MOM Rail Service

Not as bad as you think, there was multi track up to WOOD interlocking, a few industrial sidings up until the woodbridge station, and avenel is such a small dumpy little station i dont think they would mind the expansion/replacement. After avenel there are a few bridges in place for 3 tracks without the 3rd track. it wont be THAT big of a deal but it could be done. the hardest part would be adding another bridge across the turnpike and re-configuring Woodbridge.

I think a more simple solution to MOM or whatever succeeds it would be as discussed here by other users, which is to make it two-pronged. Have it originate in Lakehurst/Lakewood/Toms River/wherever, go up to Farmingdale, and then have it go its separate ways. One north to Red Bank onto the Coastline, and one west to Monmouth Junction onto the Northeast Corridor. Doing so would reduce make sure one or the other line wouldn't get slammed with the new traffic, and would allow more destinations for MOM, making it a more attractive and used project.

Is there any merit to making MOM a light rail line? I'd imagine it would be easier to include Freehold in a Lakehurst-Red Bank plan by doing such. Would it be significantly cheaper??

@JohnFromJersey I’ve thought about a light rail line along Route 9 from Tom’s River or Lakewood to either South Amboy or New Brunswick, with Transit Oriented Development so it’s not just a shuttle to NY bound commuter trains.

And because it’s on a separate line that means no additional hassles for Central NJ freight trains.

Sadly Route 9 has been so insanely overdeveloped that there’s likely no room for a rail ROW along the corridor.

Speaking of Route 9, NJ Transit is currently conducting a study for Bus Rapid Transit between Howell and Old Bridge…

Not to rain on your parade, but there's a higher chance of NJT taking back the Edgar Felix Memorial Bikeway in Wall, relaying the tracks to Manasquan, and using it as a much-needed Jersey Shore-West Jersey/Pennsylvania connection. I don't think anyone in NJ, or the country for that matter, has established a new railroad/ROW for one in decades. I'd imagine doing so would be incredibly expensive.

That being said, a light rail operation that goes down the Parkway's median would be possible until you hit (as you said in your idea) South Amboy. Best part is, the Toms River Park and Ride is right off the parkway. It wouldn't make the Parkway so much a "park"way afterwards, but it's hardly that north of the Driscoll Bridge anyway.

You could possibly do the same with Route 18 but you have far less highway ROW to work with.

It would be better to have a light rail operation that would terminate in Monmouth Junction/New Brunswick and Middletown/Matawan. But then it misses the whole point of getting people to NYC/North Jesey as fast as possible.

And the fact that the parkway median option bypasses some of the areas Route 9 runs through so no rail service to Freehold. Also, a lot of steep hills on that highway and that’s something trains have a problem with.

I already know that light rail is out of the question here, but that’s what I’d do if it wasn’t. Bus Rapid Transit could be the answer here, but only if it’s done right.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:21 pm And the fact that the parkway median option bypasses some of the areas Route 9 runs through so no rail service to Freehold. Also, a lot of steep hills on that highway and that’s something trains have a problem with.

I mean, you could have it start somewhere on the Parkway, Toms River or further south, and then have it branch off onto Route 18 to hit some areas around Freehold, and then onto Route 9. That would be a pretty whacky ROW but it would hit all the desired areas (or close to, at least) going to New Brunswick

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:21 pm I already know that light rail is out of the question here, but that’s what I’d do if it wasn’t. Bus Rapid Transit could be the answer here, but only if it’s done right.

Eh. The busses don't seem to have as much of an impact as a train would. You'd probably need to give them their own lane/ROW on the highway, and drivers DO NOT respect those lanes. Another option that would probably never happen in a million years is an elevated ROW over Route 9, like they were doing in Hawaii

We'd all like to see some version of MOM after 40 years of off-and-on discussion by NJT but it is not probable. https://www.njherald.com/story/news/tra ... 878136001/

I’m really hoping that if they are gonna start doing that, Route 9 gets a major overhaul as part of it. I’ve been driving that road a lot to get up to North Jersey as it’s shorter than the parkway. I see why everyone hates the traffic, that road is horribly set up! Traffic lights everywhere, slow traffic staying left, etc.

Get rid of the lights where possible and replace them with circles. Will be SO MUCH FASTER.

Bracdude181 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:42 am I’m really hoping that if they are gonna start doing that, Route 9 gets a major overhaul as part of it. I’ve been driving that road a lot to get up to North Jersey as it’s shorter than the parkway. I see why everyone hates the traffic, that road is horribly set up! Traffic lights everywhere, slow traffic staying left, etc.

Get rid of the lights where possible and replace them with circles. Will be SO MUCH FASTER.

In the meantime, re-time the lights so you don't catch every one every time. If the lights can be timed so you catch every one, they certainly can be timed so you don't. I've been saying this for years, driving trucks and buses on that blasted road. Do your "studies" on how the lights that have to be there, work better to keep traffic moving.

Turning "right on red" doesn't save any fuel if you aren't turning.

Remember how bad the old Ernston Road traffic light intersection was? Someone with some semblance of intelligence came up with the idea to lose the light and turn the intersection into an overpass. Well, I'll be damned. It worked (mostly).

I could def see the benefits of an interurban LRT train that travels over the line. Something that accelerates quickly but makes all those little stops could make up for something that doesnt stop often and is slow(diesel train) to accel.

The trains down the median nonsense will never happen in the state of NJ. Way too many places where you run into problems of getting the vehicle off the median and off to a side ROW where there is no room for one.

Exactly. The problem with putting the train line in the median is that there simply isn’t room for it along much of Route 9. Some areas have no median, just a concrete divider. Plus, a lot of bridges have support beams on the median too.

And that’s just for single track. Passing sidings gotta go somewhere.

The Bus Rapid Transit system would also have to contend with this to a certain extent. Right now the buses ride the shoulder. You could put it in the median but not without widening the road in areas.

ApproachMedium wrote: ↑Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:24 pm I could def see the benefits of an interurban LRT train that travels over the line. Something that accelerates quickly but makes all those little stops could make up for something that doesnt stop often and is slow(diesel train) to accel.

The trains down the median nonsense will never happen in the state of NJ. Way too many places where you run into problems of getting the vehicle off the median and off to a side ROW where there is no room for one.

The only way a median ROW would work would be on dedicated isolated highway ROWs - Route 9 is not that. The Parkway is, and Route 18 is to a certain extent.

It would be best to have some sort of electric LRT/commuter rail using the Southern Secondary and Freehold Industrial Track. Unless they use diesels, putting up wire will be a challenge - especially with the obvious push by the state to make the FIT and SOUS dedicated freight corridors to get freight off the Coastline.

They could run a third rail, like Metro North and the LIRR uses, but AFAIK NJT does NOT have the experience with such a thing

The problem with 18 is the part with a median isnt the part that needs the LRT. The part with the lights and no median just a barrier, is what needs the transit.

The wire will def add to the challenge. NJT might not have experience with 3rd rail but what experience do you need? theres a shoe and it works. if the fuse blows, that shoe doesnt pick up. The train crews are already qualified on Amtrak AMT2 which includes 3rd rail safety protection. id imagine their MOW people are as well with the proximity to PATH tracks near NJT owned properties.

JFJ and AM: I can see overhead wire for an LRT or a River Line-type service using DMUs for a MOM service.
Third rail brings about its own problems that would need to be solved such as the number of substations
that would be needed - on the LIRR as example each station needs a substation at or nearby - trains draw
their highest amount of amperage and current starting up from a station and/or stop. PATH and most other
heavy rail transit third rail applications are "closed" systems with no grade crossings and secured trackage.

The proposed use of third rail could bring along another problem - this could just be another reason that
NIMBYs would be against a MOM rail line being aware of the opposition the route has already faced...
MACTRAXX