Trip on Weehawken Extension

I decided to check out the new HBLRT extension out last night, taking the LRT from Jersey Avenue to Hoboken, then transferring to the new extension.

There were a total of 14 riders between Jersey Avenue and Hoboken (the train is always very lightly travelled going to Hoboken on weekday evenings). Of those, four transferred to the new extension, which is on track H4. The train has no electronic display announcing where its going, and the station announcements are made by the engineer. It was about a 3 minute wait between when my train arrived in Hoboken and the Lincoln Harbor train departed.

The ride between Hoboken and Lincoln Harbor is very smooth and very fast. Two riders got off at 9th St, the other two (including myself) got off at Lincoln Harbor. I overheard the engineer telling a passenger before he got on that there is currently a bus which will shuttle people between 9th st. and Congress St. in Jersey City until the elevator is completed.

On the way back from Lincoln Harbor, I was the only rider to Hoboken. Not really a surprise.

Overall, it was fine. It will be interesting to see how ridership develops at the new stops.

It will be interesting to see how ridership develops at the new stops

They are doing a tremendous amount of building in the West part of Hoboken, new upscale condos and new super markets all near the light rail.

Give it three years and that part of town and those stations will be bustling.

Tom V wrote:

It will be interesting to see how ridership develops at the new stops

They are doing a tremendous amount of building in the West part of Hoboken, new upscale condos and new super markets all near the light rail.

Give it three years and that part of town and those stations will be bustling.

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Indeed.

A friend of mine owns three buildings on the west side of Hoboken, and he's already had offers for 3x what he paid for them in 1998. Parking is a huge pain the butt, the rail line will open up much of the north end, espcially the restaurant row on 14th street (Brass Rail, Amanda's and 3-4 other places)

I had been waiting for the elevator to open at 9th St before I rode, since I live in the Heights, and the shuttle bus to 9th St station from Congress St. takes just as long as the 87 bus I take right to Hoboken Terminal.

But as luck would have it this past Sunday, I arrived at Hoboken on the PATH just after the evening 85 pulled away, leaving me with an hour wait for the next one. I headed over to the Light rail station and saw that there were no notices up about the shuttle bus anymore, bought a ticket and hopped on the next train after maybe a 5 minute wait. The run is VERY slow going west but moves nicely after that. There were only two other passengers getting on at Hoboken, and both of them got off at 2nd St. I got out at 9th St and suprise suprise, one of the elevators was open. One window pane was already shattered on the elevator door. The elevator is fairly quick( I haven't timed it), and they are keeping a guard posted at the top (for now?). The bridge has some nice views that are already being encroached by high rise development in the neighbooring blocks.

I used the elevator to do some shopping in Hoboken yesterday and they have clearly marked the fare zone as not including the elevator and walkway to 8th St. There are no fare machines upstairs but two of them are right next to the elevators at the platform level. They are building some metal stairs at 9th St that look temporary. I imagine the developer for 800 Jackson has some other plan for that exit.

I rode it again today to run some quick errands and managed to get home before the 90 minutes expired on my ticket. Cheaper than the bus! There were a fair number of passengers for a miday run, and people were waiting at 9th St for a south bound train when I got off.

The seat configuration seems strange to me.

The walk from the Light Rail station to the PATH station in Hoboken is at least 5 minutes at an average pace, with my NYC fastwalk taking over 3.
This should be great news for all the stores I will pass on a daily basis instead of the quick transfer at the bus terminal right upstairs from the PATH station.

I Think that NJT missed an important opportunity placing the light rail so far from the rest of Hoboken Terminal, as it is at all of the stations that it "connects" with PATH. I understand the logistical reasons they had to do this, and the reluctance to increase demand on the "already full at rushhour" PATH trains, but if there is ever a chance to improve on the Hoboken Terminal connections, I hope our politicians will push hard for this.

I look forward to getting the monthly pass for October, especially for the local bus option, and so I can ride the elevator guilt-free. :-D :-D

I Think that NJT missed an important opportunity placing the light rail so far from the rest of Hoboken Terminal

Consensus is that it was at Hoboken's behest. NJT cannot walk in and plonk street-running tracks down where they aren't wanted, after all...and Hudson Place is quite a narrow street to boot. Not to mention that Sinatra Park was out of the running a few years back. (What's an even greater pity is that part of HBLRT is already elevated...and to have elevated segments within Hoboken would be reminiscent of the elevated streetcars of the past, but hey, NIMBYs need to be educated before stuff like that can happen...)

bellstbarn wrote: The train continued north out of sight to reverse.

I forgot that the Palisades would put almost the entire line in deep shadow. No photos. Must come earlier in the day, probably to grade crossings near Second Street.

I rode the extension mid day Sunday and got some photos illustrating the train continuing north to cross over to the southbound track.

http://www.subwayspot.com/gallery/album67/04_09_19_67

http://www.subwayspot.com/gallery/album67/04_09_19_71

http://www.subwayspot.com/gallery/album67/04_09_19_73

While NJ-ARP shares the view (and disappointment) of others re: HBLRT's Hoboken Terminal positioning, we'd quibble over the assertion that every HBLRT/PATH transfer point is weak.

Exchange Place is, in our view, a superb transfer for PATH/HBLRT patrons, all the more remarkable given the physical constraints LRT faced in threading right-of-way and positioning a station.

Plans are still on the shelf for improving the (even more) laborious walk between HBLRT and PATH at Pavonia/Newport, but PATH officials tell NJ-ARP that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks diverted any money from this site for the foreseeable future.

In NJ-ARP's view, Pavonia/Newport is even more user unfriendly than Hoboken is for PATH/HBLRT use; it's always gratifying to note how many people use this transfer option anyway.

Too bad they couldn't have filled enough of the slip to extend the HBLR tracks so that the HBLR buffers lined up with the buffers of the heavy rail tracks. Would have cut the walk from the HBLR to the heavy rail.

OR -- dream of an elevated HBLR Station similar to what was built for Airtrain at Jamaica Station, perhaps with the HBLR platforms at right angles to the heavy rail.

The elevated station was in the original drafts, when the plan was to run the HBLRT north along the waterfront. The combination of impact on the landmarked structure (sheds and head house) and the reroute pretty much ended that discussion.

I learned via an email list that two railfans were told by Port Authority police on Wednesday Sept 29 that it is illegal to take this photograph:

http://www.subwayspot.com/gallery/album67/04_09_19_73

The police said that the law forbids photographing Port Authority property (the Lincoln Tunnel highway spiral).

There on signs inside the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the Exchange Place PATH station, and WTC PATH stating it is illegal to take pictures, make sketches, or various other things on Port Authority property without express written etc. That's perfectly legal, as is the prohib on pix at PATH Harrison.

I'd suspect these officers extended that dictum to any pictures of PA property from any point. Same nonsense that NJT tried a few months ago, and it would go to the same sinkhole if they wrote a summons.

A friend of mine was videotaping the former H&M power house in Jersey City two or three years ago and the PA police made him erase the tape in their presence or face arrest.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/242 ... 4167PLVpOJ

Given the amount of people I have seen taking photos in and about the WTC station platforms and of the WTC bathtub from the platform level. My self included. I think the PA may have hard time forcing the issue in court.

But, if approached I would move on to another location.

There's now a big sign at the Port Imperial LRT station announcing the station is temporarily closed. The driveway is marked off with emergency tapes and traffic cones.

The work on the new Ferry terminal continues. It will be right across the street from the LRT. Pilings are in, several work barges are in place, and there's all kind of construction equipment, rebar, etc on the shore.