Kinnelon Mayor Wants Commuter Trains to Return

Mayor Robert Collins is on board with the idea of restarting commuter rail service along the Route 23 corridor.
At the Feb. 16 Borough Council meeting, Collins said the Morris County Freeholders recognize the mounting traffic along Route 23 and other roads in Morris County and have asked NJ Transit, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Council, and Sussex County to jointly support a study along with Morris County.

[url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/1405266 ... WALSH.html[/url]

Seems like support is slowly but surely growing for this...

MODERATOR'S NOTE: Edited thread title.

Interesting, but if good Kinnelon Mayor Collins doesn't have millions of dollars line up in his back pocket to spend on this venture, then I don't see how this project will get underway anytime soon! Nice to ponder though!

Is this the NYSW line?

morris&essex4ever wrote:Is this the NYSW line?

Yes

So essentially he is resurrecting the idea of the proposed NJT commuter service on the NYSW that's been dead for a decade.

I believe that the Susie-Q is the only line that runs through Kinnelon. It would be nice to have some sort of service on it. I haven't travelled on Rt. 23 past the Willowbrook Mall area in many years. I have heard, though, about all of the excessive traffic jams on 23, especially once you get passed Wayne.

The only transit in the area is the 194 bus.

I want Christina Hendricks to marry me, but that has about the same chances as commuter rail returning to the NYSW anytime soon.

Well now a few mayors are "on board" so they can pressure the counties to demand service. The sarcastic remarks are cute, but don't you all know how the system really works? Freeholders are also on board! Lets see how this plays out, I don't think this will be the end of this story

I live in Kinnelon and work for the County, so I am familiar with the story. The Freeholders have asked for a new study to look at commuter service on the NYS&W. The Mayor in town may have been asked to issue a resolution of support to push the NJTPA, NJDOT and or NJT off center and begin a study. This support has probably been requested of each town along the line.

This year, Morris County Freeholder Gene Feyl is the Director of the Board of Trustees at NJTPA (North Jersey Transporation Planning Authority). The NJTPA would be a funding source for such a study. Freeholder Feyl has been a proponent of rail service in the County. He was instrumental in obtaining the funding for the Chester Branch re-hab a few years ago. He also has a limited interest in model trains (HO scale).

Commuter service would have no real impact on Kinnelon. The NYS&W is on the northern boarder of Kinnelon and due to terrain there is no viable location within the boro to construct a station or park ride. While it may take some residents off the road the limited impact on Kinnelon, good or bad would not be noticed.

cjvrr wrote:I live in Kinnelon and work for the County, so I am familiar with the story. The Freeholders have asked for a new study to look at commuter service on the NYS&W. The Mayor in town may have been asked to issue a resolution of support to push the NJTPA, NJDOT and or NJT off center and begin a study. This support has probably been requested of each town along the line.

This year, Morris County Freeholder Gene Feyl is the Director of the Board of Trustees at NJTPA (North Jersey Transporation Planning Authority). The NJTPA would be a funding source for such a study. Freeholder Feyl has been a proponent of rail service in the County. He was instrumental in obtaining the funding for the Chester Branch re-hab a few years ago. He also has a limited interest in model trains (HO scale).

Commuter service would have no real impact on Kinnelon. The NYS&W is on the northern boarder of Kinnelon and due to terrain there is no viable location within the boro to construct a station or park ride. While it may take some residents off the road the limited impact on Kinnelon, good or bad would not be noticed.

Interesting on Gene Feyl.... My father met him at a cookout when he was Mayor of Denville and I had no idea he had a somewhat interest in trains, even if they are model trains!! Good to know!!

northjerseybuff wrote:Well now a few mayors are "on board" so they can pressure the counties to demand service. The sarcastic remarks are cute, but don't you all know how the system really works? Freeholders are also on board! Lets see how this plays out, I don't think this will be the end of this story

Two mayors and a freeholder to be exact.

It takes people driving attention to it. We had some great people who followed us on our Facebook page and spread the word...as a result, we are slowly gaining traction.

193 "likes" on facebook is not exactly traction. The article doesn't mention the facebook page at all.

The state is broke, the towns have no money, and the NYS&W hasn't even heard of you. If this is traction, I'd love to see what momentum is.

NYSW3022 wrote:193 "likes" on facebook is not exactly traction. The article doesn't mention the facebook page at all.

The state is broke, the towns have no money, and the NYS&W hasn't even heard of you. If this is traction, I'd love to see what momentum is.

You are absolutely right. 193 "likes" on Facebook is not traction in itself. Setting up a website and twitter account, spreading the word about the idea through flyers posted in towns along the Route 23 corridor, contacting local politicians and organizations to gain their endorsements for the idea, and the discussions spurred in the community is. It doesn't matter if the article mentions our cause or not. What matters is that the idea is slowly gaining some momentum and there are people in Kinnelon who helped to spread the word.

As for the State being broke, that hasn't stopped other projects from being done, and the government isn't going to be broke forever.

beanbag wrote:Nothing drives more attention to an issue like this better than a car driving in front of an oncoming train at a grade crossing in the area, teehee, okay I admit that was a sad literal joke.

Where's the family feud buzzer when you need it?