One of the things I like about Hoboken is its rich history. Whether it's Henry Hudson, baseball or Frank Sinatra, something happened here.
I also have a deep sense of future history. For example, as a direct result of Florida's recent election debacle, our mechanical election machines are being fast-tracked to the scrap-heap of history. Now, whenever I take my kids to vote with me, I tell them to remember well how they pulled levers and turned switches to vote on machines older than their father because, years hence, these will be stories to tell their grandchildren.
As a history buff, it was with a heavy heart that I learned NJ Transit will soon replace Newark's old subway cars. If you have never seen Newark's subway cars, they are a sight to behold! They are nothing like any other rolling stock on any other rail system. They are one-car affairs that look like they just road out of an old Toonerville Trolley cartoon. It takes your breath away to see such pre-war technology still in active service. It's like walking through a time-warp.
Lamenting this imminent historical loss, I recently took my kids to Newark for their first and only ride on the Toonerville Trolley. The Trolley even transcended the verbal generation gap between us (whereas I thought those cars are "very cool," my kids think they're "way cool!")
But there is good news to this historical passing. It seems that even NJ Transit recognizes the significance of these old cars and instead of scrapping them, Transit wants to give a second life to Newark's old subway cars. Even better news is that Mayor Roberts has initiated negotiations with Transit to run the Toonerville Trolley on Washington Street. This would be a sight to behold! I applaud Mayor Roberts' foresight to increase mass transit to relieve Hoboken's parking nightmare. After all the tacky over-development we've endured, it's good to finally learn about a proposed change that will be pleasing to the eye, rich in history and beneficial to the community.
Peter Rozano
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