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New Jersey Railroad Information

20th Century New Jersey Railroads

The golden age of New Jersey railroading. Each of these railroads made a contribution to making New Jersey a one-time manufacturing center and a current transportation and shipping hub.

There are actually two generations railroads that existed in the 20th Century.  The first is the second generation railroads.  These were the companies formed to bring order to the many short lines.  For example, the Central of New Jersey was formed from the first generation Elizabethtown & Somerville,  Wharton & Northern, New Jersey Southern, etc.  These are the railroads that were the largest successes and the ones that, usually, bring the most nostalgia.

The third generation of American railroads were the first round of 'mega mergers'.  In the context of New Jersey, this formed the Erie Lackawanna, Penn Central and Conrail.  Where the earlier mergers where designed to make more money, these were designed to keep the railroad alive.