Photos of the Weehawken Rail/Ferry Terminal - 1930s
Item
- Title
- Photos of the Weehawken Rail/Ferry Terminal - 1930s
- Description
- These photos, as well as the description below, were posted on the www.railfan.net site by 'waterlevel,' the moderator of the forum which deals with the New York Central's Marine Operations: Photographed from the Weehawken bluffs the photos were taken in the late 1930's. The Rochester is seen in the ferry slip and two New York Central tugboats are approaching the yards in the middle of the first photo. Just below the large smokestack is a dark building that was the Public Service trolley shed. To the left was where Railway Express operated out of. On the upper left were where the railroad boxcars waited to be loaded onto the car floats and beneath them are the New York Central passenger cars for the West Shore Line. There was a diner located in the trolley shed and just up the street was a place for the workmen to buy their work clothes. Inside the railroad terminal was a large waiting room with long wooden benches and a news stand that sold newspapers, magazines, candy and other items to the commuters. It was run by the Union News Company. Within a few years this terminal was critical to the WWII effort in moving tanks, artillery, ambulances, jeeps, duce and a halfs and other war material to waiting ships in the Port of New York. Many Army personnel saw their last of America from this spot since the trains brought them from New York State through New Jersey and then by ferry to the troop transports. In four years the ferries would be the in the transport loop once again by ferrying prisoners of war to the holding camps in New York. In 1927 the ferries carried 27,044,102 people crossing the Hudson by ferry. By 1954 the number had dropped to 429,588 people. The ferries closed down in 1959.
- Subject
- WHC88152
- Date
- 1930
- Type
- OT
- Identifier
- WHC88152
- Coverage
- Weehawken, NJ [40.7663711,-74.02537149999999]
- Tag
- Railroad
- Waterfront
- Rights
- This digital image may be used for educational or scholarly purposes without restriction. Commercial and other uses of the item are prohibited without prior written permission from the Weehawken Historical Commission.
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