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Long Branch Locomotives, Steam Engine Wreck
 Long Branch, NJ
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Max Depth: 81-90ft/25-27m
Average Viz: 16-20ft/5-6m
Entry Type: Boat
Bottom Composition: Sand
Aquatic Life: Might See Something
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Spring: 50-55°F/10-13°C
Summer: 61-65°F/16-18°C
Fall: 50-55°F/10-13°C
Winter: Under 50°F/10°C
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Long Branch Locomotives, Steam Engine Wreck is a boat accessible salt water dive site, located in Long Branch, NJ. The maximum depth is 81-90ft/25-27m. The average visibility is 16-20ft/5-6m.
From NJScuba.Net; Although they may have been good fodder for Deep Sea Detectives, and could be of historical significance to train buffs, these 1850’s two little engines are really not that great a dive. You’ve seen everything in ten minutes, and there is nothing else around - no evidence of a ship or barge that might have been carrying them. For a railroad fancier, these old engines might hold great interest, but I think for most divers the novelty will wear off pretty quickly. They were originally found in 1985 by Captain Paul Hepler of the Venture III, then rediscovered during a NOAA survey in 1991, and finally re-rediscovered by NJHDA in the 2000s.
The locomotives are bigger than the 11 ton "Pioneer" shown above, but otherwise structurally similar. The wheel layout, known as "2-2-2" ( oOo ) was very rare in the Americas, although fairly common in Great Britain.
However, the engines in question are little like the beautifully preserved Pioneer. The wood engineer’s cabins have long-ago rotted away, along with most of the smokestacks and cow-catchers, leaving just the barrel of the boiler and the wheels. The engines are completely stripped of valving, instruments, lamps, and any other kind of artifact that might be of interest. Everything that remains is heavily encrusted with marine growth. Here are some images of the two locomotives, captured from the show:
