Jack Cooper Central Railroad of New Jersey Locomotive Engineer by Ron Eskesen

Fellow Dunellenite and NJ Exempt Fireman, Ron Eskesen has submitted the following raw information for a blog on his grandfather, Jack Cooper who was a Central Railroad of New Jersey locomotive engineer.

John and Mary Cooper lived in Dunellen and had 5 children. William A. was a fireman on a Jersey Central tugboat. George was a laborer on the CRR of NJ during WWI 1917-1918. Richard H. was an engineer on the CRR of NJ. John Joseph, Ron's grandfather, was an engineer on the Central Railroad of New Jersey. Daughter Mame was married and a housewife.

Ron's great grandfather John (the elder) supervised the Rice farm in Green Brook that went from Warrenville Rd to Sebrings Mill Rd. Prior to 1899, he was employed as a hostler, moving trains and engines, for the CRR of NJ in the Dunellen roundhouse and yard.

John J. started his career on the CRR of NJ on Jan 1915-Aug 1924 as a fireman in Jersey City, NJ. In August 1924 he was promoted to engineer on the railroad until Dec 1936. He retired April 24, 1959. During his career as a CNJ engineer he ran on the premier train "The Blue Comet" from Jersey City to Atlantic City and return.

Ron has provided of the following photos and captions on his grandfather's career on the CNJ including those from the late Wes Ott's collection except where noted.

New Jersey Central tugboat 'Long Branch' as a sample on which William J Cooper was a fireman

The following are a sample of what the Dunellen Roundhouse looked from the early 1900s to before the grade separation in 1954.

The Dunellen CRR of NJ Roundhouse in a 1907 postcard view. (Fred Heilich collection)

Aerial View of the CNJ Dunellen Roundhouse in 1932. (Fred Heilich collection)

View of the Roundhouse. Unknown date or photographer. (Wes Ott collection)

Dunellen Roundhouse in 1940. (Wes Ott collection)

When Jack Cooper was a child, he and other kids would venture to nearby Middlesex and hang out with heavyweight boxer Bob Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons had a boxing ring in his garage, and the kids would spar with him until he got tired. He would then throw the kids in a large hay pile.

Ron's grandfather recalled Fitzsimmons doing his roadwork and walking his pet Lion along North Ave.

The Fitzsimmons residence on Bound Brook Rd Dunellen, NJ. (Fred Heilich collection)

Following are several of John J Cooper's CNJ service records.

CRR of NJ Form for service rendered prior to January 1937

CRR of NJ Service Record form dated Oct 19, 1942

CNJ Service Record for retirement Feb 10, 1960

CRR of NJ Service Record dated May 2, 1928, for credit marks aiding to rerail Engine #772, April 19, 1928, while off duty

Jack Cooper's photo with his engines appeared in several newspaper articles.

Jack Cooper with friends possibly at E'port, NJ

On or about 1931 Jack Cooper was transferred from Dunellen to E-port in Elizabeth, NJ with his family. The 1930 Census reports that he was an engineer with a city address in Elizabeth, NJ

During the Depression, Jack Cooper made frequent trips through the New Jersey Pine Barrens on the Central RR of New Jersey crack passenger train, 'The Blue Comet, from Jersey City to Atlantic City and return. During that time, he encountered many poor people along the line.

On several occasions, when making the stops along the line to Atlantic City, people would

come up to the engine asking for a bucket of coal to heat their stoves. In return the people would give him and the crew homemade pies. This was a rules violation for which he would have been written up.

One of 'The Blue Comet' premier engines #831 a 4-6-0 in 1929. (Wes Ott collection)

'The Blue Comet' being pulled by #831. Note the train name board under the feedwater heater tank. (Wes Ott collection)

'The Blue Comet' under way.

Jack Cooper was the engineer of 'The Blue Comet' on this day, March 15, 1931

Jack Cooper was the fireman on 'The Blue Comet' on this run on June 11, 1932. He was written up on a Service Record and received a 10-day suspension for failing to have a sufficient water supply causing a delay before leaving Atlantic City.

Given toTB Annin from CNJ Passenger Agent Tomlinson in 1937 at Newark, NJ. Mr. Annin then presented it to CNJ Engineer and noted author Warren B Crater on March 28, 1959. Train shown Engine #831, Baggage Car Barnard, Coach #1 Faye, #2 Darrest, #3 Westphal, #4 DeVico. Photo taken near Hazelet, NJ vouched for by Trainman Edward Grosholtz, circa 1929. This photo was reproduced from Mr. Crater's copy by the Railroadians of America in the mid 1980s. (Reprint copy in Fred Heilich III collection)

In the mid 1940s the US Army took a large tract of land in Edison, NJ and Piscataway, NJ to create the largest troop staging area in the US for WWII. This was the first such installation built. Ron was told that his grandfather Jack Cooper took the first troop out of Camp Kilmer to Jersey City, NJ.

Post WWII Jack Cooper had the honor of carrying the President of Lionel Trains, Joshua Lionel Cowen, in his engine. Mr. Cowen subsequently began putting the names of cities and towns along the CNJ on the sides of the Lional passenger cars. Some of the towns, Plainfield, Westfield, and Cranford, were shown in the catalogs. Unfortunately, one for Dunellen was not created.

After the ride in the engine, Mr. Cown presented him with a miniature gold locomotive tie tack. Ron remembers seeing it as a child and a family member may still have it.

Around 1935 Jack Cooper and family moved back to the Dunellen area. Jack's daughter Mary met Bernard Eskesen. They eventually got married and lived in an apartment over Stanson's Bakery. Eventually the Coopers moved into a duplex in Dunellen and the Eskesen's with young Ron moved into the adjoining unit circa 1940.

This house was about 150 yards from the CNJ Right of Way. When Jack Cooper was working, he would stop his engine and his wife and Ron's mother with Ron in toe would hand up his dinner. The stop was just before the Grove St crossing.

Jack Cooper always liked the Dunellen Rescue Squad. In the 1940s the Rescue Squad was building their new headquarters a few doors down from his home. On weekends he would help the volunteers erect their new building, helping with block and cement work.

The building was dedicated on Sunday December 7th,1941 before the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor broke. He and the Squad members met on Sundays to play cards at the hall.

While Ron's father, Bernie, was in the service, Jack became Ron's father figure. Using his railroad pass and knowing the other engineers and conductors, he frequently took Ron on train trips mostly to the Jersey Shore.

Jack Cooper with his grandson Ronald Eskesen

In the early-1950s before the track elevation in Dunellen, Ron's grandfather asked if he wanted to ride on his engine, and I could bring a friend. Ron had a good friend, Phil Cummings. A date and time were set for the trip. They met Jack Cooper with his engine at Prospect Ave, climbed aboard, and headed West as far as Raritan. The engine was turned, and they returned to Dunellen. It was the trip of a lifetime and talked about for years to come.

In 1953, there was a fatal train accident at the Washington Ave. crossing during a weekday when several high school students tried to get under a stopped train, and several were killed. This was the final push to get the railroad grade separation done through Dunellen. The following newspaper photos show the work underway.

The start of track removal in front of the old CNJ Westbound station

Overhead view of initial trackwork for the start of the grade separation. Taken from the Washinton Ave signal bridge. (ET Wiggins) for Plainfield Courier News. Fred Heilich collection

The process in underway of razing the Dunellen Roundhouse. (ET Wiggins) for the Plainfield Courier News. Fred Heilich collection

The grade separation work was complete enough that the first Budd RDC came into Dunellen on January 24th,1955, with Jack Cooper at the controls. He was greeted by family members and the Dunellen Town Fathers.

Jack Cooper leaning out the engineer's window of his Bril RDC of the first passenger train into Dunellen on the new grade separation.

Jack Cooper greeting his granddaughter Karen, Ron's sister, being held by her father Bernie Eskesen in the Dunellen Rescue Squad jacket.

Dunellen Town Fathers greeting the first train into Dunellen on the elevated tracks. Mayor Joseph Morecraft is center left.

During his time as Fireman and Engineer on the Jersey Central, jack Cooper would have had a set of railroad switch keys for his territory. Following are 4 keys from his collection would have been the ones he used when running 'The Blue Comet'. They are for the NY&LB (New York & Long Branch, CRR of NJ, PRR (Pennsylvania), and P&R (Reading).

On the day of the CNJ Newark Bay Draw Bridge wreck in1958 Jack Cooper took his Passenger train over the Bayonne bridge. He said he took the train over the bridge with no incident. The bridge was open to let a ship pass under it. The bridge never returned to its rail crossing position. The next train p[unged off the bridge into the Newark Bay carrying 48 people to their death.

Cooper always talked about the incident and how lucky he was. He was quite upset for a long time over the loss of life of the passengers and his coworkers.

Ron recalled front pages of newspapers with photos of the passenger coaches being lifted out of the water with several bodies hanging out the windows.

Rumor had it that at the time gamblers played the numbers with the bookies using coach numbers of the fatal coaches shown in the newspapers. The numbers came in and set the bookies back for a while.

The Tri-State Railway Historical Society published a booklet 'The CNJ Bay Draw Wreck Mystery' booklet with photos of the wreck and recovery efforts.

Railroad employees were issued annual passes for use over their road and for travel on other rail lines. Here is one of Jacke Cooper's annual passes effective until December 31, 1979. Also, for his years of service, he was a lifetime Honorary Member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. a copy is also provided.

Front of CNJ Pass and BLE Honorary Member Card

Back of CNJ Pass and BLE Honorary Member Card

On April 27th, 1977, John J Cooper boarded his eternal engine for his Westbound Trip with his hand steady on the throttle for eternity.

Dunellenites John Triolo and Liz Marren-Licht with Images of America published an 'Images of America Dunellen, NJ' book with historical postcards and images of Dunellen through the years. The Family of John J Cooper were honored by having a photo of him on the face cover seen sitting on the front running step of CNJ Camelback #777.