MOM Rail Service

[matt1168]

This may sound a bit dumb, but living in the Central Monmouth County region for 22 years (before moving to Philadelphia), I've noticed the lack of rail service in the area, and NJT's "MOM" plans seem out of place; it won't happen.

Why doesn't Amtrak run 2-3 trains in each direction from Washington/Baltimore/Philadelphia down the currently single tracked MOM line. A few track replacements may need to be done, as well as building some simple stations, and I think it could be a money maker. The trains could stop at:

-Lakehurst
-Lakewood
-Howell
-Freehold
-Tennent/Manalapan
-Englishtown
-Monroe
-Jamesburg
-Princeton Jct.
-Trenton
-Cornwells Hts.
-N. Phila
-Philadelphia
Points south

Maybe connections can be available to trains for NYC at a new Monmouth Jct. station. Again, this is more a fantasy than a reality, but does anyone think it could possible someday happen?

[korbermeister]

This would be like asking amtrak to stop at: edison, metuchen, rahway, linden, elizabeth on the NEC. It's bad enough amtrak uses the NEC line as it is. It's a job better served by NJT.

[DutchRailnut]

Pasenger trains are never money makers, for every dollar spend only about 45 cents are recovered tru ticket sales.
Passenger trains just like subways / airplanes and other modes loose money but run on subsidies.
for Amtrak this would be new service a thing Amtrak is forbidden by Congress.

[transit383]

If Amtrak pulled out of Atlantic City service, then why would they run trains to the middle of New Jersey where there is no major attraction? Heck, they don't even stop at Secaucus.

[Irish Chieftain]

It's bad enough amtrak uses the NEC line as it is

Oh? They own the NEC, I hope you realize. If not for Amtrak, the NEC would have a maximum speed of 79 mph most likely. Not bad for an outfit whose subsidy is far less than NJT's, proportionally speaking.

I hope that people realize that this thread is utterly unrealistic. Amtrak does not go anywhere that it is not paid to go. The most recent example of relatively successful Amtrak expansion was the Downeaster (Boston MA-Portland ME) and that expansion was not out of Amtrak's purse at all.

[Jtgshu]

Amtrak is an interstate operation, with their main purpose in MOST cases transporting people across state lines and not short haul commuter like transportation. NJT and other commuter and passenger railroads are intrastate operations, with their sole purpose to serve the people in a state or region or area and transport them to local and relatively local areas of attraction and desire (people from all over NJ want to go to NWK or NYP) . Amtrak involvement would be unlikely and unnecessary (except any portion of operation on the NEC, which Amtrak owns and dispatches).

The MOM line is about the furthest along of any NJT project right now, well, maybe not the Xanadu rail project wihch has leapfrogged to the front of the line, and it will be built, hopefully in the not so distant future, because it really is needed, and the central Monmouth and Ocean county areas are in dire need of an additional mode of transportation.

I think that the best you could hope for would be to convince Amtrak to stop an additional train or two at New Brunswick, providing a decent and relatively quick transfer - alhtough Metro Park is only ten rail miles away from New Brunswick station, and at Metro, there is an exponentially larger number of trains which operate from there and servcie that station

[transit383]

I think that the best you could hope for would be to convince Amtrak to stop an additional train or two at New Brunswick, providing a decent and relatively quick transfer - alhtough Metro Park is only ten rail miles away from New Brunswick station, and at Metro, there is an exponentially larger number of trains which operate from there and servcie that station

Don't mention that around the Amtrak Forum. I agree with you that Amtrak should provide more service to New Brunswick, with it being a designated Amtrak station and home to Rutgers, but some of the folks over on that forum believe that three trains a day is too much as it is. Check out the thread:
http://64.78.30.219/forums/viewtopic.php?t=860

[nick11a]

Well, Amtrak has 4 trains to NY and 1 train to Trenton. I've seen quite a few of these trains. The non-clocker ones are three cars and don't have a lot of ridership. The most I've seen exiting a train are 1 and the most I've seen boarding are 2 or 3 but usually it is none or one.

Oh and quick question. I can use NJT tickets on Philly Clockers right (like the one that stops at New Brunswick at 8:10)?

[transit383]

Well, Amtrak has 4 trains to NY and 1 train to Trenton. I've seen quite a few of these trains. The non-clocker ones are three cars and don't have a lot of ridership. The most I've seen exiting a train are 1 and the most I've seen boarding are 2 or 3 but usually it is none or one.

Wow, I've seen significantly more. The train that stops there in the 2PM hour receives a lot of ridership. I see that quite often and there are usually about a dozen or more people boarding with roughly half as many exiting. The Friday train sees more than the other days.

[nick11a]

Well, Amtrak has 4 trains to NY and 1 train to Trenton. I've seen quite a few of these trains. The non-clocker ones are three cars and don't have a lot of ridership. The most I've seen exiting a train are 1 and the most I've seen boarding are 2 or 3 but usually it is none or one.

Wow, I've seen significantly more. The train that stops there in the 2PM hour receives a lot of ridership. I see that quite often and there are usually about a dozen or more people boarding with roughly half as many exiting. The Friday train sees more than the other days.

Well that is good to here. I guess some days it is busy and some days it isn't.

[drewh]

Oh and quick question. I can use NJT tickets on Philly Clockers right (like the one that stops at New Brunswick at 8:10)?

Only NJT weekly and monthly passes are valid on select Amtrak trains. See the NJT schedule to see which Amtrak trains. They have an A in front of the train number. BTW, I only see 4 inbound (NY) Amtrak trains on the current schedule.

[AKelley728]

NJTransit Weekly and Monthly tickets are only good on the following Amtrak trains:

Morning (New York Inbound) A622, A624, A628, and A640
Evening (New York Outbound) A653, A627, A629, and A633

If you try to use an normal (one-time) NJTransit ticket, you will be unceremoniously kicked off at the next station.

[nick11a]

If you try to use an normal (one-time) NJTransit ticket, you will be unceremoniously kicked off at the next station.

Well, that could be fun.

[drewh]

What is the thinking behind not accepting one-way tickets?? I've ridden those trains before with a regular Amtrak ticket and I would bet more than 90% of the train was passholders from NJT.

Does Amtrak charge NJT back for the number of passholders?? If so why not just charge back for the regular ticket holders too?? If they don't charge back then again what difference does it make??

[matt1168]

I went ahead and created a MOM line fantasy map, of what it could be, and what I wish it could be, lol. This is what I came up with in a matter of minutes:

Link to picture:
http://railweb.homestead.com/fmMOM.jpg

What do you think?

Here is a description:

-Monmouth Jct. to S. Brunswick:
Monmouth Jct. Station is a large transfer station, where MOM line passengers can transfer to NJT trains to Trenton, New York, Newark, and other points. The NEC is on the top level, with 2 high side platforms, and the MOM line is on the bottom level, perpendicular to the top level, with a high island platform. There are connections from the MOM to the NEC, but they are not used as of now. The line becomes one track, and S. Brunswick station is a limited service station with one short, high side platform on the north side of the track and a commuter lot.


S. Brunswick to Monroe
The line remains one track into Jamesburg, which has a low side platform and is in the middle of Railroad Av. After Jamesburg, the line curves a bit and becomes double tracked. The next station is Monroe, with 2 tracks and a high island platform.

Monroe to Manalapan
After Monroe, the line soon becomes single tracked again. The Englishtown station is in between two streets at grade with a short low side platform on the right side of the tracks. After Englishtown, the line becomes double tracked again. The Manalapan station has two low side platforms and is off of Tennent Rd.

Manalapan to Farmingdale
After Manalapan, the line becomes one track again as it lifts to an embankment. A limited service, peak stop is next at Wemrock Rd. Park and Ride. This station has a short, low platform on the south side and a small commuter lot. Freehold station is next with a low platform on the south side and a mini-high platform. There are many bus connections here. The line becomes two tracks into Farmingdale, which has two low side platforms.

Farmingdale to Lakewood
After Farmingdale, the line is two tracks at grade. Howell is next, with two low side platforms, a large parking lot, and a modern station house. The line becomes squished into a residental area at grade upon entering Lakewood. The Lakewood station has a high island platform and is in the center of town.

Lakewood to Lakehurst
Selected peak only trains continue from Lakewood onto Lakehurst. After Lakewood, the line becomes one track for the remainder. Lakehurst station will have a couple of bus shelters and a short low platform with a commuter lot.

What you guys think?