Youngster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:55 pm
So much like today with NJT the PRR offered diesel shuttles from Bayhead to South Amboy where you could change to an MU into Penn Station whereas the CNJ offered direct diesel service from Bayhead to the Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City, and later Newark Penn, much like today where diesels from Bayhead travel directly to Hoboken.
After the 1930’s electrification to Washington on what was to become the Northeast Corridor did traffic to Exchange Place dropped off dramatically. I’m trying to figure out at what point that the terminal was deemed expendable and what trains were running their at the end.
Coming back to NJT did they plan on from the beginning to bring the ex-Lackawanna commuter trains into NY Penn or was that something that evolved over time?
Well not exactly, the PRR trains from Bayhead were not shuttles, engines were changed in South Amboy to continue. It was a one-seat ride. NJT continued the engine change practice until electrification was extended to Long Branch in 1988, that is when the shuttle practice started. (One seat rides from Bayhead to NY Penn would not resume until introduction of the dual mode locomotives.)
Operation of ex-Lackawanna trains ("Mid-Town Direct" service) into Penn was not possible until the Kearny connection was completed in 1996. That operation did "evolve" in the sense that, when the original DL&W DC electrification was upgraded and the original MU's replaced in the mid 1980's, it was replaced with 25K volt/ 60 HZ system; this was to be compatible with the Amtrak/ NEC. (As it turned out, Amtrak did not change the power system on the NEC but has kept the PRR's 12K / 25HZ system. So Mid Town Direct trains have to change 'on the fly' while traversing the connection. MU's cannot do this - why all Mid Town Direct trains are locomotive hauled.)
Exchange Place closed around 1960.