WSJ: A Comedian Saves a Railroad With Purchase of a New Jersey Home
Jun 03, 2025
Future of Pacific Southern Railway was in doubt after owner’s death. ‘Impractical Jokers’ star James Murray has big plans.
Read The Full Article @ The Wall Street Journal
A model railroad club is back on track after a television comedian and his wife bought the suburban home where it is headquartered and invited the train buffs to stay.
James “Murr” Murray, a star of “Impractical Jokers” and his wife, Melyssa Murray, bought the Rocky Hill, N.J., home where the Pacific Southern Railway operates its trains on a vast layout of miniature cities, mountains and railroad yards in the basement.
The Murrays, who live a few minutes away in Princeton, had never heard of Pacific Southern, but learned about it after The Wall Street Journal published an articleabout the club and its possible derailment. The owner of the home decided to sell after her husband, a former club president, died last year.
The Murrays were looking for more space for a company Melyssa had started at home, No. 95 Candles, and an Alzheimer’s charity they run. The house seemed just the ticket. They bought it one day before it was scheduled to go on the market, and moved the candle business and charity in.
They are the first owners from outside the club, which has been running for six decades.
Read The Full Article @ The Wall Street Journal
