unscheduled stop on 3154(?) at Princeton Jct today

I was waiting today at Princeton Jct shortly after 3:00 PM for train 3954 (scheduled 3:12 leaving Princeton Junction), which is supposed to stop at New Brunswick and then express to Newark Airport. Around 3:10 a train came and I got on it, as there is nothing else in the timetable within about 30 minutes. I thought it was funny that it left 2 minutes early, and then after stopping at New Brunswick, the conductor announces it is a local, with next stop Edison, Metuchen, etc, and indeed it was. I asked the conductor, and he said it was 3154, running about 20 min late. The thing is, the first stop for 3154 is supposed to be New Brunswick, with no stop in Princeton Junction (according to printed and on-line timetables), and that seems to be the case with other 31xx trains.

Does anyone have any idea why it stopped at Princeton Junction? Was 3954 running so late that 3154 stopped for "courtesy pickup"? I suppose that the train must originate out of Morrisville or else this wouldn't have been possible.

It was not a late 3852 (scheduled local 2:22 out of Princeton Jct,) because we didn't stop at North Elizabeth, which 3852 does.

One other note - 3154 was a local, but it ran about 7 minutes faster than the usual local schedule from Princeton Jct to EWR - I guess they didn't dawdle on platforms more than they needed to - even though it was a fairly full train with considerable traffic at every stop. Too bad they can't protect that schedule for all locals, but it was good to know they can do it! JS

It could have any number things. A cancelled or late train, a stop as per the dispatcher to pick up or drop off an employee, etc. 3154 originates out of Morrisville Yard (or Trenton) and making an extra stop wouldn't delay the train much if at all.

pumpers wrote:Does anyone have any idea why it stopped at Princeton Junction? Was 3954 running so late that 3154 stopped for "courtesy pickup"? I suppose that the train must originate out of Morrisville or else this wouldn't have been possible.

Yes - because track 3 was taken out of service for emergency repairs and track 4 is already out of service. This only left tracks 1 and 2 in service. Westbound trains bypassed Princeton Junction and Hamilton on track 2 and passengers were taken back to those stations by an eastbound train from Trenton. Eastbound 3154 handled customers off train Westbound 3845.

Thanks srock and hogger.
Come to think of it, I seem to recall an NJT westbound that went through Princeton Jct station around 3:00 or so without stopping, thinking it was perhaps a special equipment move to Morrisville shops or a deadhead for repositioning - but it most likely it was one of the track 3 casualties srock mentioned (train 3847?) Jim S

pumpers wrote:Thanks srock and hogger.
Come to think of it, I seem to recall an NJT westbound that went through Princeton Jct station around 3:00 or so without stopping, thinking it was perhaps a special equipment move to Morrisville shops or a deadhead for repositioning - but it most likely it was one of the track 3 casualties srock mentioned (train 3847?) Jim S

3839, 3841, 3845, 3847, and 3849 all bypassed PJC and HAM. Maybe 3843 made the stops on track 1 but I doubt it. There are no deadhead to reposition moves in the afternoon westbound to Trenton/Morrisville.