CENTRAL RAILROAD OF NEW JERSEY: The Big Little Railroad: Some Postal History
By John B. Sharkey
The Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) was principally known for bringing anthracite coal from mines in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area of Pennsylvania, and bituminous coal from its western connections, to the New York metropolitan area. It soon had passenger trains running throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania and made connections with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) and the Reading Railroad (RDG). Its branch lines developed throughout the state of New Jersey and were important in servicing the iron mines in the northern part of the state. As the population of the state increased, it became an important commuter line to New York and continues to serve this function today as part of New Jersey Transit. It is no wonder that the line acquired the nickname Big Little Railroad.
