More Jersey-style eye candy

NJ Transit has wrapped and painted numerous locomotives to reflect its heritage, commemorate significant service dates, honor the armed forces and recognize New Jersey businesses and social concerns. This “eye candy” makes the daily commute a bit more fun, not knowing how the next locomotive into the station will be decorated. Beyond the images presented in the September 2024 Trains, following is more Jersey-style eye candy for your consideration.

We salute you Armed Forces

1. — In 2021, the annual Army-Navy football game was to be played in the New Jersey Meadowlands at Met Life Stadium. To honor the occasion, NJ Transit wrapped ALP45 No. 4502 with a salute to the armed services. The unit features a two-tone blue paint job with lettering that states: “NJ Transit salutes our Armed Services.” Each side is slightly different, but both are adorned with an artist’s rendition of the American Flag, circular shields honoring all service branches, and a large Bald Eagle head. I like to call this unit “the screaming eagle” because another Bald Eagle with wings spread and talons coming at you adorns the locomotive’s nose. No. 4502 was among the locomotives that lead trains to Met Life Stadium for the 2021 game.

2. — The front of ALP45 carries a patriotic rendition of the “screaming” Bald Eagle.

3. — The U.S. flag detail on front left side of No. 4502, the NJ Transit Salute to Military unit. Another U.S. flag is displayed on the locomotive’s right side, but to the rear of the unit.

Modified speed blur

4. — NJ Transit No. 4213 is one of two GP40-PH-2s wearing a different version of the multi-color horizontal speed blur. Nos. 4213 and 4205 gained the modified color scheme during a light rebuild at American Motive Power (Danville, N.Y.) in 2009. No additional locomotives were rebuilt under this program.

From New York to New Jersey and back

5. — While Metro North is mainly thought of as the New York-based commuter service, it has 15 units assigned service west of the Hudson River. These locomotive are contributions to NJ Transit trains that venture into New York state. They include seven GP40 car bodies with a specific paint scheme stemming from a rebuild at Motive Power Industries in Boise, Idaho. The other eight are F40s (shown here) in a slightly different scheme, that were rebuilt by Progress Rail, in Paducah, Ky. Normally, these 15 units are assigned to trains beginning or ending in New York state, however, on any given day one might  be found on an assignment that leads to another lines, especially those out of Hoboken, N.J.

NJ Transit Heritage

6. — In 2023, NJ Transit added an Erie heritage unit to its fleet. GP40PH-2B No. 4210 was rolled out wearing an Erie black-and-yellow paint scheme. In its time, the Erie operated on what are now the NJ Transit Bergen County, Southern Tier, and Pascack Valley lines, including portions of the Main and Montclair-Boonton lines.

The locomotive is a former Penn Central GP40 dating to 1968. It was rebuilt by Conrail.

7. & 8. — While the older GP units accept heritage paint schemes, it is difficult to apply vinyl-wrap graphics to them because of all the doors along the hood. The newer Bombardier ALP45 and 46 models have smoother sides, which are better suited for large-scale graphic wraps. Celebrating two predecessors, ALP45DP No. 4519 was wrapped in the gray, maroon, and yellow of the Erie Lackawanna, while ALP46 No. 4636 took on the Tuscan Red and gold pinstripes of the reminiscent Pennsylvania Railroad.

There are many more ideas for paint schemes and wraps that could be applied to NJ Transit locomotives. The production cost of such graphic displays will play a significant role in when and which locomotive is dressed beyond the standard scheme. For now, however, NJ Transit has plenty of variety roaming its system to keep commuting in the Garden State visually interesting.

For more of Bob Bahr’s NJ Transit photography, please see the September 2024 Trains Magazine.