Meet the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians – a knowledgeable, hardworking group of volunteers – Inside Warren’s People of the Week!

Phillipsburg is home to many hidden gems. One of the best hidden and most treasured is a museum of local railroad history. The Phillipsburg Railroad Historians Museum, located directly behind Noto-Wynkoop Funeral Home’s parking lot, is a railroad fan’s dream come true. It’s run, maintained, researched and archived by a dedicated crew of train and track buffs.

Incorporated in April 1990 by Pete Terp, the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians Inc. (PRRH) is a non-profit organization that exists on dues and donations, along with a few state grants to fund construction and upgrades to the grounds and facilities. . Paul Carpenito, president of PRRH, explained, “We are a group, not a club, of railroad enthusiasts, including some ex-railroaders. The entire group knows what they have to do, they’re all working towards the common good. They want to make sure when kids come they have a great day.” And how could they not with miniature railroad rides, full size cars awaiting restoration, a play table, historical artifacts in the museum, as well as railroad magazines and a picnic grove.

The site of the Museum was part of the former Central Railroad of New Jersey Phillipsburg Yard, a servicing facility for locomotives until the 1930s, when it was shut down. The Phillipsburg Railroad Historians currently lease around four acres from NJ Transit and the Town of Phillipsburg. Mr. Carpenito noted that when the group took over the property, “the area was in total disarray.”

The entire Transportation Museum, consisting of the Museum and Gift Shop, the two-track engine house/car shop/restoration building, the massive concrete “coal pocket,” the impressive collection of full-size cars, cabooses, and engines, and, of course, the Centerville & Southwestern miniature railroad, is a work in progress. A juxtaposition of old and new occurs regularly with several working trains rumbling past the quiet old cars.

The entry to the Museum building boasts a hefty “RRR” marble floor inset, from Pennsylvania Railroad’s Greenville-Jersey City terminal. “It was so heavy,” Paul said, “we had to reinforce the floor to put it in place.” He added, “Everything in the museum is donated,” including old magazines, model trains, conductors’ uniforms, lights, seats, and much more. A separate room behind a closed door houses the PRRH Library. It contains many out-of-print books and other hard-to-find publications, perhaps the largest collection of railroad books in the state. Paul explained, “Members are permitted to borrow books and sign them out. Guests may read anything while in the library, but cannot remove them from the museum.”

Ronald Luckock is a longtime model train enthusiast with extensive knowledge in many areas of RR history. When I visited, he manned a table outside the Museum building in recognition of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. He also displayed a model of the Big Boy engine, manufactured between 1941 and 1944, one of the world’s largest steam locomotives, weighing more than one million pounds, and measuring 132 feet, 9-inches long. They ran until 1959, when most were scrapped; however, eight were preserved and displayed around the country. On May 4, 2019, the Big Boy #4014 departed a Union Pacific restoration shop in Cheyenne and headed to Utah as part of a tour to commemorate the Transcontinental Railroad’s 150th anniversary.

A major goal was fulfilled on September 29, 2018, when the eight-year restoration of the Lehigh & Hudson River Caboose #18 (a World War II-era car) was completed and rolled out of the car shop for all to admire. What began as a minor roof stabilization in 2010, became a complete restoration as the caboose needed to be stripped down to its metal frame (due to rotting wood) and completely reconstructed. The 25-ton locomotive’s engine was repaired and started by Chief Mechanical Officer Glenn Terminelli.

Mr. Terminelli’s never-ending project is to “keep everything running.” For now, he’s working on a 1952 General Electric 25 ton switch engine, or “switcher.” It’s a comparatively small diesel engine, generally used in industrial applications to move railroad cars around, a process known as “switching.”

Also in the car shop is the oldest piece of full-size rolling stock known in New Jersey – Lehigh & Hudson River Snow Flanger #105. In 1889 it was used by dairy farmers to transport their product in insulated milk cars. It was converted to a snow flanger in 1913, when blades were installed on the underside to clear snow from the tracks, to prevent wheels from riding up on the top of the rails and derailing the train.

The other beauty currently in the car shop is a 1922 Mack Railbus, belonging to the Lehigh Valley Chapter National Railway Historical Society. Operated by Chestnut Ridge Railroad, it picked up passengers and transported them ten miles down the track to work. Restoration is ongoing while it’s being hosted by PRRH.

The crown jewel of the museum is the Centerville & Southwestern miniature railroad. The small train is an exact replica of a real train, using couplers and air brakes, sounding the horn, operating with authentic signals, and following the Association of American Railroads rulebook. The engineer rides in the front, the conductor rides in the back, and the passengers have a grand time riding the rails.

The Centerville & Southwestern Railroad (also known as the Becker Farm Railroad) was located on the Becker Dairy Farm in Roseland, NJ, and ran from the 1940s to 1972. The US standard railroad gauge (width between the two rails) is 4 feet, 8-1/2 inches. This C&S miniature railway is a 2-inch scale, featuring small diesel locomotives and passenger cars running on a 9-7/16 inch gauge track. Eugene Becker was its creator and operator. When the Becker Farm closed, the railroad was dismantled, with pieces ending up around the country. In 1992, the C&S was acquired by the Town of Phillipsburg with the PRRH as its trustees and it included two miles of track, with ties attached, and all the rolling stock, as well as locomotive #1500 and the larger diesel locomotive #1503.

Mr. Carpenito spoke about the early days of the museum and the miniature railroad saying, “When we started opening up to the public, we charged a modest amount for the train ride, but the Directors quickly realized that we’re on the side of Town where people live their means day to day. Eugene Becker wanted his little train to create joy for families, and our founder Pete Terp wanted that legacy to continue. We then made our train and museum free to the public so that struggling families could have a day out and forget their troubles.”

Since PRRH’s first Open House in 2000, the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians continue to rebuild and operate the C&S equipment, running it on select dates between May and December. Each year, they add a little more to the run, with over 1800 feet of track laid to date, aiming for the ultimate goal of reaching the Delaware River.

The Phillipsburg Railroad Historians were included in the June 2014 issue of “Railpace,” the Northeast’s rail newsmagazine, for their extensive work in preserving Phillipsburg’s transportation heritage. They were honored in a national magazine when they unveiled the fully restored L&HR Caboose #18 in September 2018. They were presented the Phillipsburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s Pride in Phillipsburg award in June 2017. Of their awards and recognitions, Paul said, “We try to be progressive.” He added that volunteerism and service are important to the group, as the PRRH members greet their guests with smiles and share with them their tales of the rails.

HOW TO VISIT

Those interested in visiting the museum, should check for dates at www.PRRH.org. During Phillipsburg’s Old Towne Fest, Friday, June 21, the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians Museum will open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The next Open House is scheduled for Sunday, July 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There’s plenty of free parking and no charge for admission, but donations are accepted at the Ticket Booth and in the Museum.

The Phillipsburg Railroad Historians can be found at 10 Pine Alley in Phillipsburg.

When it comes to the people and happenings of Warren County, you can count on award-winning photographer Cathy Miller to be there to record the moment.