I was down at NJ Transit's Newark Liberty International Airport Station railfanning just a few weeks ago. I just got on platform one when suddenly, a diesel-powered NJ Transit train zoomed by! The consist included a GP40PH-2, F40PH-2CAT and three Comet I & V Cars. I have never seen one with such a weird consist. Can someone identify this train for me?
Any passengers?
Time of day?
Day of week?
Check schedule (timetable)?
East bound or west bound?
Which track?
Have you considered the possiblity that it was a deadhead move?
Liberty Airport is on the NEC, so that narrows it down a bit. Diesel powered trains run between Hoboken and Bay Head, but I doubt that with only three Comet cars, it was a regular run. It may have been deadheading, depending on time of day and direction, but usually NJT deadhead runs are done with complete train sets on a routine basis.
I've seen similar action at Metuchen NJ (which is NOT on the way to Bay Head and sees only electrics), and I'm guessing that what you saw was a test run between NYC and Atlantic City (via Philly)--a service New Jersey Transit is planning on beginning soon.