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  • Phillipsburg Rail Service—Four Years, $90 Million

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Discussion related to New Jersey Transit rail and light rail operations.

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 #361252  by northjerseybuff
 
From the Express-Times
Developer: Town perfect for trains

Perrucci pitches P'burg as place to do business, says region a good candidate for rail service.

Tuesday, February 13, 207
By D
ANIEL HAUSMANN
The Express-Times

P
HILLIPSBURG | The developer behind one of the biggest projects in town likes Phillipsburg's chances of landing commuter rail service.
... He said an NJ Transit study showed it would take four years and $90 million to extend the Raritan Valley line from Phillipsburg to High Bridge. The line connects to New York City. Perrucci thinks a rail connection to Phillipsburg is more feasible in the short term than the Lackawanna Cutoff project slated for the Interstate 80 corridor. That project has a $551 million price tag and would extend rail service to the Poconos. "It's just logical to think this is where the growth is going to occur," Perrucci said. "It's kind of a no-brainer to want to be in Phillipsburg."

 #361281  by washingtonsecondary
 
Now all they need is 10 years of broken promises, false starts, false estimated completion dates, an Environmental Study that will take 3 years to complete, jack the cost up 4 times its original price tag, cave to the screaming NIMBY minority and THEN after all that, start on an engineering plan.

 #361315  by Tri-State Tom
 
wash -

10 years?

Try 20-plus!

AIR, I voted "yea" on a bond issue back in 1985 or 1986 for the state to acquire the Cutoff!

 #361316  by washingtonsecondary
 
LOL, I was being optimistic!

 #361463  by Mister Midtown
 
washingtonsecondary wrote:Now all they need is 10 years of broken promises, false starts, false estimated completion dates, an Environmental Study that will take 3 years to complete, jack the cost up 4 times its original price tag, cave to the screaming NIMBY minority and THEN after all that, start on an engineering plan.
Don't forget the bridge collapse ala River Line.

 #361540  by northjerseybuff
 
How much of this line is abandoned?? and are there any houses along the abandoned part? Seems like they would have to build along the NS line into P-Burg and further..if it goes into Pa..might make things a bit easier along a freight line, since the tracks are there..as for the middle section..who owns it?

 #361558  by Mister Midtown
 
northjerseybuff wrote:How much of this line is abandoned?? and are there any houses along the abandoned part? ...
5.7 miles, according to Google Earth's measure feature. I measured from the switch at Conn to the Delaware River.

There is some encroachment on the out-of service area between Hampton and Bloomsbury.

I see the project as a non-starter. If Phillipsburg residents need train service they can drive to Annandale. It is 1.3 miles off of Route 78. Otherwise we're just pulling more empty seats around, and making equipment cycles longer, and decreasing headways.

 #361580  by northjerseybuff
 
But MisterMidtown..Pa is just over the river..they might have a stake in things..

 #361709  by Ken W2KB
 
Mister Midtown wrote:
northjerseybuff wrote:How much of this line is abandoned?? and are there any houses along the abandoned part? ...
5.7 miles, according to Google Earth's measure feature. I measured from the switch at Conn to the Delaware River.

There is some encroachment on the out-of service area between Hampton and Bloomsbury.

I see the project as a non-starter. If Phillipsburg residents need train service they can drive to Annandale. It is 1.3 miles off of Route 78. Otherwise we're just pulling more empty seats around, and making equipment cycles longer, and decreasing headways.
There is no available parking at Annandale. The lot is full to overflowing. Moreover, especially in inclement weather, the grades on I-78 over Jugtown Mountain are hazardous. Traffic is often slowed well before Annandale.

I have never noted any encroachment of structures. And in any event, squatters have no rights under any circumstances. For the specific circumstance of a railroad or state property there is no way to acquire interests by adverse possession or easement by prescription as might be the case for other lands.

 #361716  by hsr_fan
 
I took a bilevel train to Phillipsburg last October!

 #361731  by NJTRailfan
 
Atleast what they can do is re extend service to Ludlow/Asbury to atleast service the areas nearby. Bigger parking lots can be built and longer platforms to accomodate 8-10 car trains.

 #361782  by Irish Chieftain
 
Mister Midtown wrote:If Phillipsburg residents need train service they can drive to Annandale. It is 1.3 miles off of Route 78
Annandale Station is, however, 19 miles from Phillipsburg. That's quite an obstacle on snowy days; and just as much of an obstacle during rush hours when I-78 is crawling at less than 20 mph. Never mind the aforementioned lack of parking at Annandale…
There is some encroachment on the out-of service area between Hampton and Bloomsbury
Encroachment is illegal. The tracks continue unbroken on that segment, do they not? Unless you are thinking that it would be necessary to restore double-tracking, then that wouldn't be a problem.

Now what I personally don't like is how some of these proponents are pitting one capital project against another. Note the (intended to be off-hand?) mention of the Lackawanna Cutoff.

 #361789  by finsuburbia
 
Mister Midtown wrote: I see the project as a non-starter. If Phillipsburg residents need train service they can drive to Annandale. It is 1.3 miles off of Route 78. Otherwise we're just pulling more empty seats around, and making equipment cycles longer, and decreasing headways.
Requiring the 19 mile drive to Annandale from Phillipsburg leaves anyone who does not have access to a car out in the cold or at least stuck with a time consuming transfer from a bus. Moreover, good mass transit combined with transit-oriented development/smart growth principles promotes higher density development which spurs ridership. Phillipsburg, with its pre-car-culture semi-grided layout makes it very attractive to creating these types of communities.

Increased ridership=broader political support for rail generally.

Park and rides are good and pragmatic for serving sprawl, but if the density already exists, it is better to serve it directly and cut cars complete out of the equation.

 #361973  by njtmnrrbuff
 
I'm sure that the station of Phillipsburg, would actually be in Bloomsbury. It would be nice for the service to go serve downtown Phillipsburg if it were to terminate around there.

 #361983  by northjerseybuff
 
well IF what the reports say are true..i think it would be near the new condo developement. I take this with a grain of salt..they might be fluffing up the project just to get the condos built.
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