, which served as the offices
for the line and was easy to heat in the winter.
The excursion made stops in towns along
the line, allowing candidate Truex to stump for support. Here
we see the train stopped for the
crowd in Westtown on its way south to Unionville. While the
candidate was speaking off the rear of the caboose, the engine
crew seemed to be enjoying this outing and the attention of the
photographers. The white flags on the front hood, passenger cars
and the people milling around all make this an unusual photo
of the M&NJ, as it is this companies 1st passenger train.
A few years later scenes like this would become much more common
when a new set of owners of the M&NJ RAILWAY began
operating excursions for the Empire State Railway Museum using
the #1 and an old logging locomotive, the 103. The large feed
elevator at right was owned by the Ford family. This building
was destroyed in a spectacular 2 day fire in
July 1964.
For those who are appalled by the weed
growth along the M&NJ today, note that weed killing has never
been the focus of the M&NJ's ownership. The same could be
said for the M&U and MU&WG in earlier eras.
While a little fuzzy, this is one of
the very few shots of the Unionville station's
north elevation which held the freight room. This station
and the one in Middletown were the only original Middletown,
Unionville and Water Gap stations that survived. It went through
several remodelings throughout its lifetime but the scrapping
of the NYS&W's Hanford Branch in 1958 doomed the station.
It was sold off then taken down.
This
shot from
the roof of the Erie caboose shows the train from the rear.
The street to the right is Railroad Ave. in Unionville as the
train seems to have just pulled in. Another mile down the tracks
are the remains of Hanford Jct. where the M&U/M&NJ interchanged
with the NYS&W at the NY-NJ boarder. The Hanford Branch was
ripped out in 1958 and caused the M&NJ and the GLF feed outlets
in Sussex, Westtown and Middletown to suffer. The large building
on the left has a various times served as a creamery and a silk
mill. This building is still standing in Unionville today.
The
crew seems
to be inspecting the front (note the "F" on the
frame) truck on the #1 while they stopped off in Unionville.
The man in the top hat is candidate Truex, no doubt wondering
what might happen if a mechanical malfunction strands all these
potential voters in town. Bill Grohoski, in dark shirt and light
colored pants standing beside Truex, was Rich Cobb's partner
on this trip. The conveyor to the right seems to indicate the
former creamery/silk mill is getting some kind of rail service.
The excursionists are
detraining
in Unionville to enjoy the Fall weather and a rally for Candidate
Truex. Rich Cobb is in the foreground, obviously enjoying the
trip. The merger between the Erie and the Lackawanna is still
a few weeks in the future, it will be sometime before this Dunmore
caboose looses its Erie paint.
(Above) After reloading everyone back onto the
train in Unionville, the #1 shoved the
consist back to Westtown in order to allow the engine to
run around the consist. The runaround in Unionville had been
removed at this time. The building at the right was originally
the Pounds and Thorn Creamery. In its heyday, Westtown boasted
2 creameries and the Ford feed-lumber concern.
Additional photo's of this Campaign
train can be found in the New Jersey Midlands newsletter The
Midlander, Vol.1, #3 and #4, page 12
and 3 respectively. Additional facts are from the Middletown
Daily Record, Monday, September 26, 1960; page 1 and 25.
Additional photo's of this excursion
would gladly be added as well as any additional information or
corrections.
Thanks to Rich Cobb and Peter Brill
for providing additional information.
