North Jersey Coast Line

The North Jersey Coast Line is a commuter rail line running from Rahway, to Bay Head, New Jersey. Operated by New Jersey Transit, the line is electrified as far south as Long Branch. On rail system maps it is colored light blue, and its symbol is a sailboat. The line runs along the former New York & Long Branch Railroad, which was co-owned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Pennsylvania Railroad.[2]

North Jersey Coast Line
ALP-46 #4626 pulls train #3270 into Middletown.
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerNew Jersey Transit Corporation
LocaleNew Jersey
TerminiRahway
Long Branch
Bay Head
Stations20
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemNJ Transit Rail Operations
Operator(s)NJ Transit Rail Operations
Rolling stockALP-45DP locomotives
ALP-46 locomotives
GP40PH-2B locomotives
Alstom PL42AC locomotives
Comet IIM, IV, and V
Bombardier MultiLevel Coaches
Daily ridership24,900 (FY 2012)[1]
Technical
Track length104.6 mi (168.3 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification12 kV 25 Hz until 2002
25 kV AC since then
Route map

Northeast Corridor & LIRR Main Line
to Boston & Eastern Long Island
0.0 mi
0 km
New York Penn Station
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Yard
3.5 mi
5.6 km
Secaucus Junction
Meadows Maintenance Complex
Harrison
10.0 mi
16.1 km
Newark Penn Station
Lehigh Line
to Oak Island Yard
12.6 mi
20.3 km
Newark International Airport
14.4 mi
23.2 km
North Elizabeth
15.4 mi
24.8 km
Elizabeth
South Elizabeth
closed
18.6 mi
29.9 km
Linden
North Rahway
closed
20.7 mi
33.3 km
Rahway
Northeast Corridor
to Washington
Avenel
Woodbridge
Chemical Coast Line
to Oak Island Yard
Perth Amboy
South Amboy
Aberdeen-Matawan
Hazlet
Middletown
Red Bank
Little Silver
Monmouth Park
Long Branch
electric services
diesel services
Long Branch Yard
Elberon
Allenhurst
North Asbury Park
Asbury Park
Bradley Beach
Avon
Belmar
Spring Lake
Sea Girt
Manasquan
Point Pleasant Beach
Bay Head
Bay Head Yard

Most trains operate between New York Penn Station and Long Branch, with frequent rush-hour service and hourly local off-peak service. Diesel shuttle trains between Long Branch and Bay Head meet these electric trains. Hourly New York to Long Branch service operates on weekends, with bi-hourly diesel shuttle service (with some extra trains) between Long Branch and Bay Head. Full hourly service operates during the peak summer season. Some electric trains terminate at South Amboy or Aberdeen-Matawan and make all stops from New York Penn Station, providing local service for the Northeast Corridor stops of Rahway, Linden, Elizabeth, and North Elizabeth during rush hours.

Service

The line is double track, except for the bridge over the Manasquan River at Brielle. The line has cab signals and wayside block signals; the line from Rahway to Long Branch is signaled for operation in either direction on both tracks (NORAC Rule 261). Twelve interlockings facilitate flexibility in operation between the two tracks; these and other interlockings control movements to or from freight lines such as the Chemical Coast Secondary, the Perth Amboy Secondary, and the Southern Secondary, as well as Long Branch Yard.

Passenger yards are at Long Branch and Bay Head. Long Branch Yard is fully electrified, and mostly interlocked. Bay Head contains a large balloon (circular looping) track where entire trains can reverse direction without backing up or uncoupling the locomotive, and obviating the need for a turntable. It remains in service, even though push-pull operation has eliminated the need for turning of trains. Bay Head Yard has no interlocking; all switches are hand-operated. A yard and sidings formerly existed at South Amboy, dating to when electrification ended there, but have since been removed; trains terminating at South Amboy cannot be bypassed by using the other track, as the new station has a single island platform.

Conrail Shared Assets also operates over the North Jersey Coast Line to reach customers south of Red Bank.

Movable bridges

The North Jersey Coast Line has five movable bridges of the twelve used by the NJT rail network, the most on any one line.

All these bridges were originally double-track spans, but Brielle Draw has been single-tracked since the mid-1970s. The line also crosses over several other waterways on fixed bridges, the longest of which is over the Navesink River at Red Bank.

Electrification

The North Jersey Coast Line is electrified north (railroad east) of Long Branch.

Electrified operation between Rahway and South Amboy began about 1936. Electrification was extended to Matawan in 1982, with catenary installed in the early 1980s. This was originally 11 kV, increased to 12 kV in 1978 along with Amtrak's New York-Washington electrification, with insulators capable of supporting 25 kV. Electrification at 12.5 kV 60 Hz was extended to Long Branch in 1988, with catenary installed in 1986–88. As on the 1982 extension, the insulators can handle 25 kV. The catenary is self-adjusting (constant tensioning) with ambient temperature. In 2002, the voltage from Matawan to Long Branch was changed from 12.5 kV to 25 kV. As a result, the Arrow III passenger cars can no longer run between those two points, since those trains can not run on two different voltages on one trip (the transformer voltage taps must be manually changed from alongside the MU).

The line remains electrified at 12 kV 25 Hz AC north of Matawan. Three phase breaks segregate the different power sources, at the Morgan Creek Drawbridge, Laurel (Hazlet/Holmdel), and east of Bergen Place in Red Bank.

History

With the completion of the Waterfront Connection in 1991, five weekday round trip diesel trains began running from Bay Head to Hoboken Terminal using the Waterfront Connection. On May 18, 2015, NJ Transit expanded service to include three inbound and three outbound weekday trains running from Bay Head directly to and from New York Penn Station.

Commuter Clubs

The line was home to the last remaining private commuter passenger Club in the United States. The Jersey Shore Commuters Club was established in 1933 under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Railroad.[3] It used half of a Comet IIM car - car 5459 (built as Comet IIB 5759 in 1988). In 2004, the Comet II Club Car went through a custom overhaul by Alstom and was furnished, with the Club's funding, to include reclining lounge chairs, spacious seating, at-seat fold down tables, and private conference tables. The Club also hosted various onboard activities to preserve its heritage. Club members enjoyed guaranteed and spacious seating as part of their annual membership fee that the Club remitted to New Jersey Transit as part of its lease agreement. Membership was "open" and on a "first come first served basis" to those willing to pay the membership fee and abide by the Club's bylaws. The Club end of the car was furnished similar to Amtrak's Amfleet and Horizon fleet of cars. The Club Car seats were actually former Amfleet Metroliner seats that the Club had re-conditioned. The Club Car only ran during peak rush hour periods with one weekday round trip per day and was always run with the club end coupled to the locomotive when used. Due to damage sustained to the Club Car in Hurricane Sandy, the commuter club was disbanded in August 2013. Per posts on the Club's Facebook page, the Club Car took its last trip on the line in October 2012, just prior to the hurricane.

Summer Shore Express

In June 2014, NJ Transit began running one-seat limited-stop summer shore express trains to and from Bay Head and New York on weekend and holidays. This limited time service only ran through the summer and ended on September 1, 2014. This service was brought back for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 summer seasons. Service consisted of four inbound and outbound trips, with two trips during the morning, and two in the evening in both directions.

Hurricane Sandy

As a line paralleling the New Jersey coastline, the North Jersey Coast Line received exceptionally severe damage from Hurricane Sandy on October 29–30, 2012. Track was washed out in several places from Perth Amboy southward, most notably between South Amboy and Aberdeen-Matawan stations, where the line runs closest to the Atlantic Ocean. The Raritan Bay and Morgan Creek drawbridges were struck by boats, storage containers and other floating debris, knocking the bridges' tracks out of alignment. Trees also fell over parts of the line.[4] Service remained suspended for three weeks; a resumption of service only as far as Woodbridge (and skipping Avenel) on November 4 was halted after only one day due to severe overcrowding.[5] The Christie administration announced that most North Jersey Coast Line trains would return to service on Monday, November 19, with slightly longer trip times and omission of trains to Hoboken Terminal.[6]

Rolling stock

The Coast Line has among the most diverse selection of fleet in the NJT system.

  • Long Branch trains to and from New York or Hoboken use ALP-45DP or ALP-46 locomotives with Comet series or Multi-Level coaches.
  • All service south of Long Branch is diesel, generally utilizing Alstom PL42AC, or GP40PH-2B locomotives with a 4 to 6 car sets of Comet series or Multilevel coaches. Usually, passengers are required to transfer at Long Branch for service to Bay Head. Five round trip weekday trains used to provide direct service between Hoboken and Bay Head using all diesel. After the May 18, 2015 service adjustment incorporating "One Seat Rides" between Bay Head and Penn Station in New York, only two weekday direct trains remain between Hoboken and Bay Head using ALP-45DP locomotives. Weekday service to Hoboken now terminates at Long Branch using ALP-46 electric locomotives with Comet series or Multi-Level coaches. "One Seat Ride" service utilizes ALP-45DP locomotives with an 8-car set of Comet series or Multi-Level coaches.
  • In June 2014, NJ Transit added ALP-45DP locomotives to incorporate limited stop summer shore express "One Seat Ride" trains to and from Bay Head and Penn Station in New York on weekend and holidays only. This limited time service only ran through the summer and ended on September 1, 2014. Based on ridership for the summer service, NJT had proposed the implementation of a possible year round "One Seat Ride" service the following year. ALP-45DP locomotives remained in service on Bay Head to Long Branch Shuttle trains after the "One Seat Ride Service" ended. On May 18, 2015 year round "One Seat Ride" weekday rush hour service was implemented with three AM peak period inbound trains to Penn Station in New York, and three PM peak period outbound trains to Bay Head.

Stations

State Zone[7] Location Station[7] Miles (km) Date opened Date closed Connections / notes[7]
NY 1 Manhattan Pennsylvania Station 0.0 (0.0) 1910 Amtrak (long distance): Cardinal, Crescent, Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star
Amtrak (intercity): Acela Express, Adirondack, Carolinian, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone Service, Maple Leaf, Northeast Regional, Pennsylvanian, Vermonter
Long Island Rail Road: Babylon, Belmont Park, City Terminal Zone, Far Rockaway, Hempstead, Long Beach, Montauk, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Port Washington, Ronkonkoma, West Hempstead branches
NJ Transit: Gladstone, Montclair-Boonton, Morristown, Raritan Valley, Northeast Corridor lines
New York City Subway: 1, 2, and 3 (at 34th Street – Penn Station (Seventh Avenue)), A, C, and E (at 34th Street – Penn Station (Eighth Avenue))
New York City Bus: M7, M20, M34 SBS, M34A, Q32
Academy Bus: SIM23, SIM24
Flixbus: Eastern Shuttle
Vamoose Bus
NJ Secaucus Secaucus Junction 3.5 (5.6) 2003 NJ Transit: Bergen County, Gladstone, Main, Meadowlands, Montclair-Boonton, Morristown, Pascack Valley, Raritan Valley, and Northeast Corridor lines
Metro-North Railroad: Port Jervis Line
NJ Transit Bus: 2, 78, 129, 329, 353
Hoboken Hoboken Terminal
(limited service)
1903 NJ Transit: Bergen County, Gladstone, Main, Meadowlands, Montclair-Boonton, Pascack Valley, Raritan Valley, and Northeast Corridor lines
Metro-North Railroad: Port Jervis Line
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail: 8th Street-Hoboken, Hoboken-Tonnelle
PATH: HOB-WTC, HOB-33, JSQ-33 (via HOB)
NJ Transit Bus: 22, 22X, 23, 68, 85, 87, 89, 126
New York Waterway
Newark Pennsylvania Station 10.0 (16.1) 1935[8][9] Amtrak (long-distance): Cardinal, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star
Amtrak (intercity): Acela Express, Carolinian, Keystone Service, Northeast Regional, Pennsylvanian, Vermonter
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor and Raritan Valley lines
PATH: Newark – World Trade Center
Newark Light Rail: Grove Street – Newark Penn, Broad Street – Newark Penn
NJ Transit Bus: 1, 5, 11, 21, 25, 28, 29, 30, 34, 39, 40, 41, 62, 67, 70, 71, 72, 73, 76, 78, 79, 108, 308, 319, 361, 375, 378, go25, go28
ONE Bus: 31, 44
Greyhound Lines
South Street
Newark Liberty International Airport Station 12.6 (20.3) October 21, 2001[10] Amtrak: Keystone Service, Northeast Regional
NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line
AirTrain Newark
5 Elizabeth North Elizabeth 14.4 (23.2) NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line
NJ Transit Bus: 112
Elizabeth 15.4 (24.8) December 21, 1835[11] NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line
NJ Transit Bus: 26, 48, 52, 56, 57, 58, 59, 62, 112
ONE Bus: 24
South Elizabeth
7 Linden Linden 18.6 (29.9) NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line
NJ Transit Bus: 56, 57, 94
8 Rahway
North Rahway 20.1 (32.3) January 31, 1993[12] Closed due to maintenance issues
Rahway 20.7 (33.3) NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line
NJ Transit Bus: 48
Rahway Community Shuttle
9 Woodbridge Avenel[13]
Edgar July 21, 1975[14]
10 Woodbridge October 11, 1864[15] NJ Transit Bus: 48, 116, 803
Genasco
12 Perth Amboy Perth Amboy 1923[16] NJ Transit Bus: 48, 116, 813, 815, 817
13 South Amboy South Amboy 1938 NJ Transit Bus: 815, 817
Old Bridge Laurence Harbor Formerly proposed station in 1985, 2001, and 2008
15 Matawan Aberdeen–Matawan June 25, 1875[17] NJ Transit Bus: 135
16 Hazlet Hazlet June 25, 1875[17] Academy Bus: PNC Bank Arts Center Shuttle
17 Middletown Township Middletown June 25, 1875[17]
18 Red Bank Red Bank June 25, 1875[17] NJ Transit Bus: 831, 832, 834, 838
Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
19 Little Silver Little Silver 1875 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
Oceanport Monmouth Park
(limited service)
1892
20 Long Branch Long Branch June 25, 1875[17] NJ Transit Bus: 831, 837
Academy Bus: 36
Terminus of electrification
Elberon Elberon 1899
21 Allenhurst Allenhurst May 17, 1897[18][19] NJ Transit Bus: 837
Asbury Park
North Asbury Park July 21, 1975[14]
Asbury Park August 25, 1875[20][21] NJ Transit Bus: 317, 830, 832, 836, 837
Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
Bradley Beach Bradley Beach NJ Transit Bus: 317, 830
Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
22
Avon-by-the-Sea Avon July 21, 1975[22]
Belmar Belmar NJ Transit Bus: 317, 830
Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
Lake Como Como June 1934[23] Demolished by New York & Long Branch Railroad in November 1934.[24]
Spring Lake Spring Lake NJ Transit Bus: 317, 830
Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
23
Sea Girt Sea Girt July 21, 1975[14]
Manasquan Manasquan NJ Transit Bus: 317, 830
Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
Point Pleasant Beach Point Pleasant Beach July 29, 1880[25] NJ Transit Bus: 317, 830
Academy Bus: Shore Points Line
Bay Head Bay Head

See also

Bibliography

  • Poor, Henry Varnum (1893). Poor's Manual of Railroads, Volume 26. New York, New York: American Bank Note Company. Retrieved February 2, 2020.

References

  1. Wood, Don, The Unique New York & Long Branch, (1985, Audio-Visual Designs)(ISBN 0917451104).
  2. "Jersey Shore Commuters Club Inc". Jersey Shore Commuters Club. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012.
  3. "Hurricane Sandy Storm Damage (slideshow)". New Jersey Transit. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  4. "Update as of November 10: Rail and Light Rail Service". New Jersey Transit. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  5. "All But One NJ TRANSIT Rail Lines Fully or Partially Restored Starting Monday, November 19". New Jersey Transit. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  6. "North Jersey Coast Line Timetable" (PDF). New York, New York: New Jersey Transit. November 19, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  7. "Newark Dedicates New Station Today". The New York Times. March 23, 1935. p. 13. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  8. "Newark Dedicates Its New Terminal". The New York Times. March 24, 1935. p. N1. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  9. Gootman, Elissa (October 22, 2001). "New Train Service To Newark Airport". The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  10. Baer, Christopher T. (June 2015). "A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1835" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. pp. 51, 54. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  11. "North Jersey Coast Line Timetable Effective January 31, 1993". New Jersey Transit. January 31, 1993. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  12. Deak, Mike (September 6, 2019). "NJ Transit increases train service at Avenel station". My Central Jersey. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  13. "Penn Central Fare Hike, Service Cuts Given OK". The Asbury Park Press. July 17, 1975. p. 1. Retrieved September 28, 2017 via Newspapers.com.
  14. Poor 1893, pp. 897898.
  15. Wang, Paul W.; Massopust, Katherine A. (2009). Perth Amboy (Then and Now). Charleston, SC: Arcadia. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-7385-6241-4.
  16. "New York and Long Branch Railroad". The Monmouth Inquirer. Freehold, New Jersey. July 1, 1875. p. 3. Retrieved February 1, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Items of Local Interest". The Freehold Transcript. January 22, 1897. p. 4. Retrieved May 21, 2018 via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Items of Local Interest". The Freehold Transcript. May 14, 1987. p. 8. Retrieved May 21, 2018 via Newspapers.com.
  19. "Central Railroad of New Jersey New York and Long Branch Division". The Monmouth Inquirer. Freehold, New Jersey. August 26, 1875. p. 2. Retrieved February 1, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Monmouth County". The Monmouth Inquirer. Freehold, New Jersey. September 2, 1875. p. 3. Retrieved February 1, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  21. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14027965/penn-central-cuts-july-17-1975/
  22. "Spring Lake Wins Depot Name Fight". The Asbury Park Press. May 8, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved November 1, 2017 via Newspapers.com.
  23. "Now". The Asbury Park Press. November 30, 1934. p. 25. Retrieved November 1, 2017 via Newspapers.com.
  24. "Monmouth County Notes". The Red Bank Register. August 5, 1880. p. 1. Retrieved December 26, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
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