The
New Jersey Transit Corporation (usually shortened to
New Jersey Transit,
NJ Transit or
NJT) is a statewide public transportation system serving the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stateA U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and
New YorkManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
,
OrangeOrange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, and
RocklandRockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
counties in New York State. It operates bus,
light railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
, and
commuter railCommuter rail services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis primarily for short-distance travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and...
services throughout the state, notably connecting to major commercial and employment centers both within the state and in the adjacent cities of
New YorkNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Philadelphia.
Covering a service area of 5325 square miles (13,791.7 km²), NJ Transit is the nation's largest statewide public transit system and the nation's third largest provider of bus, rail and light rail transit by ridership, linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
New Jersey Transit also acts as a purchasing agency for many private operators in New Jersey, with numerous private operators receiving equipment from New Jersey Transit (primarily buses) for route service within the state not controlled by New Jersey Transit.
History
New Jersey Transit, founded in June 1979, was an offspring of the
New Jersey Department of TransportationThe New Jersey Department of Transportation is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey. It is headed by the Commissioner of Transportation...
(NJDOT), mandated by the state government to address the many transportation issues that had developed at the time. NJ Transit came into being with the passage of the Public Transportation Act of 1979 to "acquire, operate and contract for transportation service in the public interest." NJ Transit originally acquired and managed a number of private bus services. Conrail (or Consolidated Rail Corporation) had been formed in 1976 through the merging of a number of financially troubled railroads, and operated commuter railroad service under contract from the NJDOT.
In 1983, NJ Transit assumed operation of all commuter rail service in New Jersey from Conrail. It now operates every passenger and commuter rail line in the state except for
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
; the
Port Authority Trans-HudsonPATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
(PATH), which is owned by the
Port Authority of New York and New JerseyThe Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
; the PATCO Speedline, which is owned by the
Delaware River Port AuthorityThe Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
; two SEPTA
Regional RailThe SEPTA Regional Rail system consists of commuter rail service on thirteen branches to over 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and its suburbs. Service on most lines runs from 5:30 AM to midnight...
lines, the
West Trenton LineThe West Trenton Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line connecting Center City Philadelphia to West Trenton, New Jersey.-Route:The West Trenton Line connects Center City, Philadelphia with the West Trenton section of Ewing, New Jersey...
and the Trenton Line; and a handful of tourist trains in the southern and northwestern parts of New Jersey. New Jersey Transit also runs most of the state's bus lines. In northern New Jersey, many of the bus routes are arranged in a web. In southern New Jersey, most routes are arranged in a "spoke-and-hub" fashion, with routes emanating from
TrentonTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
,
CamdenThe city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, and
Atlantic CityAtlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. In addition to routes run by New Jersey Transit, NJ Transit also subsidizes and provides buses for most of the state's private operators, such as
Coach USACoach USA LLC is a holding company for various American transportation service providers providing scheduled intercity bus service, local and commuter bus transit, city sightseeing, tour, yellow school bus, and charter bus service...
,
DeCampDeCamp Bus Lines is a line-run operator serving Essex County, New Jersey with line run and charter service to and from Manhattan. Because there are no fixed stops other than termini, buses can be hailed to board; riders can request a stop to exit....
,
LakelandLakeland Bus Lines, Inc is a privately operated charter/commuter bus operation in Dover, New Jersey. Lakeland operates commuter routes from Morris, Sussex, and Somerset Counties to New York City.-Routes:...
, and
AcademyAcademy Bus Lines is a bus company in New Jersey providing local bus service in northern New Jersey, line run service to/from New York City from points in central New Jersey, and contract and charter service in the northeastern United States from Boston to Northern Virginia.-Under contract to NJ...
, providing fixed route or commuter service. Since inception, rail ridership has quadrupled.
In the 1990s, the system expanded, with new Midtown Direct service to
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and new equipment. On October 21, 2001 it opened
a new stationNewark Liberty International Airport Station is a Northeast Corridor line station in the New Jersey Transit rail system in the Dayton area of Newark, New Jersey. Also called the RAILink station, it provides travelers access to Newark Airport via public transport. There is no bus service, parking...
at
Newark Liberty International AirportNewark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
. On December 15, 2003, NJ Transit opened the
Secaucus JunctionThe Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...
transfer station, connecting two major portions of the system, allowing passengers on trains based out of
Hoboken TerminalHoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
to switch to other trains to get to
Midtown ManhattanMidtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
more conveniently. The transfer saves passengers headed into Midtown Manhattan an estimated 15 minutes of travel time. Previously, passengers on trains into Hoboken had to connect to
PATHPATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
trains at Hoboken to get to Midtown or Lower Manhattan. On October 31, 2005, NJT took over
ClockerClocker was an Amtrak rail service operating between Philadelphia and New York City on the Northeast Corridor. It was the first service to be officially operated by Amtrak, when train number 235 left New York's Penn Station at 12:05 AM on May 1, 1971 bound for Philadelphia. The last Clocker train...
(NY-Philadelphia) service from
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
. Four new trains were added to the schedule, but service was cut back to
TrentonTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
.
Current operations
New Jersey Transit's operations are divided into three classes: bus,
railCommuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
, and
light railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
, operated under three legal businesses:
NJ Transit Bus Operations, Inc, for bus and
Newark Light RailThe Newark Light Rail is a light rail system under New Jersey Transit Bus Operations serving Newark, New Jersey. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway, and the extension to Broad Street station...
operations, subsidiary
NJ Transit Mercer, Inc. for
bus operations around Trenton, and
NJ Transit Rail Operations, Inc., for commuter rail operations.
Bus
New Jersey Transit operates service on 247 bus routes and the Newark Light Rail using 2,477 buses (leasing out the remainder to private operators) and 20 light rail vehicles (with numerous other line runs being subsidized by New Jersey Transit), The complete bus fleet, including buses purchased by New Jersey Transit for other New Jersey operators above the 2,477, can be viewed
hereNew Jersey Transit Bus Operations and companies leasing buses from New Jersey Transit utilize various makes and models of buses between 25 and 60 feet in length to provide service within the state of New Jersey...
.
Light Rail
New Jersey Transit operates three separate
light railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
lines:
- Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City , and North Bergen.The system began...
– a 24-stop, 20.6 miles (33.2 km) multi-branch line that runs along the Gold CoastThe Gold Coast of New Jersey includes various cities on the Hudson River's west bank across from Manhattan. The name, coined by real estate promoters in the 1980s, is rarely used outside the context of real estate marketing....
from BayonneBayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
to North BergenNorth Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
, with a major stop at Hoboken TerminalHoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
, all in Hudson CountyHudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
. The fleet consists of 52 Kinki Sharyois an Osaka, Japan-based manufacturer of railroad vehicles. It is an affiliate company of Kintetsu Corporation.In business since 1920 and renamed The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd in 1945...
electric light rail vehicles owned by NJ Transit and operated under contract by 21st Century RailWashington Group International was an American corporation which provided integrated engineering, construction and management services to businesses and governments around the world. Based in Boise, Idaho, it had approximately 25,000 employees working in over 40 states and more than 30 countries...
.
- Newark Light Rail
The Newark Light Rail is a light rail system under New Jersey Transit Bus Operations serving Newark, New Jersey. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway, and the extension to Broad Street station...
– a line consisting of two segments serving NewarkNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
and the surrounding area. The Newark City Subway segment has 12 stops, is 4.3 miles (6.9 km) long, and runs from Newark Penn StationPennsylvania Station is a major transportation hub in Newark, New Jersey. Located at Raymond Plaza, between Market Street and Raymond Boulevard, Newark Penn Station is served by the Newark Light Rail, New Jersey Transit commuter rail, Amtrak long distance trains, the PATH rapid transit system, and...
to North Newark and BloomfieldBloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
. The Broad Street Extension segment has 5 stops in total, is 1 miles (1.6 km) long, and connects Newark Penn Station to Newark Broad Street Station. The fleet consists of 21 Kinki Sharyo electric light rail vehicles owned and operated by the Central Division of New Jersey Transit Bus Operations.
- River Line
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
– a 20-stop, 34 miles (54.7 km) line running from TrentonTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
to CamdenThe city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
along the Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, mostly along the Bordentown SecondaryConrail's Bordentown Secondary is a freight line in New Jersey, running from Pavonia Yard in Camden to Trenton. Today, a large portion of the line from Bordentown to Camden is used for New Jersey Transit's River Line light rail service; as a result, freight movement on the line is restricted to...
line formerly owned by Conrail and CSX. The fleet consists of 20 Stadler GTWThe Stadler GTW, sold by Stadler Rail of Switzerland, is an articulated railcar for local transport. GTW stands for Gelenktriebwagen .-Description:...
diesel light rail vehicles owned by NJ Transit and operated under contract by Southern New Jersey Rail Group.
Rail
NJ Transit has 11 commuter rail lines:
- Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
- Bergen County Line
The Bergen County Line is a commuter rail line and service owned and operated by New Jersey Transit in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The line loops off the Main Line between the Meadowlands and Glen Rock, with trains continuing in either direction along the Main Line...
- Main Line
The Main Line is a rail line owned and operated by New Jersey Transit running from Suffern, New York to Hoboken, New Jersey. It runs daily commuter service and was once the north-south main line of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad...
- Montclair-Boonton Line
The Montclair-Boonton Line is a commuter rail line of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. It is part of the Hoboken Division. The line is a consolidation of three individual lines: the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad's Montclair Branch, which ran from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Street,...
- Morris & Essex Lines
The Morris & Essex Lines are a group of former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad railroad lines in New Jersey now owned and operated by New Jersey Transit...
, consisting of:
- Morristown Line
The Morristown Line is one of New Jersey Transit's commuter lines and is one of two branches that run along the Morris and Essex Lines. Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbound trains use the Kearny Connection to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn...
- Gladstone Branch
The Gladstone Branch is a branch of New Jersey Transit's Morris and Essex Lines. The Gladstone Branch primarily serves commuter trains; freight service is no longer operated...
- North Jersey Coast Line
The North Jersey Coast Line is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail service operating between New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal and Bay Head, New Jersey...
- Northeast Corridor Line
The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail operation run by New Jersey Transit along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It is the successor to commuter services provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad along the section between Trenton, New Jersey and New York Penn Station...
(includes the Princeton BranchThe Princeton Branch is a commuter rail line and service owned and operated by New Jersey Transit in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The line is a short branch of the Northeast Corridor Line, running from Princeton Junction northwest to Princeton with no intermediate stops...
)
- Pascack Valley Line
The Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit. The line runs north from Hoboken, New Jersey through Bergen County and into Rockland County, New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York is operated under contract with...
- Raritan Valley Line
The Raritan Valley Line is a diesel-engine-powered commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit , originating out of Pennsylvania Station, located in Newark, New Jersey, with most trains terminating at the Raritan station, located in Raritan, New Jersey.Some weekday trains continue further...
Additional special event service is provided on the
Meadowlands Rail LineMeadowlands Rail Line is a rail line in New Jersey, United States, operated by New Jersey Transit . Trains run between the MetLife Sports Complex and Secaucus Junction, some with continuing service to Hoboken Terminal...
.
Also operated by NJ Transit is the
Atlantic City Express ServiceACES is an inter-city train service offered by the Borgata, Caesars Atlantic City, and Harrah's Entertainment. It is operated by New Jersey Transit under contract, and funded by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority...
(ACES), a service owned by a joint venture between the Caesars and Borgata casinos in Atlantic City.The train runs from New York Penn Station to the Atlantic City Rail Terminal with one stop at Newark Penn Station.
NJ Transit operates over 100
diesel locomotiveA diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s, of which 11 are supplied by
Metro-North RailroadThe Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
as part of an operating agreement for the Port Jervis Line, and 61
electric locomotiveAn electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s. Its fleet consists of over 650
push-pullPush–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
cars, of which 65 are supplied by Metro-North, and 230
electric multiple unitAn electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
cars.
Police Department
The
New Jersey Transit Police DepartmentThe New Jersey Transit Police Department is a transit police force for the New Jersey Transit Corporation in the state of New Jersey...
(NJTPD) is the
transit policeTransit police are a specialized police agency or unit employed by a common carrier, which could be a transit district, railroad, bus line, other transport carrier, or the state...
force for the New Jersey Transit Corporation. It is a general-powers police agency with state wide jurisdiction with the primary focus on policing the numerous bus depots, rail and light-rail stations throughout New Jersey. The department currently employs 240 sworn police officers.
Northern Branch
New Jersey Transit is planning to extend the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail past its current terminus to
TenaflyTenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City....
along the
Northern BranchThe Northern Branch Corridor Project is a proposed 11-mile long rail line that would offer a mass transit rail option to residents of eastern Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, that has been unavailable for decades since passenger rail service ended on the Northern Branch in 1966 and the...
, an existing freight rail line. The project is expected to break ground in 2011, and is expected to cost $900 million.
Passaic-Bergen Rail Line
The
Passaic-Bergen Passenger Rail Project is a project being conducted by New Jersey Transit to reintroduce passenger service on the
New York, Susquehanna and Western RailwayThe New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
. As of September 2008, plans call for service to run between
HawthorneHawthorne is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 18,218.Hawthorne was originally part of the now-defunct Manchester Township, which was later subdivided to create Hawthorne, Haledon, North Haledon, Prospect Park,...
and
HackensackHackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
using newly built
Diesel Multiple UnitA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
rail cars.
Lackawanna Cutoff
In May 2001, New Jersey Transit purchased the property of the Lackawanna Cutoff. This line, constructed by the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
between 1908 and 1911 provided a direct, level-graded route between the
Delaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
(
Slateford, PennsylvaniaSlateford is an unincorporated community in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The nearest communities are Stroudsburg to the north and Portland to the south. Slateford is approximately 1 mile from the Delaware Water Gap. Its name derives from its location at the edge of the...
), two miles (3.25 km) below the
Delaware Water GapThe Delaware Water Gap is on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains...
, to the crest of the
watershedA drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
at
Lake HopatcongLake Hopatcong is the largest freshwater body in the state of New Jersey, USA, approximately 4 square miles in area. The lake is located in the mountains of northern New Jersey, north of Netcong and along the border between Sussex and Morris counties.The lake is within the borders of four...
(
Port Morris, New JerseyPort Morris is a historic community in Roxbury Township, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. Despite its name, Port Morris is in the hills of the Skylands Region, on the shores of Lake Musconetcong....
). The
DL&WThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
had a penchant for extensive concrete construction, and as a result, most of the structures, including stations, bridges, and vast viaducts are still in operational or near-operational condition, despite the abandonment by Conrail in 1979. A 2004 study conducted by New Jersey Transit estimates that bringing the line back into operation would cost approximately $350 million. The proposed rehabilitation project, which still lacks funding, if completed, would provide commuter rail service between
Scranton, PennsylvaniaScranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
and
Hoboken TerminalHoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
on the Hudson River waterfront in New Jersey (with connecting service to trains serving
New York's Penn StationPennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
). Service to
Midtown ManhattanMidtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
would be made available to the growing
exurbanA commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
communities in
Monroe County-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there are 176,567 people, 49,454 households, and 36,447 families residing in the county. The population density was 228 people per square mile...
in
the PoconosThe Pocono Mountains is a region located in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States. The Poconos, located chiefly in Monroe and Pike counties , are an upland of the larger Allegheny Plateau...
, and in upper
Warren CountyWarren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
and lower
Sussex CountyThe County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
.
Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex (MOM)
The Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex (MOM) line is a proposed south and central New Jersey commuter rail route offering those county's residents access to
New BrunswickNew Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, Newark and New York's Penn Station. The line was originally proposed by the
Ocean County-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
Board of Chosen FreeholdersIn New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
in March 1980. This route would run on a 40.1-mile rail corridor and would provide diesel commuter rail service from Monmouth Junction (South Brunswick), where the Jamesburg Branch partially joins the
Northeast CorridorThe Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
(NEC), to
LakehurstLakehurst is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 2,654.Lakehurst was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1921, from portions of Manchester Township, based on the results of a...
. As of 2006, the line was opposed by Jamesburg and Monroe Township.
From Monmouth Junction, the line would continue southeast to
JamesburgJamesburg is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 6,025.Jamesburg was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 19, 1887, when it was created from portions of Monroe Township, based on...
, Monroe,
EnglishtownEnglishtown is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,847....
, Manalapan,
Freehold BoroughFreehold is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,052. It is the county seat of Monmouth County....
,
Freehold TownshipFreehold Township is a Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 36,184. Freehold Township was first formed on October 31, 1693, and was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21,...
, Howell and
FarmingdaleFarmingdale is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,329....
. A new rail connection would be required in Farmingdale. It would proceed southward from Farmingdale to Lakehurst, passing through Howell, Lakewood, Jackson,
Toms River TownshipToms River is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Toms River Township and is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is part of a larger Toms River Township...
, and Lakehurst/Manchester. Trains on this line would also operate on the NEC between Monmouth Junction and Newark. Passengers destined for
New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
would transfer at Newark. Eight new stations and a train storage yard would be constructed.
In mid-February 2008, New Jersey Governor
Jon CorzineJon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
withdrew the Monmouth Junction alignment from the MOM Plan. Corzine opted to endorse the two remaining alternate alignments (via Red Bank or Matawan-Freehold, the latter which is currently part of the
Henry Hudson rail trailThe Henry Hudson Trail is a rail trailin New Jersey. The trail is named for Henry Hudson to honor the man who explored...
. NJ Transit is still planning to go forward with the study of all the routes as to not delay action further on the EIS, and says all three routes are still up for evaluation, although they will take the Governor's comments into consideration.
In August 2010, NJ Transit received $534,375 in Federal Funds to investigate the possibilities of a MOM line.
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
In November 2008, the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC), along with both
Lehigh-Climate:Most of the county's climate is considered to fall in the humid continental climate zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year....
and
NorthamptonAs of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
counties, commissioned a study to explore the merits of expanding the Raritan Valley Line to the
Lehigh ValleyThe Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region of eastern Pennsylvania, which would potentially include stops in
AllentownAllentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
,
BethlehemBethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
and
EastonEaston is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
.
West Trenton
The West Trenton Line is a proposed service connecting
West Trenton StationWest Trenton is the northern terminus of the SEPTA West Trenton Line. It is officially located at Grand & Railroad Avenues in Ewing, New Jersey, however this address only applies to the southbound station house on the west side of the tracks...
with
Newark Penn StationPennsylvania Station is a major transportation hub in Newark, New Jersey. Located at Raymond Plaza, between Market Street and Raymond Boulevard, Newark Penn Station is served by the Newark Light Rail, New Jersey Transit commuter rail, Amtrak long distance trains, the PATH rapid transit system, and...
. The train would connect with the Raritan Valley Line at
BridgewaterBridgewater is a New Jersey Transit railroad station on the Raritan Valley Line, in Bridgewater, New Jersey. The station sits on the site of the former "Calco" station that served American Cyanamid prior to its closure. It was reconstructed in 1999 in conjunction with the construction of TD Bank...
. As of 2004, New Jersey Transit's estimate of the cost of creating a passenger line to West Trenton was $197 million. To date, no funding for the proposal has been secured. Service ran on the line prior to 1983.
Access to the Region's Core
NJ Transit intended to construct a new two-track Hudson River tunnel adjacent to the two existing single-track Northeast Corridor tunnels (built in the early 20th century by the
Pennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
). NJ Transit referred to the project as
Access to the Region's Core, which would have used Dual-Power Locomotives and a newly constructed rail junction at Secaucus, allowing for a one-train ride between the
Port JervisThe Metro-North Railroad Port Jervis Line is a predominantly single-track commuter rail line running from Suffern, New York to Port Jervis. At Suffern, the line continues south into New Jersey as NJ Transit's Main Line....
,
MainThe Main Line is a rail line owned and operated by New Jersey Transit running from Suffern, New York to Hoboken, New Jersey. It runs daily commuter service and was once the north-south main line of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad...
,
Bergen CountyThe Bergen County Line is a commuter rail line and service owned and operated by New Jersey Transit in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The line loops off the Main Line between the Meadowlands and Glen Rock, with trains continuing in either direction along the Main Line...
,
Pascack ValleyThe Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit. The line runs north from Hoboken, New Jersey through Bergen County and into Rockland County, New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York is operated under contract with...
, and
Raritan ValleyThe Raritan Valley Line is a diesel-engine-powered commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit , originating out of Pennsylvania Station, located in Newark, New Jersey, with most trains terminating at the Raritan station, located in Raritan, New Jersey.Some weekday trains continue further...
lines and Penn Station New York. The project broke ground in June 2009. Both the Federal Transit Administration and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey made public commitments of $3 billion to the project. However, the project was suspended on October 7, 2010 due to concerns that the state of New Jersey would be solely responsible for the projected $5 billion in overruns. On October 27, 2010, Governor Chris Christie made a final decision to cancel the project.
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
later unveiled the
Gateway ProjectThe Gateway Project is a proposed American rail expansion project to build a high-speed rail right-of-way and to alleviate the bottleneck along the Northeast Corridor between Newark, New Jersey, and New York City...
, which addresses some of the issues ARC was meant to resolve.
Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link
Planned to connect
Downtown NewarkDowntown Newark is Newark, New Jersey's major central business, retail, and cultural district. It is located at a bend in the Passaic River.Downtown is the site of the original Puritan settlement of Newark. The first settlers, led by Robert Treat, landed not far from the present site of the New...
and
ElizabethElizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
via
Newark Liberty International AirportNewark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
, the agency is no longer pursuing Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link unveiled at present.
See also
- AirTrain Newark
AirTrain Newark is a 3-mile monorail system connecting Newark Liberty International Airport to the Newark Liberty International Airport train station on the Northeast Corridor rail line of New Jersey Transit and Amtrak...
- Electro-diesel locomotive
- List of New Jersey railroads
- List of United States railroads
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
- Sunnyside Yard
Sunnyside Yard is a large coach yard, a railroad yard for passenger cars, in Sunnyside, Queens in New York City.-Description:The yard is owned by Amtrak and is also used by New Jersey Transit. The shared tracks of the Long Island Rail Road Main Line and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor pass along the...
External links