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The Jersey City TerminalJersey City Terminal (JCT) was the Central Railroad of New Jersey's impressive station that sat on the Hudson River waterfront across from downtown Manhattan and New York City. JCT was also quite likely Jersey Central’s most famous railroad station as it stood over three stories tall with a beautiful centered bell tower. Today, the station still stands and has been partially preserved as the Liberty State Park. However, train service has long ago since ended and today JCT is devoid of railroad tracks, save for its train sheds which still stand but are severely deteriorated and in serious need of repair and maintenance.
The Central Railroad of New Jersey has gone by a number of different names from CRRNJ and CNJ to Jersey Central and the aforementioned. Regardless of its many names the CNJ was a New Jersey institution for years although it was only regional in operation and was, at its peak, only 711 miles in length. The Jersey Central served much of New Jersey along with northwestern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. via a partnership with the B&O. The demise of the CNJ was the result of a number of factors including a region too saturated with railroads, stiff government regulation, and markets already served by more efficient competitors (such as the Penn Central). However, for all of these setbacks it did not help that the railroad was taxed so stiffly by the State of New Jersey that this also ultimately led to the railroad’s bankruptcy and inclusion into Conrail in 1976. Jersey City Terminal was one of these impressive waterfront stations, and along with the DL&W’s Hoboken Terminal is the last of its kind still standing. Built in 1889 in what was called Communipaw Cove in Jersey City by the architectural firm Peabody & Stearns of Boston the building was a Victorian Era-style and featured an ornate red-brick exterior, sloped roofs, and third-story dormers with a centered bell tower and clock facing Manhattan. The interior featured a more-or-less cathedral ceiling design with open trusses decorated in a sunburst style. Jersey City Terminal was expanded in the early 20th century to include more ferry slips but perhaps the building’s most impressive feature was its train shed that stretched over a football field in width by over two more in length (nearly 400 feet wide by over 800 feet long). All in all, along with a substantial yard and staging tracks leading up to the station, Jersey City Terminal was a very beautiful building that one would have thought was built by a prominent railroad but the CNJ never reached more than a few hundred miles in length at its largest.
The Jersey Central was, of course, a small railroad in comparison to most other classic fallen flags. However, for her small size she boasted a number of achievements and feats including the first commercially successful diesel locomotive, an impressive four-track Newark Bay Bridge connecting Elizabethport and Bayonne, The Blue Comet (the CNJ's most successful and famous passenger train connecting Jersey City with Atlantic City), and a four track main line that stretched from Jersey City to Raritan, NJ. Today, save for the terminal herself and its train shed little evidence remains of the once sprawling railroad operations that went on along the Jersey City waterfront known as Communipaw Cove. The tracks have long since been taken up and the terminal itself was purchased by the state in 1967 after the CNJ fell into bankruptcy (the CNJ pulled out of Jersey City altogether in 1974 due to stifling taxes imposed by the city). Today, the track area is now an expansive lawn and golf course with the terminal part of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island park complex. Being that railroad tracks are still just a few hundred yards away from the terminal it has been suggested that perhaps one day, particularly as highways become more congested and we look for “greener” ways to travel that commuter service will return to the terminal. While this may never happen at least this beautiful building has been preserved for future generations to appreciate its architectural exquisiteness. For more information on the Jersey City Terminal please click here to visit the Liberty State Park’s website.
One other book of interest is Kevin Holland's Classic American Railroad Terminals. While Mr. Solomon's book looks at depots and stations, large and small, found across the country Holland's work looks only at America's most famous and best remembered terminals. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.
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