Newark-Philly via West Trenton

OK, dug through my timetable archives and came up with a RVL TT from Oct. 31, 1982.

#5600
SEPTA conn. 7:05AM
LV West Trenton 7:09AM
Hopewell 7:20AM
Belle Meade 7:30AM
Bound Brook 7:41AM
Newark PS 8:22AM

#5601
LV Newark PS 5:45PM
Bound Brook 6:21PM
Belle Meade 6:35PM
Hopewell 6:45PM
West Trenton 7:01PM
Septa conn. 7:10PM

Found some more schedules (in another railroad.net thread), including the West Trenton to Newark service
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43269 We are re-inventing the wheel here a bit...

1. For the West Trenton to Newark run round trip, according to Wanderer they were:
Conrail Atlantic Region, New Jersey Division, Commuter Region Employee Timetable No. 1. Effective October 25, 1981
Lv West Trenton 7:09 AM, Arr Newark 8:22, Arr Harrison 8:25
Lv Harrison 17:30, lv Newark 17:45, Arr. West Trenton 19:01
It also appears the equipment was stored in Raritan Yard, and there was a move bringing it down to Trenton via Bround Brook in the early AM and back later at night. It indicates the Bround Brook to Raritan segment was deadhead only, maybe there were passengers on the Bound Brook to Trenton segment (probably given that they listed station times in between on this part???)
Now we just need the SEPTA service schedule to West Trenton from August 1981 to Dec. 1982.

2. Before the Conrail-operated through service from Reading to Newark ended, for a while in 1980 there were 2 westbound trains in the PM but only 1 eastbound in the AM. (see the link above) I don't get it. Later in 1981 shortly before it ended I posted a schedule above that had 2 trains each way again, as it was in the 60's and 70's (several posts above). Funny that they would cut it to 1 eastbound and then with only a year to less to go, go back up to 2.
JS

thebigc wrote:OK, dug through my timetable archives and came up with a RVL TT from Oct. 31, 1982.

Thanks for the SEPTA info. So it seems that at least that a few months from the end (which was end of Dec 1982) that the SEPTA connection was OK.

pumpers wrote: Now we just need the SEPTA service schedule to West Trenton from August 1981 to Dec. 1982.

The only Septa TT I have is the last one with the Crusader and Wall Street in it. I might have the Conrail ETT somewhere...

I'm guessing that it was cut due to a lack of ridership, probably aggravated by a lack of serviced, just like the RVL past High Bridge.

Thanks for the TT's.

Where was Glenmoore station and how long was it open?

On the map, Glenmoore is just a country crossroads about 1-1/2 miles west of Hopewell. Actually, not even a crossroads, just where the Reading crosses the road from Hopewell to Pennington. Haven't been that way in a few years but the only reason I know it exists is that there was a "Glenmoore Farm" (or Glenmore??) with a sign out front on the road there.

More than likely the "Glenmoore" in the timetable posted in the above link http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43269 refers to the town of Pennington, about 4-5 miles west of Hopewell. It's about the size of Hopewell and had a similar sized station. There was a tower about a mile east of Pennington station called "Glen Tower" -- maybe that is why in railroad language Pennington was called Glenmoore. The times in the schedule above were only 5-6 minutes apart for Hopewell to Glenmoore -- that is a little tight for Hopewell station to pennington station, including the stop. Maybe the employee timetable they come from referred to towers. "Hope" tower was in Hopwell.

I have some old Reading passenger schedules (early 1900's), and there was a stop for one or two locals then at Glenmoore itself in addition to Pennington and Hopewell. I can't imagine there was ever a station building more than a shanty or shelter there. They give a 10 minute time difference between Pennington and Hopewell.
JS

Thanks.

Just to add some other information to this thread.

If you want to see a vintage picture of the track gates at Reading Terminal for The Crusader and The Wall Street, rent the 1980 movie, Blow Out.
This film is a crime drama staring John Travolta, and one the opening scenes is filmed inside the then Reading Terminal with the gate signs for both trains clearly displayed in the background.

The Crusader was the first of the two trains to be downgraded to a consit of 2 RDC cars, The Wall Street continued to be pulled by Reading F units and Reading standard coaches even for a few years after the Aldene Plan. One of my books on the CNJ shows a test run of The Wall Street with WABCO controls added to the F units and cab control car of The Wall Street.

After both trains ran with a consit of 2 RDC cars, patronage was considered good, and the ridership was reported to be split 50/50 between NJ and PA.
In PA the trains made a number of key stops including Wayne Junction, Jenkintown, Langhorne, and Yardley. During the RDC years a snack bar was included
in one of the RDC's, BUT that was cut in the late 70's as a cost containment move. The same RDC's were used, just with no snack or drink service.
In 1979 the Star-Ledger did a nice story on these trains, and called them one of NJ's best kept secrets

At Newark Penn each train left fromn track 3, and from the far south end of the platform, one of the few times the track announcer would call out a location number. Usually this was only done for Amtrak long distance trains. The RDC's were stored for the day at Harrison Yard, and riding inbound PATH trains offered a view of the sets.

The end of the trains came when SEPTA cancelled all of it's diesel trains in 1981. This resulted in a number of branches loosing service (Quakertown, Newtown, Pottstown, Reading and Bethlehem) that has yet to return, and the through trains to Newark.

As mentioned the NJT operated West Trenton to Newark trains (with a SEPTA connection at West Trenton) were not popular, and barely lasted more than 1 year.

Kwn

Thanks

Did NJT run more than two trains when they just started service?

NJTArrow2 wrote:Did NJT run more than two trains when they just started service?

As I recall, once the SEPTA diesel services ended, a young NJT ran a single revenue roundtrip with times set so SEPTA connections could be made at West Trenton. An interesting point being that the Star-Ledger did an article on this NJT service about 6 months into it, and NJT held a meeting in in Newark to ask patrons how they could improve the service and increase ridership. The number one suggestion was that a 2nd PM peak run be added, as many people avoided using the service for fear if they missed the one train home they would be stuck. Nothing ever came from this meeting, as NJT killed the service a few months later.

NJ Monthly Magazine ran an article The Last Train To West Trenton, shortly after the service ended, and had SEPTA furious, as the magazine article showed a SEPTA train at West Trenton and gave the impression that all services to West Trenton ended. Needless to say SEPTA electric service to and from West Trenton never ceased and continues to this day.

Ken

A side note to all of this, the years 1981 and 1982 saw the complete end of longer distance commuter runs from the Philadelphia area, as the SEPTA (ex Reading) diesel runs all came off, and the NJT runs from Lindenwold to Cape May and Ocean City ended in 1981, followed by Atlantic City in June, 1982.
Of all of these runs, only the Atlantic City service was restored.

Thanks I have a question did the reading line have it's own schedule in the 80's or was it just in the Raritan Valley schedule.
Also is there any pictures of NJT on the line I have tried a search but nothing came up?

I don't think anyone has photos of NJT on the line (you asked that question a few days ago), but I do have two current day photos of the former Belle Meade Station:

CSX GP38-2 no. 2725 running light past the station, January 2006

CSX GP38-2 no. 2692 with a work train passing the station, November 2007

I recall reading that NJT wishes to restore this station and use it once again once the line is re-activated for passenger service.