Railroad & Transportation Festival – Boonton

Aug. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- It’s FREE !!! The event is held is rain or shine – most of it is indoors where it is air conditioned.

You are invited to join the United Railroad Historical Society of NJ aka URHS as they celebrate New Jersey’s rich transportation history. The festival will take place in and around the URHS’s restoration facility located at 100 Morris Avenue in Boonton, New Jersey.

See the largest electric locomotives that ever operated in NJ (PRR #4877 at right), the Pennsylvania RR’s famous 1930’s vintage streamlined GG-1s. They were the giants of the rails and everyday they traveled over 100mph between New York City and Washington DC on some of the world’s most famous trains!

See a variety of vintage diesel locomotives, passenger cars and freight cars. Some have been beautifully restored while others await restoration in the future.

In the massive 1906 restored and air conditioned railroad freight house next to the railroad exhibits will be exhibits, railroad memorabilia sales tables, free newsletters, and most important exciting multi-media presentations on New Jersey’s railroads.

Hear from former railroad employees who reveal what it was like working on the railroad more than half a century ago as well as see shows by local railroad historians in the comfort of the magnificent old freight house.

A special feature will be presentations by New Jersey Transit on their Operation Lifesaver program for kids and adults that will run for 20 minutes each hour. Kids will get free coloring books and listen to an exciting presentation.

Want More? On display at the museum will be antique trucks, fire engines, buses, and military vehicles.

This railroad equipment restoration facility is normally closed to the public and the last time it was open for a public event was three years ago!

PARKING
Free parking in the Boonton Municipal Parking Lot along Division Street east of Main Street at the old railroad station. A vintage bus will shuttle visitors between the parking lots and the festival or you may walk to it on the sidewalks. The festival is less than one block west of Main Street on Morris Avenue, but there is no parking on Morris Avenue.

An overflow lot is at the New Jersey Transit railroad station on the southbound roadway (Myrtle Avenue extension) to I-287 southbound. There is, however on-street meter parking on Main Street.

DIRECTIONS

Coming from the south: On I-287 get off at the Main Street exit (44). Once on Main Street cross over the railroad tracks on the overhead bridge. At the Division Street traffic light turn right. The parking lot is a very short distance (476 feet) on the right at the old railroad station. GPS: 175 Division Street, Boonton, NJ 07005.

Coming from the north: On I-287 get off at the Myrtle Avenue exit (45). Turn left on Myrtle Avenue (US RT 202). Continue for 0.8 mile. Take the second right onto North Main Street (RT 511). Take the first right onto Division Street. The parking lot is a very short distance (476 feet) on the right at the old railroad station. GPS: 175 Division Street, Boonton, NJ 07005.

To learn more about the URHS and this event visit http://www.urhs.org/

Contact: Frank Reilly, President
United Railroad Historical Society of NJ Inc.
FTR4444@hotmail.com