NEC Plaque Dedication
June 10th 2007 12:00 am
On Thursday, a plaque commemorating the high-speed rail tests performed in New Jersey in the 1960’s will be dedicated at the Princeton Junction train station. The dedication is open to the public. Following are details and the wording of the plaque (click on the image for a larger version).
Note that the United Aircraft TurboTrain was tested at 170 mph almost 40 years ago. The fastest trains operating in the U.S. today hit 150 mph, and only 135 mph in New Jersey. So much for progress.
As some of you are aware, the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society has arranged for the placement of a bronze plaque at the Princeton Junction, NJ station (eastward inbound waiting room), to commemorate the beginning of high speed rail transportation in North America. This message is to invite you to attend the unveiling which will take place at 1:30 PM on Thursday, June 14, 2007, a little more than 40 years after the first record speed was set. The plaque will not only recognize the technical achievements of the program, but also those individuals whose work and dedication made it happen. The wording of the commemorative plaque is shown in the attachment to this message.
Three speed records for rail passenger equipment were established at Princeton Junction in the late 1960s by the four US Department of Transportation Test Cars, a United Aircraft Corporation TurboTrain, and all of the original Budd built Westinghouse Electric and General Electric Metroliner cars as they operated on the test track between New Brunswick and Trenton, NJ.
Employees of many organizations played significant roles in achieving these milestones in rail transportation history as well as by supporting and reporting them with technical articles and papers. The organizations that have contributed towards making this plaque possible are, The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society, the Penn Central Historical Society, Bombardier (representing Budd, Westinghouse and Pullman Standard), LTK Engineering Services, and NJ Transit.
We have lost contact with many of our old friend and associates who worked on the NEC programs, and ask that you please pass the word of this event to invite all those whom you feel have an interest in this matter.
We hope to see you on Thursday, June 14!
Bob Watson
