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New Jersey circa 1900. "Bergen Tunnel, east end." The Detroit Photographic Special on the tracks. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size.
This "Bergen Tunnel" seems also been called the "Lackawanna Tunnel?" Or is that a mistake, I could find no other source than the caption of the postcard in the link.
I wondered why the portal to the, older, North tube looks so new in the "Tunnel Vision" photo from bluegrassboy, that is because this tunnel has rather recently (starting june 2001) been reconstructed during a performed "rehabilitation program," in order to solve a water leakage problem. If you look carefully you will see that the height has been altered too. That is because:
"It was also essential to improve the vertical clearance in the North Tube to garner a larger air gap between the electrified catenary system and the structure ceiling as well as to accommodate the new double deck passenger cars that [were] being added to NJ Transit’s fleet."
I know a conductor had other jobs on a train, but I wonder how often he walked through the car and checked Mr. Jackson's ticket?
All this time, I thought the DPC Special ran at the end of a regular train, like most private cars. But that would have precluded stopping at will when the light was right or the inspiration struck.
Forget about having to develop your own glass plates! Imagine not being able to pull over to the side at will when you see a good shot! (Unless, like Detroit Publishing, you had the resources to lease your own 4-4-0 American, complete with crew. And possibly [??] signal priority!)
re: LouK's comment: it's surprising that NJ Transit (the operator since 1983,) let the trains run through at speed while you were evacuating passengers.
Shorpy has a beautiful view of this same train movement at the east end of the Manunka Chunk tunnel. Of interest to railfans only: that car, lettered Lackawanna, has M&E in small letters for Morris & Essex.
Bergen Tunnel Accident
About twenty years ago, I worked a car fire in that tunnel, as a member of an EMS crew. Most of the passengers were able to walk up the emergency stairs near the Lincoln Tunnel, but there were a few that were injured. We waited in the area where that work shack is in the picture. We transported them as they were brought out on a diesel engine, the power was off in that tube. The other tracks were not closed and the trains came through at speed.
It has not changed all that much since that picture. There is a second tube and it is all electrified now.
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