Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Communipaw Terminal
Former Central Railroad of New Jersey station
The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal at Liberty State Park in 2013
Location	Liberty State Park Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
History
Closed	April 30, 1967
Electrified	No
Former services
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Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Hudson County, New Jersey Show map of Hudson County, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Liberty State Park Jersey City, New Jersey
Area	63 acres (25 ha)
Built	1889
Architect	William H. Peddle, Peabody & Stearns
Architectural style	Richardsonian Romanesque
NRHP reference No.	75001138
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	September 12, 1975

The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, also known as Communipaw Terminal, was a very important train station in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was built in 1889 and replaced an older station from 1864. This busy terminal operated for 78 years, closing its doors on April 30, 1967.

Many different train companies used this terminal. These included the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ), the Reading Railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

This terminal was one of five large train stations along the Hudson Waterfront. These stations were like gateways to New York City. Today, only the Hoboken Terminal is still used for trains.

The main building of the terminal has been fixed up and is now part of Liberty State Park. It is recognized as a special historic place. It was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Exploring the Historic Terminal

The outdoor clock at Central New Jersey Terminal

The concourse at Communipaw Terminal

The terminal is located inside Liberty State Park. It stands as a reminder of a time when many immigrants arrived in the United States. About 10.5 million people entered the country through this station. It was a major entry point through the Port of New York and New Jersey.

The area is called Communipaw. This name comes from the Lenape language. It means "big landing place at the side of a river." The land where the train yards were built was once water. It was filled in to create space for the tracks.

The terminal is next to the Morris Canal Big Basin. This canal was an older way to transport goods. But trains eventually became more popular. The long road leading to the terminal is now called Audrey Zapp Drive. It is named after an environmentalist who helped create Liberty State Park.

The main building of the terminal has a special design. It is in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. This style uses strong, heavy stone and rounded arches. The terminal had many platforms and places for ferries. Passengers would walk from the trains to the main waiting room. From there, they could go to the upper level or catch a ferry.

The ferry slips have also been restored. However, the old train sheds are no longer there. These sheds were built in 1914 and were the largest of their kind. They once covered 12 platforms and 20 tracks.

Train and Ferry Services

Train Connections

The Communipaw Terminal was one of several huge train stations. These stations were important for connecting New Jersey to New York City. Today, only the Hoboken Terminal is still active.

Trains from Communipaw Terminal headed southwest. To reach the terminal, trains had to cross difficult areas. These included the Hackensack River and the Hackensack Meadowlands. The Central Railroad of New Jersey built the CRRNJ Newark Bay Bridge to reach Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Today, parts of the old train routes are used by the Hudson Bergen Light Rail. This light rail system helps people travel around Hudson County.

Ferry Boats

Central Railroad of New Jersey's Liberty Street Ferry Terminal in New York City, around 1900

The main ferry route from the terminal crossed the North River (now called the Hudson River). These ferries went to Liberty Street Ferry Terminal in Manhattan. There was also service to 23rd Street in Manhattan for a while.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad also used the terminal. They had ferries for their luxury Royal Blue passengers. These ferries went to Whitehall Terminal. This service ended in 1905. Before the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened, there were also boats to Brooklyn and Staten Island. Other boats, like the SS Asbury Park and SS Sandy Hook, traveled to the Raritan Bayshore.

In 1941, the ferry fleet made 374 trips across the North River every day. This shows how busy the terminal was!

Famous Train Routes

The famous Royal Limited, which provided luxury service between Jersey City Terminal and Washington, D.C. and made the journey in under five hours, pictured in 1898

The Central Railroad of New Jersey's Blue Comet offered fancy service to Atlantic City. Local trains served passengers going to the west and south, including the Jersey Shore. CNJ also had long-distance trains to places like Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

The Reading Company used the terminal for its Crusader and Wall Street trains. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) had its Royal Blue train. This was a top passenger train to Washington, D.C.. They also offered train service to Chicago and St. Louis.

In April 1967, a new train connection opened. This connection, called the Aldene Connection, changed everything. All remaining passenger trains were sent to Penn Station in Newark, New Jersey. This meant the Communipaw Terminal was no longer needed for passenger trains. Since then, Hoboken Terminal has been the main train station for Jersey City, New Jersey.

What Happened After the Trains Left?

After the terminal closed in 1967, it sat empty for a while. But it was still looked after. When the nearby train shops closed in the early 1970s, the terminal was left abandoned.

However, the terminal found new life! Part of the 1968 movie Funny Girl was filmed there. Many events like fairs and concerts now happen at the station and its grounds. It is a very popular spot to watch July 4 fireworks.

After the September 11 attacks, the terminal's parking lot was used as a meeting point for ambulances. They were ready to help victims of the attacks.

Today, ferries to the Statue of Liberty National Monument, Ellis Island, and Liberty Island leave from the terminal every day. There are no public transport options directly to the terminal from the nearby Hudson Bergen Light Rail station. Students from Rutgers University suggested building a trolley line to the terminal to make it easier to visit.

The terminal was badly damaged by floods during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. But it was repaired and reopened in 2016. In 2020, a TV show called Fox & Friends even filmed an episode outside the terminal on Election Day.

Gallery

See also