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 (about 45%) use the Kearny Connection (opened June 10, 1996) to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn Station; the rest go to Hoboken Terminal. Passengers can transfer at Newark Broad Street or Summit to reach the other destination if necessary.
The line east of Dover Station is electrified, using 25kV AC overhead catenary wire (formerly 3kV DC). There is frequent service weekdays, with hourly service to/from New York (none going beyond Dover) on weekends. Until August 13, 2006, there was also hourly service to Hoboken. On that date, service between Hoboken and Summit was cut back to once every two hours on weekends. On May 11, 2008, Off-Peak Weekday Hoboken-Dover Trains (600 Series) were cut. In addition, weekend Gladstone trains were cut back to Summit, and a shuttle trains is operated every two hours between Newark Broad Street And Hoboken Terminal.
Recently the portions of the line between Millburn and Summit underwent extensive rehabilitation. This included the replacement of the creosote crossties on both tracks with concrete crossties, the replacement of all crossties on the double trestle over Short Hills Avenue, and the replacement of several sections of rail. More recently work has been progressing briskly on rehabilitating both tracks between Summit and Dover with concrete crossties and new welded rails, and rehabilitation of select road overpasses.
Peak trains arrive on weekdays in Hoboken between 7:00 am and 9:15 am, and in New York between 7:13 am and 9:29 am; peak trains leave Hoboken on weekdays between 4:36 pm and 7:06 pm and New York on weekdays between 4:09 pm and 6:54 pm.[2]
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Route guide
The Morristown Line begins at the Hoboken Terminal or at New York Penn Station. Morristown line trains departing for points west of Dover, NJ require diesel locomotives. Immediately after leaving Hoboken, the route passes the coach and diesel yards before entering the 1908 Bergen Tunnel under the New Jersey Palisades just past the East End interlocking. At the west portal of the Bergen Tunnel is West End interlocking, where the Main Line, Bergen County Line and Pascack Valley Line branch off to the north. The Morristown Line then crosses over Lower Hack Lift, a vertical lift bridge built in 1927 over the Hackensack River. The line crosses under Route 7 and then passes NJ Transit's Meadows Maintenance Complex (MMC).
Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and the New Jersey Turnpike cross overhead. The Midtown Direct trains join the Morristown line from New York at Kearny Jct. just past this overpass. The Morristown Line parallels the Amtrak Northeast Corridor and PATH lines and Interstate 280 for a short distance here. The Waterfront Connection is just prior to the overpass at Meadows interlocking. It allows selected North Jersey Coast Line and Raritan Valley Line trains to access Hoboken from the Northeast Corridor Line.
After following Interstate 280, the line crosses over a 2 track swing bridge spanning the Passaic River into Newark into the newly renovated Newark Broad Street station with two high platforms serving all three tracks. After Newark Broad Street Station, within the city limits the line runs in a cut and crosses under many streets, Interstate 280 and the Newark City Subway, and at the abandoned Roseville Avenue station, now the location of Roseville interlocking, the Montclair-Boonton Line splits off to the right.
After passing an abandoned station at Grove Street (now the location of Green interlocking) and over the Garden State Parkway, East Orange is the next stop, on an elevated viaduct. Brick Church and Orange follow, also elevated stations. The line curves south, over Interstate 280 and stops at Highland Avenue and Mountain Station. South Orange is next, an elevated station with two platforms and three tracks. Seton Hall University is located here. Maplewood follows, with a side platform and a center platform, serving all westbound and some eastbound trains. After Maplewood, the line narrows to two tracks at Millburn interlocking. Millburn and Short Hills have two side platforms, with two tracks.
Summit, a major station is next with high platforms. There are two platforms, and the station building above the tracks. A glass crossover is located above the platforms. Some weekday locals terminate and originate here. Many of the area's private schools are located in Summit and commuting high school students are a major source of traffic for this station. Schedules are timed for most Morristown trains to have a convenient transfer to a Gladstone branch train across the platform.
Just west of Summit, the Gladstone Branch separates and the line crosses over the Passaic River (the second time) into Chatham. Chatham station is on an elevated embankment with two side platforms. Madison, on an elevated viaduct is similar, with a recently refurbished 1916 station house on the eastbound side.
The line reaches its first grade crossing at Convent Station, located on the College of Saint Elizabeth. This station has two side platforms with the station building on the eastbound side and a brick waiting house on the westbound track. An old freight station is on the eastbound side. After this station, there are two more grade crossings.
Crossing Interstate 287, the line enters Morristown. The Morristown station has two low side platforms and a large station building open 7 days, and is the focal point of a new transit village development. Mini-high level platform ramps for ADA access at both ends. An abandoned freight station is at the west end. West of the station, the Morristown & Erie Railway's main office are located. The Morristown & Erie's main line diverges at this point.
The next station on the line is Morris Plains, with a 1915 brick station. A local model railroad club is located in the freight house just north of the station. After Morris Plains the line curves through wooded areas, under Route 10, and past several crossings before stopping at Mount Tabor, a small stop in Parsippany located at a grade crossing. This stop is served by selected weekday and limited weekend trains and lacks an eastbound platform.
Denville station is a short distance from Mount Tabor. The Morristown Line rejoins the Montclair-Boonton Line just past this station.
The line passes over Estling Lake and alongside the Rockaway River into Dover. Dover, the final stop in electric territory, is next. The 1905 station was recently renovated in the mid-1990s and has a single high platform. No electric Midtown Direct trains and most Hoboken service continues on past here towards Hackettstown. The Morristown Line catenary wires ends about a half-mile west of the station near the US Route 46 overpass. . However there are plans (currently unfunded)[citation needed] to extend the electric service to Lake Hopatcong as the Dover Yard is at capacity.
Two tracks continue west over the Rockaway River and past D&R Junction in Wharton where the Morristown & Erie Railway's Dover-Rockaway Branch splits off. Chester (Lake) Junction is on the left and provides the connection to the Morristown & Erie Railway's Chester and High Bridge Branch. Mount Arlington park/ride station is next, with two high platforms and 285 parking spaces near Exit 30 on Interstate 80.
After passing under Interstate 80, Lake Hopatcong station is next. The connection to the Lackawanna Cutoff is on the right as the train approaches Port Morris Yard, where the Montclair-Boonton and Morristown line's diesel fleet is based. Netcong station has a brick house on the low platform. Until late 1994, this was the endpoint of the line. Crossing under Interstate 80, the line enters the Mount Olive International Trade Center, where a station is located at Waterloo Valley Road.
The route passes through Allamuchy State Park and along the Musconetcong River to Hackettstown. A spur to the M&M/Mars plant is on the right, before the line crosses US Route 46 in downtown. The Hackettstown station is shortly ahead, with one low platform and a mini-high ADA ramp. Trackage south of Hackettstown is owned and operated by Norfolk Southern as part of the Lackawanna Washington Secondary to Phillipsburg.
Rolling stock
Weekday local service between Hoboken and Dover now is mainly diesel, but was formerly Arrow III electric MU cars. All Midtown Direct service is push-pull, utilizing electric ALP-44/ALP-46 locomotives and Comet cars on most trains, and Mulitlevel vehicles on select trains. Through service west of Dover from Hoboken uses GP40PH-2, F40PH-2CAT or PL42AC diesels with Comet cars.
Station listing
| Morristown Line stations | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone | Miles from east terminal | Municipality | Station | Services | Public transportation | Notes | |||||||||||||||||
| – | 0.0 | New York City | Penn Station | ADA-accessible, TVM | City Subway | Second eastern terminus of the line | |||||||||||||||||
| 0.0 | Hoboken | Hoboken | ADA-accessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: 22, 22X, 23, 54, 68, 85, 87, 89, 126, New York Waterway | Eastern terminus of the line; Transfer here for PATH trains and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail | ||||||||||||||||||
| 0.0 | Secaucus | Secaucus Junction | ADA-accessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: 2, 78, 129, 329, 772 | Transfer here for other New Jersey Transit lines (except the Raritan Valley and Gladstone Branch lines) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 7.8 | Newark | Newark-Broad Street | ADA-accessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: 11, 13, 27, 28, 29, 39, 41, 43, 72, 76, 78, 108, go28 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 10.0 | East Orange | East Orange | ADA-accessible | NJ Transit buses: 21, 71, 73, 79, 94 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10.6 | Brick Church | – | NJ Transit buses: 21, 71, 73, 79, 94, 97 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 11.5 | Orange | Orange | – | NJ Transit buses: 21, 41 71, 73, 79, 92 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 12.2 | Highland Avenue | – | NJ Transit buses: 92 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 13.1 | South Orange | Mountain Station | – | NJ Transit buses: 92 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 13.9 | South Orange | ADA-accessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: 92, 107 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 15.2 | Maplewood | Maplewood | TVM | – | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 16.8 | Millburn | Millburn | – | NJ Transit buses: 70 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 17.8 | Short Hills | Short Hills | ADA-accessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: 92, 107 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 20.1 | Summit | Summit | ADA-accessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: 70, 986 Wheels | Morristown Line and Gladstone Branch lines merge/diverge here | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 23.5 | Chatham | Chatham | – | NJ Transit buses: MCM3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 25.5 | Madison | Madison | – | NJ Transit buses: MCM3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 27.7 | Morris Township | Convent | – | NJ Transit buses: MCM3, 966 Wheels | ||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | 29.8 | Morristown | Morristown | ADA-acessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: MCM1, MCM2, MCM3, MCM10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | 32.0 | Morris Plains | Morris Plains | TVM | NJ Transit buses: MCM2, MCM10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 35.7 | Parsippany-Troy Hills | Mount Tabor | – | – | |||||||||||||||||||
| 36.7 | Denville | Denville | ADA-accessible | NJ Transit buses: MCM10 | Line merges/diverges with the Montclair-Boonton Line for westward service | ||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 40.5 | Dover | Dover | ADA-accessible, TVM | NJ Transit buses: MCM2, MCM10 | Most trains terminate/originate at Dover | |||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Mount Arlington | Mount Arlington | ADA-accessible | Lakeland Bus: Route 80 | Built 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 45.9 | Lake Hopatcong | Lake Hopatcong | – | – | Future split for the Lackawanna Cut-Off line near Port Morris Junction | ||||||||||||||||||
| 48.4 | Netcong | Netcong | – | – | Begin/end of New Jersey Transit track ownership; Former line western terminus | ||||||||||||||||||
| 50.1 | Mount Olive | Mount Olive | ADA-accessible | Lakeland Bus: Route 46, Route 80 | Waterloo Village, International Trade Center | ||||||||||||||||||
| 57.4 | Hackettstown | Hackettstown | ADA-acessible | NJ Transit buses: 973 Wheels | Western terminus of the Montclair-Boonton and Morristown Lines | ||||||||||||||||||
| Morristown Line abandoned stations | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Harrison | Harrison | – | – | Abandoned | ||||||||||||||||||
| Newark | Roseville Avenue | – | – | Abandoned circa 1984 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | East Orange | Grove Street | – | – | Abandoned circa 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6 |
References
External links
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