At the end of World War II, the nations railroads were eager to replace their abundance of war-weary steam locomotives with sleek new diesel engines. From Cape May to Bayonne, New Jerseys tracks were soon humming with diesels while the old steamers were nudged onto the scrap tracks of the Central New Jersey, the Erie, and the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroads, among others. Powering a commuter train to Dover or a sand train to Millvilles Wheaton glass plant, the diesels instantly proved their worth, praised by railroad employees for their ease of running and maintenance. In an era...