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New Jersey Transit Montclair- Boonton Line
By Adam Moss and Peggy Darlington
(West = To
Montclair
and Hackettstown, East = to
Hoboken/New
York)
Stations from
New York
to
Newark
are discussed on NJT Midtown Direct
The tour of the
Montclair-Boonton Line begins after trains depart the Newark Broad Street
Station.
After leaving
Newark-Broad Street,
the Montclair-Boonton Line heads eastward through
Newark
as a four-track system. The tracks enter the
Roseville
section of
Newark,
where it comes to the intersection of
Roseville Avenue
and Seventh Street.
There on the depressed tracks is the site of the former Roseville Avenue
Station, constructed by the
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western Railroad in the 1890s. During the track depression of 1905, tracks
were moved underground with the Roseville Avenue Station. The old station got
regular service for the DL&W until 1974, when service became limited. The
station was of regular
Lackawanna
design, with two side platforms.
Roseville Avenue
also had an interlocking tower above ground which remained in use after the
station closed, but this building burned down in 2002. The Roseville Avenue
Station was canned in 1984 by New Jersey Transit. The only remaining portion of
Roseville
is a control box marked “ROSEVILLE”
at the site.
After forking with the
Morris and Essex Lines (Gladstone and
Morristown),
the Montclair-Boonton Line enters the
Oranges,
and comes upon the
Ampere
Plaza
and
Whitney Place
intersection. This intersection was the site of Ampere Station, an elevated
station in Ampere,
New Jersey,
a portion of
East Orange.
Ampere had two side platforms to serve two tracks, with a retaining wall and two
waiting shelters on the western platform. Ampere was constructed by the DL&W by
1909 and remained in use through the Lackawanna Railroad’s lifetime, becoming
part of the National Register of Historic Places. The station lasted for 12
years as part of New Jersey Transit’s Montclair Branch until the April 1991
timetables, when trains were ordered to not stop at Ampere. The station has
since been demolished.
After passing through the
abandoned Ampere Station, the Montclair Branch portion of the Montclair-Boonton
Line continues northward into the community of
Bloomfield.
There it comes to the intersection of
Watsessing Avenue
and
Orange Street,
the site of the next station.
Watsessing Avenue
is the first (open) station along the line since
Newark-Broad Street
and was one of five stations involved with the grade separation program.
Watsessing is a Lenni Lenape term for “crooked” or “elbow”. The station was
constructed in 1912 during the grade separation that also created
Glen
Ridge
and Bloomfield Stations. Watsessing Avenue Station has two side platforms and 2
electrified tracks running through. The station was formerly known in its DL&W
days as Doddtown, another portion of
Bloomfield,
but the name was changed for the nearby
Watsessing
River.
There are connections to the NJ Transit Bus Route 94 here.
Continuing through
Bloomfield,
the Montclair-Boonton Line enters the center part of the city. Just off the
Bloomfield Avenue
mainline, the line comes to the namesake Bloomfield Station, one of active two
stations in the community. (Bloomfield
also had
Rowe Street
on the former Lower Boonton Line,
Orchard Street,
which was demolished for the
Garden State Parkway
and replaced by
Rowe Street,
and
Walnut Street.)
Bloomfield Station has two side platforms and is above-ground despite its
surrounding stations, and serves the two bi-directional tracks. The station was
constructed in 1912 as part of the grade separation project, which raised the
tracks above
Bloomfield.
A large station building was constructed by the DL&W, but this has since been
abandoned. The station has access to several NJ Transit buses: the 11, 28, go28,
29, 34, 72, 92, 93, 94 and 709 on nearby
Bloomfield Avenue.
After
Bloomfield Station, the Montclair-Boonton Line continues to the northwest,
beginning a half-mile parallel to the former Erie Boonton Line into the
community of
Glen
Ridge.
Glen
Ridge,
famous for its gas-powered lights, is a community in western
Essex
County.
Glen Ridge Station is on the western side of the intersection of
Bloomfield Avenue
and
Ridgewood Avenue
in the namesake community. The station is underground, with two side platforms
and large canopies designed similar to Ampere and
Roseville Avenue.
The site of the train station in Mona Lisa Smile (2003), Glen Ridge Station is
the last underground station built in 1912 due to the grade separation project.
The station was formerly known as
Ridgewood,
the former name of
Glen
Ridge.
Glen Ridge Station is the westernmost station outside of
Montclair
and part of the former Montclair Branch.
After Glen Ridge Station, the Montclair Branch portion of the
Montclair-Boonton Line continues on its northeast progression, crossing under
Bloomfield Avenue
(County Route 506, which it had formerly paralleled). After the crossing, the
line enters
Montclair,
New Jersey,
the site of five stations. The first station that trains often come to is
Bay Street,
a large station at the intersection of
Bay Street
and
Glenridge Avenue
in
Montclair.
Bay Street has two high side platforms that serve the twin tracks through
Montclair.
The station has a large 248-space parking garage on southbound side and a large
crossing bridge between the two platforms. Bay Street is also the western
terminus for the weekend service on the Montclair-Boonton Line, implemented on
November 8, 2009.
Trains on weekends stop at Watsessing, Bloomfield,
Glen
Ridge
and
Bay Street
along with
Newark-Broad Street
and the main terminals to
Hoboken.
Bay Street was constructed in 1981 as a
replacement for the Montclair Terminal, which was the main terminal for
Montclair Branch trains. The old terminal was converted into a shopping mall
while
Bay Street
was constructed as a bare platform station with a lone staircase, shelter and
one track. In 2002, during construction of the Montclair Connection between the
Montclair Branch and Boonton Lines, New Jersey Transit rebuilt the
Bay Street
station, creating the large crossover tower, built the parking garage, and
decorated the entire station with mosaics and tiles. Bay Street is also the last
station before the line turns off the former Montclair Branch and onto the
Boonton Line.
After
leaving
Bay Street,
the line heads northbound, the station crosses through
Montclair
and crosses past
Sherman Street,
where the right-of-way merges from the Boonton Line and the Montclair-Boonton
Line follows the Boonton ROW for the next several miles. The line heads
northwestward, crossing under
Claremont Avenue
and
Grove Street
before crossing under
Walnut Street
and into
Erie
Park.
In
Erie
Park,
the railroad enters the Walnut Street Station, the 2nd in
Montclair.
Walnut Street is in
Depot Square,
and is a ground level station with 2 side platforms to serve the two tracks.
The station has a nearby station house,
used for the
Depot Square
restaurant.
Walnut
Street was the original designated
Montclair-Erie
Plaza
station, constructed in 1873 as the Montclair Station. The station was
demolished and rebuilt in 1952 and was renamed to
Walnut Street
from
Montclair-Erie
Plaza
by New Jersey Transit sometime during the 1980s. In 1973, during the Erie
Railroad days,
Walnut Street
was the site of a freight train derailment.
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N.
Fullerton
Avenue
Tower
|
Starting
out of Walnut Street Station, the trains continue through
Montclair
and along the
Essex
Park.
The route crosses
Chestnut Street
before running along the western edge of
Essex
Avenue
Park
in
Montclair.
After leaving
Essex
Avenue
Park,
the route crosses at-grade with
North Fullerton Avenue,
the site of one of the Erie Railroad’s frame signal cabins. The signal cabin at
North Fullerton Avenue
was constructed in 1905 and was 7’ x 7’ in design. Its purpose was to be a
manual block station for the railroad and a gated railroad crossing which was
manually operated. The signal box was operated from 10-6 on every day except for
Sunday and eventually was upgraded to handle more freight for the Boonton Line.
When the semaphore signals were removed from the upcoming
Montclair
Heights
station, the services were moved into
North Fullerton.
However,
continuing northward along the Montclair-Boonton Line, entering the
Upper Montclair
region, and into
Watchung
Plaza,
a portion of
Montclair
at the intersection of
Park Street,
Watchung Avenue
and
Fairfield Street.
Watchung Avenue Station is an elevated station with 2 ground-level platforms and
a station building built in 1901. The station has 95 parking spots, all permits
necessary, nearby and the station building with the necessities for riders
(bathrooms, ticket agent, ticket vending machines, etc.) The 1901 Type 5 terra
cotta station was constructed as a replacement to the nearby Park Street Station
for $4700 (1901 USD). The station is weekday only and on the National Register
of Historic Places, but vandalism has been constantly reported at the station
since 2007.
After
crossing through Watchung Avenue Station, the Montclair-Boonton Line crosses
over
Watchung Avenue
and turns to another northwestern stretch of rail. The rail line continues
through
Upper Montclair
and begins to parallel to the east of
Anderson
Park
before crossing
Bellevue Avenue.
After
Bellevue Avenue,
the tracks enter Upper Montclair Station, the 4th station in
Montclair.
Upper Montclair is a ground-level station with two side platforms.
The western platform was also the site of the station building, a Type 5 station
built in 1898 by the
Erie
to replace the Montclair Railway’s original station. However, on
February 5, 2006,
the Upper Montclair Station building caught fire by the restaurant inside the
station, and was mostly leveled. A small portion remained, and a new replica
station building is being constructed, but larger than the original. The Upper
Montclair Station currently uses a tent for a shelter as the westbound platform
has no official shelter while the building is being reconstructed.
After
the tracks leave Upper Montclair Station, the Montclair-Boonton Line crosses the
northern
Lorraine Avenue
and Jerome Places before continuing further into
Montclair.
After beginning a parallel with
Valley Road,
the rails quickly enter the 5th of 6 stations in
Montclair,
the Mountain Avenue Station, located at
Laurel Place
and
Upper Mountain Avenue.
Mountain Avenue Station is a ground-level, two platform station with a station
house on the eastbound side. However, the station house is leased by New Jersey
Transit as a private residence, so the building is off-limits. The station has
bike racks and 23 free-use parking spots with access to New Jersey Transit bus
route 28. The original station building was constructed in 1873 and rebuilt in
1893 as an irregular station design.
As
the tracks leave Mountain Avenue Station, the Montclair-Boonton Line parallels
Upper Mountain Avenue
and
Valley Road
through
Montclair
Heights
(the community). The tracks pass
Mountainside
Park
and the local bird sanctuary, where the rail line enters the 6th and
final station legislatively in
Montclair,
Montclair Heights Station. Montclair Heights Station is a two side platform
station with a station house on the Newark-bound platform. Signage on the
station is signed as:
Montclair
Heights:
Home to
Montclair
State
University,
a relic name from the Erie Railroad days, when signs referenced the same thing.
Although Montclair Heights is no longer the official station for Montclair State
University, the Heights station still receives fair amounts of traffic and has
67 parking spots and bicycle racks. The station has access to bus routes 28, 191
and 705 by New Jersey Transit. There are mini-high platforms at the East end.
Montclair Heights Station was built in
1905 as a Type 5 Erie Railroad design.
The station remained in active service for the
Erie
until November 20, 1959,
when the Erie Railroad disregarded use of the station. New Jersey Transit took
the station back, and prior to the construction of the
Montclair
State
University
station, travelers heading westward to Hackettstown or
Dover
had to use this station to transfer from an electric train to a diesel train for
westward service, as catenaries ended here. Once the new station was
constructed, travelers heading to Hackettstown/Dover could use the
Montclair
State
University
station to transfer for westward service.
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Montclair
State
University
Station
at Little
Falls
|
After
trains depart from
Montclair
Heights,
they cross over
Normal Avenue
and enter the campus of
Montclair
State
University,
where the first station outside of
Montclair
since
Glen
Ridge
is located. The next three stations are in the community of Little Falls,
New Jersey.
Montclair State University [Station] was opened on October 20, 2004 as a state
of the art station, with a new parking deck and one high island platform, the
station is now the transfer point for the electric and diesel trains (a job once
held by Montclair Heights), due to the ending of catenary wires at the next
station.
Montclair
State
University
is the terminal station of many trains due to the lack of electricity, but for
express trains from
Newark/New
York/Hoboken,
this is the first local stop. The
entire station was constructed for $26 million, and prior to its opening, the
transfers done at
Montclair
Heights
were moved over to the newly built platform. However, at that point, many
services were not opened yet. It was strictly a transfer stop.
Closing on January 16, 2010
After the passengers destined for
Hackettstown/Dover have switched from a electric passenger train to a diesel
passenger train, the tracks continue northward through Montclair State
University as a single track, but after crossing under Clove Road, the tracks
split into two once again and turn to the northwest, paralleling U.S. Route 46
through Little Falls. The tracks make a curve to the southwest and into one
track as they enter Great Notch Station, the 2nd of 3 in Little
Falls. The station has 1 platform for the track through the station, with a
shelter and ample 15-space parking along the platform side. The
Montclair-Boonton’s catenary wires end at Great Notch and its nearby train yard.
Great
Notch was constructed in 1905 as a station for the small portion of Little
Falls. The state had a slate roof and was a Type 5 frame structure. It was 12’ x
28’ x 18’ in size and was accompanied by an 18.5’ x 42’ box car structure to
serve as the section tool house. The station was the junction of the railroad
and Caldwell Railway, a short spur south of Great Notch to Essex Fells. There,
GA Tower, which was built in 1900 to house 31 levers for access to Great Notch
Yard. It was located on the eastbound platform to the side of station.
During the 1970s, Great Notch Station was given a new paint job, turning
it to Erie Lackawanna red from its green and red
Erie
colors. However, the station
building burned down in 1988 by suspected foul play and replaced by a shelter.
Great
Notch station is currently the station whose use is in question. The station was
slated by New Jersey Transit for closing in 2009, but the residents of Little
Falls complained. The mayor of Little Falls and New Jersey Transit were able to
strike a deal in April 2009 to give Great Notch some extra trains as a one-year
test to attract riders. This test has proven to fail as on
December 18, 2009,
New Jersey Transit has announced closure of the station on
January 16, 2010
due to diminished ridership. As of
January 16, 2010,
commuters at Great Notch will have to use
Montclair
State
University,
over a mile away, and Little Falls Stations for service.
After
trains leave the limited service and to be closed Great Notch Station, the
trains continue as one track into Little Falls. After crossing under
Long Hill Road,
the tracks leave Great Notch, paralleling
Jacobus Road
for a distance and Little Falls-Cedar Grove, where the tracks bend to the
northwest. After crossing
Stevens Avenue
and
Central Avenue,
the tracks continue to the northeast before entering Little Falls Station.
Little Falls station has 1 track and 1 side platform with the station building
built in 1915. The 1915 building was constructed as a Type 6 brick and slate
station. The station has led a rather quiet lifetime, with scenes changing
little since its 1915 inception. There was also a roundhouse near Little Falls
station used by the Erie Railroad, but this has been dismantled.
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Wayne-Route 23
Transit
Center
|
After
trains leave the Little Falls Station, the tracks continue to the northwest,
crossing under
Montclair Avenue
and crossing through Little Falls. The tracks then paralleled
Dewey Avenue
and
Main Street
(Passaic County Route 631), crossing
Main Street
and entering the site of the
Erie’s
former Singac Station. Singac has not been in used for over 5 decades and no
remains are in existence. The rails then cross over the
Passaic
River
and into
Wayne,
New Jersey.
After crossing the
Passaic,
the railroad paralleled Route 23 and Passaic County Route 703 (Old
Turnpike Road).
The rails cross under the Route 23 and U.S. Route 46 interchange in
Wayne
and soon under Interstate 80. After crossing over another body of water and
entered the Wayne-Route 23 Transit Center, a bus and railroad station in
Wayne
near Westbelt. Wayne-Route 23 was constructed in 2006 and 2007 as a new
transportation center for buses and railroads. It has 1,000 parking spaces and
full necessities are available. The station was constructed for $51 million and
opened on January
12, 2008.
The original intent of the station was to relieve congestion on the Westbelt
Interchange and for nearby for Routes 46, 23 and 80.
platforms are full high platforms.
(Signed,
but not officially MOUNTAIN VIEW-WAYNE)
As the tracks leave Wayne-Route 23
Transit Center, they parallel the nearby Route 23 freeway through
Wayne
and cross under
Fairfield Road
into downtown
Wayne.
There, the station parallels
Fayette Avenue
into the
Mountain View
section of
Wayne,
where the Mountain View Station is located. The station has one track and one
platform, with four ample parking lots. The
Mountain View
stop is signed as Mountain View-Wayne, but this name is not by any means
official. This is also the final station along the Erie Boonton Line. The New
York & Greenwood Lake Railway part of the
Erie
turns to the north here towards Wanaque-Midvale. A system no longer in service,
it once went as far north as the Sterling Forest Station on the Shore of
Greenwood Lake. The rest of the Montclair-Boonton follows the
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western lines westward to Hackettstown.
Mountain View
originally had a Type 4 Erie building constructed in 1910. The station however,
lasted only 55 years, when the building was replaced with a metal Armco box when
the junction for the two railroads was rebuilt.
After
the former
Erie
alignment forks at
Mountain View
station, the Montclair-Boonton Line turns to the northwest, cross out of
Mountain View
and through the western portion of
Wayne.
The rail line soon crosses over the
Passaic
River
once again and enters the borough of
Lincoln
soon after. In
Lincoln,
the tracks cross under
Ryerson Road
and fork into two tracks once gain. After beginning a parallel with
East Main Street,
the tracks enter Lincoln Park Station. The station has two tracks, and two side
platforms to service them both. The station has access to the MCM Bus Route 1
(run by New Jersey Transit) and service by Lakeland Buses’ Route 46. There are
two parking lots for the station. The first is on
Comley Road
and
Main Street
with 164 spaces, while the second is on the
Park Avenue
and has 83 spaces, for a grand total of 247 spaces to park in the station. The
station building was constructed by the
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western Railroad in 1912 and remains in use.
After
tracks leave Lincoln Park Station, they head westward along
Troy Lane
before the tracks merge back into one single track. The single track crosses
under
Beaver Brook Road
and makes a large moderated curve to the southwest. When the railroad comes
around the curve, it enters the community on
Montville,
New Jersey.
As it enters
Montville,
the railroad begins a northern parallel with U.S. Route 202 (Main Road)
which ends when Route 202 crosses over the railroad. The alignment parallels
Route 202 to the north and
Whitehall Road,
where it enters the Towaco Station. Towaco Station is the de facto stop in
Montville,
as the Montville Station closed before the NJ Transit days. The station has one
main track and one platform set for the track. The station has access to the
MCM1 bus route provided by New Jersey Transit and limited Route 46
Lakeland
Bus service. The station has 148 parking spaces at the parking lot on Route 202
and 74 spaces on the second lot on
Whitehall Road.
The
original Towaco Station building was constructed in 1910 and 1911 as a
replacement to the former Whitehall Station, which was renamed Towaco in 1905.
The actual origination for the name Towaco is a contraction of the Totowa
Water Company, which maintained several water wells in the area of
the Whitehall Station. Due to the closing of the Montville Station during the
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western times, the station in Towaco is now the only station in
Montville
Township.
After tracks leave Towaco Station,
they head to the southwest, paralleling U.S. Route 202 and the former alignment
of the
Morris
Canal
through
Montville
Township.
Soon after, Route 202 turns off to the west while the railroad continues
southwestward and beginning a parallel with
Macculoch Drive
before both the road and railroad turn to the northwest. The tracks continue to
the northwest, soon crossing under Route 202 near the Plastenics factory in
Montville.
The tracks cross under Interstate 287 just north of Interchange 47 in Boonton,
where the tracks enter the community. The tracks make a large curve from a
straight northwest progression back to a southwestward one. Along the
southwestern stretch, the railroad crosses under
Taylortown Road
and enters the community of Boonton. In Boonton, the railroad parallels Route
202 once again and soon after with Interstate 287. Approaching Interchange 45 on
Interstate 287, the railroad finally enters it next station, Boonton Station.
Boonton
Station has one track and one side platform to serve the station. There is a
covered staircase from the bridge for County Route 511 down to the station, and
at the
Main Street
(CR 511) and
Myrtle Avenue
(U.S. Route 202) intersection, Boonton Station has a 69-space parking lot with a
$0.50 fee to use daily. Similar to Towaco, Boonton has access to the
MCM1 Bus Route
and the limited Route 46 Lakeland bus route. The
original Boonton Station was constructed in 1912 and has remained there
uneventfully. The building however, is now a local bar.
There is
a mini high platform
After
Boonton Station, the Montclair-Boonton Line continues to the southwest,
paralleling Interstate 287 and Morris Avenue as a two-track mainline through
Boonton. Crossing over
Fanny Lane,
Interstate 287 turns to the southeast and away from the railroad, which
continues into Intervale,
New Jersey.
The rails become one tracked once again, and the rail continues southward into
Mountain Lakes,
New Jersey.
The track continues southward, paralleling
Elm Street
until entering the Mountain Lakes Station.
Mountain
Lakes
Station is one of the most isolated stations along the entire line, with the
entire site several miles west from U.S. Route 202 and Interstate 287. It is not
ADA-accessible, nor does it have a ticket machine. The station has no access to
bus routes or taxi services and still gets full service. The station’s only
services beyond the lone platform and shelter are the 87 parking spaces divided
into three lots around the station. Without a permit however, the station has a
three hour parking limit.
The
original
Mountain
Lakes
station was constructed by the
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western Railroad in 1912. Since then, the scene has changed little, but the
station building is now the nearby Station Restaurant at Mountain.
As
the trains depart Mountain Lakes Station, they continue to the southwest through
Morris
County,
paralleling nearby
Pollard Road
for several miles until the tracks cross under U.S. Route 46 near the
Rainbow
Lakes.
The railroad parallels U.S. Route 46 westward, crossing
Fox Hill Road,
where the railroad curves, crossing under Interstate 80 and into the community
of Denville. There, the railroad crosses over State Route 53 and enters the
large Denville Station. Denville Station is the first electric station along the
Montclair-Boonton Line since Great Notch and the largest station in terms since
Wayne-Route 23 Transit Center. Denville has four low platforms, two for the
Montclair-Boonton Line on the northern side of the property and two for the
Morristown Line (of the Morris & Essex) on the southern side of the property.
Denville Station is ADA-accessible with two large parking lots on
Thurmont Road
to serve the station. In the middle of the station, the interlocking tower for
the fork is still standing, but unused. There are bus connections to the
MCM10 Bus Route
provided by New Jersey Transit. Lakeland Buses stop on Route 46 and
Bloomfield Avenue
near the Route 53 interchange. From Denville Station to the terminus at
Hackettstown, the Morristown Line follows the same trackage as the
Montclair-Boonton.
After the trains leave Denville
Station, the tracks of the Morristown Line and the Montclair-Boonton Line merge
and continue westward, paralleling
Estling Lake Road
to the south through Denville before the three track alignment crosses between
Lake
Estling
and
Indian
Lake.
There, it turns to the southwest, passing
South
Shore
Park
and beginning to parallel
Franklin Road
along the shores of
Lake
Estling.
After leaving the shores of
Lake
Estling,
the tracks cross over
Franklin Road.
The route continues westward, entering the community of
Dover,
New Jersey.
After crossing over
Franklin Avenue,
the former DL&W Rockaway Branch merges in with the Montclair-Boonton. (Rockaway
Station details are covered in the NJ Transit Morristown Line page.) Paralleling
the
Rockaway
River,
the Montclair-Boonton and Morristown Line continues westward into the
Victory
Gardens
district and soon into downtown
Dover,
where it parallels U.S. Route 46 once again. Crossing through Dover Yard, the
two lines soon enter the Dover Station near
Dickerson Street.
Dover
Station is an important station for both lines. On Weekends, no service for the
Morristown Line goes past
Dover,
and many Montclair-Boonton weekday trains terminate here. Only a limited amount
of trains continue further to Hackettstown. Dover Station is the first station
on the Montclair-Boonton Line since Wayne-Route 23 Transit Center to have a
Ticket Vending Machine and the first on the Morristown Line since Morristown
Station. The station has two side platforms for the two tracks, with a ticket
agent in the station building seven days of the week. The station has 846
parking spots, divided up into eight lettered routes. Lot B on
Monmouth Street
and
South Morris Street
has the most, with 385 parking spaces. The station is also an important terminal
because electricity once again ends for the Montclair-Boonton, although this
stretch was only from Denville. Passengers must transfer at
Dover
for the Morristown Line trek, while most Montclair-Boonton trains remain the
same.
Dover
Station was constructed in 1901 and 1902 by the
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western Railroad with a full station building. The station building is in
use to this date, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since
1980.
After leaving Dover Station, the diesel
trains continue westward along Dickerson Street until the intersection with
Warren Street, where the line turns to the northwest and begins to leave
downtown Dover. The two tracks cross under U.S. Route 46 and parallel State
Route 15 northward into the community of Wharton. In Wharton, the station
crosses through the former Wharton Station. The Wharton Station was constructed
in 1900 when the community was still known as Port Oram. Two years later, the
town was renamed to Wharton. The station building was a Type W-101A, but the
station was out of service by 1962 and never made it to NJ Transit days.
After
leaving the abandoned Wharton Station behind, the Montclair-Boonton and
Morristown Line continue westward, paralleling
West Dewey Avenue
for several miles, crossing over Baker Mill Pond. The railroads parallel
Interstate 80 and cross over
Berkshire Valley Road
(Morris County Route 699). The two rail lines continue eastward, paralleling
Route 80 into the community of
Mount Arlington,
New Jersey.
There, approaching Interstate 80’s Interchange 30, the lines enter Mount
Arlington Station.
Mount
Arlington
is the newest station on the line, just 9 days newer than Wayne-Route 23 Transit
Center.
Mount
Arlington
is also an older park and ride that had its station introduced for better
service to the community. The station has regular bus service by Lakeland Bus’
Route 80 Line, which was the owner of the park and ride as well prior to 2008
opening. The station has two side platforms for the lone track along the lines
and receives diesel only service to and from Hackettstown. The station since
opening has actually seen little ridership and numbers very stagnant to what was
predicted.
This is
not the first station in
Mount
Arlington,
however. The community had service by the DL&W during the early 20th
century, but service was discontinued in the 1930s.
After
trains depart the Mount Arlington Station, the Montclair-Boonton Line and
Morristown Line cross over
Howard Boulevard
(Morris County Route 615) and continue their parallel of Interstate 80 for a
short distance out of
Mount
Arlington.
The rails enter the northern reaches of Ledgewood, but turn northward soon
after. The lines cross Interstate 80 and parallel
Ledgewood Landing Road
(Morris County Route 631) into the community of Landing. In Landing, the tracks
pass a couple small ponds and enter the Lake Hopatcong Station.
Lake
Hopatcong
station has two tracks in the station, with two side platform. The station has
service by the Lakeland Bus Route 80 Line and has access via the Midtown Express
from New York Pennsylvania Station.
Lake
Hopatcong Station is a little piece of the former
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western station. The station was constructed in 1910 & 1911 of special
design,
which the normal station building at-grade and two massive towers to bring the
pedestrian walkway across the station to the eastbound platform. Below, there
were the two platforms both of which had a large canopy over itself. This very
large station was considered the “white elephant” with the fieldstone design. It
opened on
May 28, 1911
and had glass elevators along. In total, the construction of entire station was
$53,274 (1911 USD). Eventually, the massive station began to be underused for
the design. The vandalism also became too much, and most of the station was
demolished in the 1970s.
After
trains depart the Lake Hopatcong Station, they head to the north through the
community of Landing and soon turn to the northwest out of Landing. Paralleling
Lakeside Boulevard
(Morris County Route 602), the railroad enters the community of Port Morris.
There, the Montclair-Boonton Line and Morristown Lines head to the southeast at
Port Morris Junction. This junction is where the Lackawanna Cut-Off once split
from the DL&W mainline and will eventually serve purpose for New Jersey Transit
upon completion of rehabilitation. There were rumors that a station building
existed here, but the only known structure is
Port
Morris
Tower
(UN Tower), constructed in 1909.
After the trains curve
off at Port Morris Junction, the Morristown Line and Montclair-Boonton Line turn
to the southwest, paralleling
Kings Highway
into the community of Netcong. There, the tracks near
Lake
Musconetcong
and enter the downtown portion of the community. There, the tracks parallel U.S.
Route 46 once again and cross over State Route 183 through downtown Netcong.
This bridge over Route 183 is slated for replacement as part of the removal of
the Netcong Traffic Circle. Paralleling Route 46 through Netcong, the two lines
enter the Netcong Station near the
Main Street
intersection. Netcong Station has 1 platform for the one lone track that enters
the station. The station is the last one that is not ADA-accessible for handicap
people and has 245 parking spots in two lots along
Main Street
and Route 46.
Netcong Station opened in 1903 and was often referred to as Netcong-Stanhope
Station. (Stanhope is to the near north of Netcong.) The station was a special
brick station made of bricks from Port Murray, New Jersey. Netcong Station was
also the junction of the former Sussex Branch, and some trackage still remains
at the station. Until 1994, NJ Transit used Netcong Station as the western
terminus for both the Montclair-Boonton and Morristown Lines. This was extended
westward in 1994 to Hackettstown.
After
the trains depart the Netcong Station, both train lines continue to the
southwest, paralleling Route 46 out of Netcong. After crossing under
Flanders Avenue,
Route 46 and the railroad cross Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 206. At this
interchange, the Montclair-Boonton and Morristown Lines turn to the west through
Budd
Lake,
crossing under
International Drive
for the
International
Trade
Center.
A short distance later, the tracks make a gradual bend to the north and begin to
parallel
International Drive
and interstate 80 in the community of
Mount
Olive
Township.
After crossing
Waterloo Valley Road,
the tracks enter the Mount Olive Station. One of the two new stations past
Netcong,
Mount
Olive
is the underdeveloped one, with only 23 parking spaces on
Waterloo Valley Road
for use and the lack of services. The station is ADA-accessible, however and has
one platform to service one track.
Mount
Olive
opened in 1994 and once was the site of the former Waterloo DL&W station.
After
the trains depart the Mount Olive Station, the tracks go to the northwest,
paralleling
Waterloo Valley Road
and Interstate 80 into
Allamuchy
State
Park.
In
Allamuchy
State
Park,
the tracks make a gradual bend to the southwest and parallel
Waterloo Valley Road
for several miles through the park.
Waterloo Valley Road
soon ends and the railroads continue to the southwest through the community of
Waterloo.
They then turn to the west once again through
Stephens
State
Park,
reaching the junction of the Mars Candy Company spur rail. (Mars Candy is the
producer of the chocolate candy, M&Ms.) After that, the station continues into
the community of Hackettstown, crossing over County Route 517 and U.S. Route 46.
Near the intersection of
Valentine Street
and
Beatty Street,
the Montclair-Boonton Line and Morristown Line both meet their current terminus
at Hackettstown Station. The station has one platform for the lone track, and
has a parking lot at the nearby intersection with 99 spaces. Although service
ends here, trackage along the Washington Secondary is maintained by
Norfolk
Southern. There have been calls to extend both lines to Phillipsburg Station
along the Route 57 corridor and more of the former DL&W mainline.
Hackettstown Station was constructed in 1868 as a Type W-2 frame building for
the
Delaware,
Lackawanna
and Western Railroad. The station was the first in Warren County, New Jersey and
red and green
Lackawanna
building was torn down in the late 1960s, almost 100 years after its original
construction. Hackettstown received renewed service by New Jersey Transit when
the Boonton Line and Morristown Line were extended from Netcong to Hackettstown.
The Montclair-Boonton Line
was created in 2002 when the Montclair Branch and Boonton Lines were merged into
one service as part of the new Montclair Connection. As a result, three stations
were abandoned by New Jersey Transit. These stations are marked in entirely dark
colors to differentiate them from other abandoned stations.
North Newark
is also there because it made New Jersey Transit service on the former Boonton
Line.
The former Erie Boonton Line came from
Hoboken
and through the New Jersey Meadows from Secaucus to
Kearny.
In
Kearny,
the trains crossed through the downtown portion of the community, crossing
Forest Street.
At
Forest Street,
trains entered the Arlington Station.
Arlington
is a portion of
Kearny
and the station had two ground platforms. The station building was constructed
in 1899 by the Erie Railroad and its subsidiary, the New York & Greenwood Lake.
It also had two nearby sheds. The structure remained in place for years and once
served public service trolleys in the community.
After the closure of Arlington Station in 2002,
Kearny has no train station to service the community.
However, as a result of the new trans-Hudson tunnel, the town of
Kearny
is supposed to receive a new station on the Harrison-Kingsland Branch.
The
station crossed the former West Arlington Station and WR Interlocking Tower
before crossing over the
Passaic
River
on Bridge 7.44 (constructed in 1897). There, the line entered
Newark,
New Jersey.
In
Newark,
the line did not use
Newark Broad Street
or Newark Pennsylvania Station. Instead, the only station in
Newark
was the North Newark Station.
North Newark
was constructed in 1898 as a special
Erie
design and combination station with freight lines. The station was a full
house-sized building that remained in service through the 1960s. In June 1970,
vandals set fire to the North Newark Station, demolishing the entire building.
The only part saved was the lone canopy on the westbound side. That was turned
into the new station and given a new green and white paint job. The Erie
Railroad soon put up a microwave transmission tower.
North Newark
did reach the New Jersey Transit era and was used as a station for several
years, but by 1990, the station was out of service.
After
New Jersey Transit Boonton Line trains left
North Newark,
they continued through
Belleville
and soon into
Bloomfield.
In
Bloomfield,
the line crossed the former site of the Rowe Street Station. Although the second
station in
Bloomfield,
it was named
Rowe Street
to differentiate it from Bloomfield Station to the south.
Rowe Street
was built in 1955 when Orchard Street Station was demolished because of plans
for the
Garden State Parkway
to head up that stretch. This never occurred, but
Rowe Street
then became the premiere Bloomfield Station on this stretch. The building was a
simple brick station with two low-level platforms and remained in service until
2002, when the Montclair Connection was finished. Now all
Bloomfield
train service is done at the Bloomfield Station in downtown. The building has
since been demolished.
After
Rowe Street,
the Boonton Line paralleled the Montclair Branch from
Bloomfield
into
Glen
Ridge.
In the northern Boonton Line, the railway crossed through the residential
portions of the community. At the intersection of
Benson Street
and some nearby streets, the line came to the Benson Street Station. Benson
Street station was first constructed in 1896 as a special design white stucco
building with a slate roof. The station had two ground-level platforms in each
direction and during the
Erie days, it was called
Glen
Ridge.
The station was rented to a resident named Jim Wilson in the 1960s, where he was
a young kid doing shoeshine. He kept maintenance of the station. New Jersey
Transit picked up the station in 1979, but also kept Jim Wilson as owner, as he
kept a little
Erie-Lackawanna
Railroad
Museum
in the building. The station also
had (and still has) an asphalt parking lot across
Benson Street
from the station.
However, during the 2002 construction of
the Montclair Connection, the state decided, with the closing of
Benson Street,
they wanted
Wilson
out. Jim threatened to sue, but fire soon caught the building. The building was
then considered condemned, although it was still structurally standing. The
station remained closed off for the next nine years until the station was bought
from New Jersey Transit in May 2009 by Richard and Edna Moriarty. They have
plans to restore the old building, but construction has been halted a number of
times: once due to a threatened lawsuit, once due to questionable decisions, and
once to the possibility of the sale becoming null & void.
However, on
December 2, 2009, the Moriarities received the go-ahead to continue
rehabilitation of the old structure.
From
Benson Street,
service merged into Montclair Branch near current-day Walnut Street Station.
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