New York Penn Station is discussed on a separate page

Secaucus Junction officially called the "Frank Lautenberg Rail Station," a 312,000-square-foot station which opened for full service December 15, 2003. This new station, visible from the New Jersey Turnpike, functions as a transfer point between ten New Jersey Transit rail lines, with emphasis on transfers to the Northeast Corridor, allowing those passengers from the Main, Bergen, and Pascack Valley lines easier access to New York City and points south. The Northeast Corridor level of this station has two island platforms and four tracks, with two additional bypass or "express" tracks in the center. In October 2003, work was begun on a $250 million interchange of the New Jersey Turnpike designed especially to serve this rail station

The junction with the Northeast Corridor line, is known as the "Midtown Direct" connection. This connection was a major project aimed at unifying NJ Transit's heavy rail system into one unified network. Originally named the Kearny Connection, it was swiftly renamed to more properly indicate the function of the connection for marketing purposes. The trains that use the connection must be hauled by NJT's dual voltage ALP-44 and ALP-46 locomotives, which can switch from 12,000 to 25,000 volts on the fly. The rest of the Morris & Essex is served by electric multiple unit and even diesel-hauled locomotive trains. Trains on the Morris & Essex now have two choices of terminals: New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal

We leave the Northeast Corridor line, via a single track each way which merges with a three-track main line paralleling Interstate 280 on the north side and the Northeast Corridor line to the south. We pass the closed Harrison station which had three tracks and two wall platforms.

 Crossing the Passaic River on a two-track drawbridge, we spot the Newark Bears minor league baseball team, and quickly enter Newark Broad Street which has two low side platforms and a center bypass track. There are large wooden station houses on each platform and crossunders to the main station at street level. Railings are ornate wrought iron. There is evidence of some closed exits to the street. New Jersey Transit has a plan to add high island platforms and full ADA. This project will require viaduct widening. We see another closed station, name unknown.

East Orange follows, on a viaduct. There are three tracks, with a low-level island platform serving the eastbound and center tracks and a side platform serving westbound trains. The platforms have been shortened and evidence of their former length is clearly visible at the ends of the platforms. There are new mini high platforms at the East end.

The next station Brick Church is nearly identical, next up is Orange, featuring two side platforms alongside three tracks. The station was moved from its original location further to the west. There is an indoor waiting area on both platforms, and the main station house is on the south side of the tracks. An extra exit to the street is located at the east end of both platforms. Highland Avenue follows, also two low wall platforms and a center bypass track.

Mountain Station is next. The platform arrangement is the same as Orange. A mission style station house is located on both platforms. The east end of the station is partially in an arched tunnel due to the street passing overhead.

South Orange is next, with a low island serving the center and westbound track and a low side platform serving eastbound trains. A mission style station house is on both platforms. A sign proudly proclaims the station as the "Home of Seton Hall University." There are mini high platforms at the east end

 Maplewood is next. A low island serves the center and westbound track and a low side platform serves the eastbound track. The main station house serves eastbound trains and is a nice Tudor style building. There is a crossunder and a mini-station house for westbound trains. A maple leaf pattern is located on the walls of the crossunder to the island platform. There are mini high platforms. The line becomes two tracks and we continue our ride.

Millburn is next with two low wall platforms. The current station house is on the south side. This is a modern building with marble walls, lots of glass and a 45-degree angle glass skylight. An old station house on the north side has been converted to a private law office. Short Hills follows, with two low side platforms. The north side had a station house, which is now the home of the Short Hills Historical Society. Summit is next, and features high platforms. An island serves the eastbound and center track and a wall platform serves westbound trains. This nice station is in a cut with concrete sidewalls. There is a station house and crossover over the tracks and is ADA compliant. This station serves as the terminal of some local trains from Hoboken, as well as non-through service from the Gladstone branch.

Chatham is next. This station is on an embankment and has two low wall platforms. Station houses are on both platforms but the north side house is closed. Madison follows, raised on a viaduct through town. There are two low platforms with stone station houses on both platforms. The eastbound side has an extra closed station house. Side rails of the platforms are concrete, as are the canopies. Convent Station follows and is located at a grade crossing with two low platforms. The station has a station house on each platform with the north side being closed. A sign proclaims the station as "Home of the College of Saint Elizabeth." The college can be seen just to the north and east of the station. There are a few more grade crossings immediately to the west of Convent Station.

Morristown is next and we return to grade separation via embankment over the street. There are closed station houses on both low wall platforms. There is a crossunder as well as a ramp to the parking area to the south of the eastbound platform. Morris Plains is next, grade separated with two low wall platforms and mini high platforms on the east end. An old station house to the west of the station on the south side is now a model railroad club. This station has a crossunder and a mini-high platform on the east end. Mount Tabor follows, with one low side platform on the north side that is very short. There is a grade crossing on both sides of the station, and stopping trains will block the crossing. Not all trains serve this little station.

Denville follows. This station has two low side platforms with mini-high platforms on the east end. Denville is also served by Boonton line trains which connect via a single track line from the northeast. Those trains stop at a separate high platform adjacent to that track.

We arrive at Dover after a local-stops ride of almost ninety minutes. Recently rebuilt, Dover has two tracks and a high center island platform. The station formerly had three tracks and a low platform on the north side only. A grade crossing is west of the station, with two tracks. Electric trains from Hoboken and New York must terminate here; A storage yard for electric trains is to the east of the station on the south side. 

Rating: 5 stars for water crossings, good rail action, varied terrain. And stations