Intro to My Version
The Central Railroad of New Jersey, Bronx Terminal is long gone but two websites have been very helpful in my research to start my own version of it. First, Tim Warris’ Bronx Terminal where he chronicles how he builds his vision of it in HO scale. Over 20 years ago I first followed along as Tim built it. That and the creation of his company led me to build turnouts for others and now 20+ years later and around 2,000 special pieces of track built for myself and others, I have begun construction to build my version of the Bronx Terminal!
The second website is a historical website with an abundance of data on it and surrounding areas. http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/crrnjbxt.html Philip M. Goldstein has done an excellent job with all the information, maps and photos needed to build it. With these two sources, and a few others for reference, I feel there is enough information to make this happen!
This project has been on my virtual to-do list for over 20 years! Recently several things fell into place to move this to the top of my actual to-do list. Listed here are reasons I believe this project is so daunting and exciting. It is one thing to be able to build the unique track work and another to tie it all together in an operating model railroad!
There are so many aspects to it including but not limited to:
- History and research
- Framing [the module] construction
- Design drawing including drawing scale plans (buildings and track)
- Electrical (including turnout routing)
- Turnout [sometimes crazy] builds (30)
- Road building
- Design and build the round freight house and engine shed from prototype plans
- Laser etched cobblestone
- Removable water section,
- Custom float bridge
- Car float (2)
- Tug boat
- Signals
- MSS & traffic gates,
- Sound modules
- Custom photo backdrop
- Transportation to/from shows
- Turnout control
- Car cards for sorting in the yard or around the freight house or to go onto the main line
- Assembling freight cars from kits
- Laying yard tracks (every 7th tie on flex track replaced with soldered PC board tie)
- Custom 3D printed track bumpers
- Scratch building overhead cranes (2)
- Additional buildings and scenery as needed!
One thing I like about this track arrangement is because it is so compact, it can be scaled to HO (1:87) scale exactly and be built from those plans. Almost any other track configuration needs to be compressed in some way leading to some compromises. I literally took the track plans I found and scaled them to HO and worked off those prints.
Making My Own Version Based on the Prototype
The last couple of years I’ve really enjoyed Free-mo. It is a chance to get together with other model railroaders and run trains. It is fun to see the modules they come up with to model. I could make this as a stand-alone layout and take to shows but by incorporating it into the Free-mo standard, as an option, I think more people could enjoy it. The prototype was only accessible by car float and this can be the same as a stand-alone layout. Eventually I could have another module where the car float is taken to for off loading. Adding the option to connect to a mainline and be part of a Free-mo setup adds more options to setting it up. So my build is able to be a stand-alone layout operating as the prototype as well as connecting to a Free-mo setup to be part of a larger layout. The connecting module has MSS with signals so it will alert other operators down the line if the main is being fouled for switching or a train is coming onto the mainline.
I knew I wanted to “transplant” it to the West Coast. I grew up there and like the west coast railroads. A friend suggested San Francisco had barge service. I didn’t know that much about railroads in the Bay Area so I did some research and he was right! There are several ports across the bay where railroads crossed including passenger cars. I don’t think passengers rode in them – there were plenty of ferries. One can “go down the rabbit hole” researching traffic on the bay and all the history! Did you know you can look up, real time, boats that are on the bay right now!?! At least one of the tugs that towed railroad barges is still on the water and you can see where it is right now! China Basin is near where at least one of the railroad slips were and I liked that name so I was going to call it that instead of the Bronx Terminal. The problem I have found is that some people are already familiar with the Bronx Terminal name and if they aren’t and I’m explaining the prototype I still need to refer to it. So I’ve decided to call it the Bronx Terminal – China Basin Division.
Here are a few links to help you down that rabbit hole!
Marine Traffic
Western Pacific Marine Operations
The State Belt Railroad (San Francisco’s own railroad)
What is Proto-Freelance?
There are several interpretations of what proto-freelance is but here is mine:

My plan is to build it as close to the original prototype as I can but saying What If…? they had built it in San Francisco as another division. That way I can run cars I already have, in addition to others I get, and make a plausible reason to connect to other modules that are in the west vs. east coast. Complex track work, a fairly large yard and car float operations are all things I’ve been wanting to build. This is perfect!
Documenting the Build Process
I have started these web pages documenting this build. In trying to figure out the best way to organized what is to be a multi-year project I think I have come up with a good solution. As shown by the list above, there are many, many sub projects within this huge project. Not everything will be built in what is considered a logical, easy to follow process. For example, I built the first cluster of track work before having the base to install it. I not only was anxious to build it but it was useful in having orient the placement of the track drawing. Another example is I built one of the car floats before the base. It is very long and helpful to physically have to get a feel for how it is going to be positioned and where to cut the plywood where the water area drops lower than the yard.
I’ve decided that I will have separate pages for different steps along the way, and some sub pages for things directly relating to that part. Again, as an example, I built one car float and it’s been over a year and I haven’t finished the painting and weathering it yet. When I make the page about building it there will probably not be another page about painting. I’ll just add to that first page or maybe a sub page but it will be together so years later when someone is reviewing this site (as long as it is still up) it will be organized to easily find related topics. That is the plan anyway. We will see how it goes.