NJ TRANSIT Heritage Fleet and Historic Collections in Statewide, New Jersey

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Statewide, New Jersey · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Rail preservation groupTrain ridesHeritage locomotives run in regular NJ TRANSIT service; there is no museum building

Starting with its 40th anniversary in 2019, NJ TRANSIT dressed several working locomotives in heritage paint schemes honoring the railroads and employees that came before it, turning everyday commuter trains into a rolling history lesson.

  • Heritage paint program began in 2019
  • PRR Tuscan Red on ALP-46A 4636
  • Erie Lackawanna colors on 4519
  • CNJ and NJDOT Bluebird GP40s
  • Ride them on regular trains

NJ TRANSIT Heritage Fleet and Historic Collections at a glance

Hours
Any time the locomotives are in regular service; no set heritage schedule is posted
Admission
A regular NJ TRANSIT fare if you want to ride
Train rides
Regular NJ TRANSIT trains; group fares save up to 25 percent for 8 to 95 riders
Best for
Rail fans, photographers and kids who love spotting locomotives
Best ages
All ages

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to NJ TRANSIT Heritage Fleet and Historic Collections? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Statewide.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Painting the past back onto working engines

NJ TRANSIT celebrated its company-wide 40th anniversary in 2019 and Rail Operations' 40th in 2023, and it marked both by decorating locomotives in the paint schemes of the railroads that came before it. The idea was to honor those predecessor railroads and the employees whose work built today's system.

The schemes reach back across New Jersey's railroad family. The Pennsylvania Railroad's Tuscan Red recalls the GG1 electrics that NJ TRANSIT inherited at its start; one of them, No. 4877, had been painted Tuscan Red in 1981 with help from the Jersey Central Railroad Historical Society, and all were retired by October 1983. The Erie Lackawanna gray, yellow and maroon recalls the 1960 merger of the Erie and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western. The Central Railroad of New Jersey colors and the NJDOT Bluebird scheme recall the era of state-funded, Conrail-operated commuter trains before NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations began in 1983. Another unit honors Conrail itself, which ran New Jersey passenger trains from 1976 to 1983.

Beyond the paint, the agency's history lives on in other ways. When NJ TRANSIT moved its headquarters from One Penn Plaza in Newark to Two Gateway in December 2024, it donated a large collection of historical records, photographs and operating artifacts to the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey for long-term care. And in 1984, 53 NJ TRANSIT stations were placed on the state and national historic registers as a group for their architecture and history.

The heritage roster to watch for

ALP-46A No. 4636, built by Bombardier in 2010 and wrapped in Pennsylvania Railroad Tuscan Red in September 2019, runs on any line with overhead electric wires. ALP-45DP No. 4519, a 2011 dual-power locomotive in Erie Lackawanna colors, can run on nearly every line. GP40PH-2 No. 4109, built by EMD in 1968 as Jersey Central No. 3677, wears its as-delivered CNJ scheme and usually works the Morristown, Montclair-Boonton, Main, Bergen and Pascack Valley Lines.

Its sister, GP40PH-2 No. 41O1, was repainted in September 2022 in the NJDOT Bluebird scheme it wore from 1978 to 1981, complete with a capital letter O in place of the zero, as Conrail did at the time. NJ TRANSIT's heritage page tells the story of each unit, including the Conrail tribute locomotive.

Don’t miss

  1. ALP-46A No. 4636, Pennsylvania RailroadTuscan Red in tribute to the GG1, the most famous electric engine ever to run in New Jersey.
  2. ALP-45DP No. 4519, Erie LackawannaA dual-power locomotive in the classic gray, yellow and maroon of the 1960s and 70s.
  3. GP40PH-2 No. 4109, Central Railroad of New JerseyOne of 13 GP40Ps bought for the Jersey Central in 1968, back in the colors it wore when new.
  4. GP40PH-2 No. 41O1, NJDOT BluebirdNote the letter O in its number, a faithful detail from Conrail days.

A locomotive scavenger hunt

For train-loving kids, turning a station visit into a hunt for the heritage engines is a cheap and memorable outing. Watch for the red 4636 under the wires, the gray, yellow and maroon 4519, or the Bluebird-scheme 41O1 on diesel lines. Because these are working trains, they follow service needs rather than a posted heritage schedule, so treat any sighting as a lucky bonus.

Plan your visit: tips for NJ TRANSIT Heritage Fleet and Historic Collections

  • Electric 4636 works lines with overhead wires; diesel and dual-power units roam more widely.
  • Look for 4109 on the Morristown, Montclair-Boonton, Main, Bergen and Pascack Valley Lines.
  • Group trips of 8 to 95 people must be booked at least three weeks ahead.
  • Photograph from station platforms and stay behind the safety lines.

Railroaders honoring railroaders

NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations crews painted and wrapped these locomotives to honor the predecessor railroads and employees behind today's system. The agency's donated archive now rests with the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey, a volunteer nonprofit that welcomes members and donors who want to help preserve it.

Where to see historic equipment standing still

The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey in Boonton cares for NJ TRANSIT's donated archive and New Jersey's core historic fleet. The Maywood Station Museum preserves an 1872 depot, and the Whippany Railway Museum runs vintage trains in season. See every New Jersey train museum.

Every train museum in New Jersey

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

A regular commuter train painted in old railroad colors feels like a surprise tucked into an everyday trip. That is how Rally packs in our book: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, the ordinary favorites that make a trip feel special. My kids pack their own little bags whenever we talk about trains. If yours do too, our train books for toddlers list might help fill them.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at NJ TRANSIT Heritage Fleet and Historic Collections?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

NJ TRANSIT heritage locomotives: 20 questions

What are the NJ TRANSIT heritage locomotives?

They are working NJ TRANSIT locomotives painted in the schemes of earlier railroads. Starting with the agency's 40th anniversary in 2019 and continuing through Rail Operations' 40th in 2023, NJ TRANSIT decorated several units to honor the predecessor railroads and employees that make up its system.

Is there an NJ TRANSIT railroad museum?

No. NJ TRANSIT does not run a museum building. Its heritage collection is a set of locomotives in regular service, plus a heritage page online. In 2024 it donated historical records, photographs and artifacts to the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey, which preserves them in Boonton.

Which NJ TRANSIT locomotive is painted like the Pennsylvania Railroad?

ALP-46A No. 4636, built by Bombardier in 2010, was wrapped in Pennsylvania Railroad Tuscan Red in September 2019. The scheme honors the GG1 electric locomotives that NJ TRANSIT inherited and retired by October 1983. The 4636 runs on any NJ TRANSIT line with overhead electric wires.

Which NJ TRANSIT locomotive is in Erie Lackawanna colors?

ALP-45DP No. 4519, a dual-power locomotive built by Bombardier in 2011, wears Erie Lackawanna gray, yellow and maroon, applied in 2019. Because it runs on both electric and diesel power, it can turn up on nearly every NJ TRANSIT line.

What is NJ TRANSIT locomotive 4109?

No. 4109 is a GP40PH-2 built by EMD in 1968 as Central Railroad of New Jersey GP40P No. 3677, one of 13 bought with NJDOT funding. Repainted in its original CNJ colors in September 2019, it usually runs on the Morristown, Montclair-Boonton, Main, Bergen and Pascack Valley Lines.

What is the NJ TRANSIT Bluebird locomotive?

GP40PH-2 No. 41O1 was repainted in September 2022 in the NJDOT Bluebird scheme it wore from 1978 to 1981, honoring the years when NJDOT funded and Conrail operated commuter trains. Its number uses a capital letter O instead of a zero, matching Conrail practice at the time.

Why does NJ TRANSIT 41O1 have a letter O in its number?

When the locomotive wore the NJDOT Bluebird scheme in the Conrail era, its number was displayed with a capital letter O in place of the numeral zero, consistent with Conrail practice. NJ TRANSIT kept that detail when it restored the scheme in 2022.

Does NJ TRANSIT have a Conrail heritage locomotive?

Yes. NJ TRANSIT's heritage roster includes a locomotive honoring Conrail, which operated passenger trains throughout New Jersey from 1976 to 1983 and was the immediate corporate predecessor to NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations. Its details are on the agency's heritage page.

How can I ride behind an NJ TRANSIT heritage locomotive?

Buy a regular NJ TRANSIT ticket and ride the lines where the units work. The agency does not publish a heritage schedule, since the locomotives go wherever service needs them. Electric 4636 stays under the wires, while 4519 and the GP40s cover diesel routes.

What happened to NJ TRANSIT's GG1 locomotives?

NJ TRANSIT inherited several Pennsylvania Railroad style GG1 electric locomotives when it formed. One, No. 4877, was painted Tuscan Red in 1981 with help from the Jersey Central Railroad Historical Society. All of the GG1s were retired by October 1983, during the railroad's first year of operation.

Where did NJ TRANSIT's historical archive go?

When NJ TRANSIT moved its headquarters from One Penn Plaza in Newark to Two Gateway in December 2024, it donated a large collection of historical records, photographs and operational artifacts to the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey for long-term preservation.

Are NJ TRANSIT stations historic?

Many are. In 1984, 53 NJ TRANSIT stations were entered into the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places as a group, known as the Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource, for their architectural, historical and cultural value.

When did NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations begin?

NJ TRANSIT Rail Operations began in 1983, taking over commuter rail service that NJDOT had funded and Conrail had operated since 1976. The agency marked Rail Operations' 40th anniversary in 2023 as part of its heritage locomotive program.

Is spotting NJ TRANSIT heritage locomotives fun for kids?

Yes. A heritage locomotive hunt turns a station visit or a short train ride into an adventure for young train fans. There is no guarantee which engine will appear, so keep it relaxed, bring a camera and celebrate any sighting of the Tuscan Red, Erie Lackawanna, Jersey Central or Bluebird engines.

Can I take a group on NJ TRANSIT?

Yes. Groups of 8 to 95 can save up to 25 percent on rail trips and up to 13 percent on light rail for same-day round trips, with at least one adult for every 10 children. Reservations must be made at least three weeks ahead through NJ TRANSIT Group Sales.

Can I rent an NJ TRANSIT train car or excursion train?

Yes. Groups of 96 to 440 people need a rail car rental, and larger groups can book an entire excursion train. Rail car rentals are not allowed on the Northeast Corridor. Contact NJ TRANSIT Group Sales for details and pricing.

Where can I see photos of NJ TRANSIT heritage locomotives?

NJ TRANSIT's heritage page tells the story of each unit, and the agency shares news on its Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X accounts. Rail fans also photograph the heritage engines across the system, so they show up often in online rail photo galleries.

Where is NJ TRANSIT headquartered?

NJ TRANSIT's headquarters is at Two Gateway, 283-299 Market Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102, where it moved from One Penn Plaza in December 2024. There is no public heritage exhibit there; the heritage collection lives on the rails and online.

How can I help preserve New Jersey transit history?

Support the volunteer groups that preserve it. The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey cares for NJ TRANSIT's donated archive and dozens of historic cars and locomotives in Boonton, and it welcomes members, volunteers and donors. Local museums such as the Maywood Station Museum need help too.

What train museums are near NJ TRANSIT's Newark headquarters?

The Maywood Station Museum is about 12 miles away, the Paterson Museum about 13 miles, the Whippany Railway Museum about 14 miles and the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey about 17 miles. The New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn is about 10 miles.

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