Reviving passenger service between West Trenton & Bound Brook

[danny700]

The following message is what I received this morning from Dianne Brake, President of the RPP (Regional Planning Partnership) and I would share it here with you.

When I asked what the latest was on the Status of the West Trenton Line, this was her response to me verbatim:

The West Trenton Line is still on hold, but there is still significant support from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to re-introduce the commuter rail service. Much depends on the replenishing of New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund for its implementation. RPP has always been in favor of the service, if municipalities with stops create the appropriate amount and density of housing to warrant such an enormous public investment.

So, that's the latest on that front.

[danny700]

That tells me from what I understand and read, the Proposed West Trenton Line is not on in the FY2007 budget and it won't get done anytime soon.

[mannybrown]

Seems to me that NJT is focusing on THE tunnel, and is trying to improve capacity to Manhattan before trying to cram more trains into NYP. However, in THE Tunnel's website, they do mention the West Trenton line, and if the tunnel does get done, we will also have the RDCs that the article mentions for shuttle service.

ARC FAQs

Construction of new rail tunnels and adding capacity to Penn Station New York will allow NJ TRANSIT to increase the number of trains operating throughout the West of Hudson commuter rail network. In addition to providing increased service to existing riders, the increased capacity will allow for the extension of direct commuter rail service to midtown Manhattan from several new initiatives, such as Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex, West Trenton, Lackawanna Cutoff and West Shore. The new service initiatives, coupled with other improvements NJ TRANSIT is currently making to its system will ensure a seat and a more comfortable and convenient ride to midtown Manhattan. Delays currently experienced in entering and leaving Penn Station will be eliminated through the additional tracks and station platforms. More seats on more trains will be available to eliminate the crowding now experienced during peak hours

The West Trenton line isn't dead yet, but it'll be a long time, maybe seven years until NJT has the money for it. The west Trenton line is to obvious a gap between SEPTA and NJT services for it to be completely ruled out now.

For now all we can do is dream about new gas turbine powered, high speed, tilting, Crusader, and Wall Street services.

[KFC Jones]

from Dianne Brake, President of the RPP (Regional Planning Partnership): RPP has always been in favor of the service, if municipalities with stops create the appropriate amount and density of housing to warrant such an enormous public investment.

The housing used to follow the RR, now they want the housing inplace first?! Seems backwards, and among other things it makes for more NIMBYs.

Isn't the housing density in those areas high enough already, anyway?

[cpontani]

I thought one reason for building the River Line was to have the transit in place for when the development takes place in the next 10-20 years. Again, if the service is up and running, and you buy a house within x distance of the tracks, you can't bitch. It's a classic chicken/egg scenario. You want the transit there in order to develop. And they want the development in place to demand the transit. Something has to give.

I know that the proposed NJT W. Trenton branch is to be in diesel territory. But would it be prudent to electify it as an alternative to the NEC, as a backup in case something happens? Or would asking Amtrak for assistance in that be like trying to get blood from a stone?

[mannybrown]

Seems backwards, and among other things it makes for more NIMBYs.

Well, NIMBYs shouldn't be a problem considering that mile long trash trains already go by daily, and countless other trains on the west trenton line. However people in Hopewell seem to be a little scared of a new train station bringing in crime from Trenton, but over all, NIMBYs are non-existent for this line.

But would it be prudent to electify it as an alternative to the NEC, as a backup in case something happens? Or would asking Amtrak for assistance in that be like trying to get blood from a stone?

I do remember seeing pictures of old pensey GG1s being pulled by reading steam to Newark over the reading's New York branch (west Trenton line) when the NEC went down. So maybe electrification wouldn't be needed. If it were electrified, the Raritian River line would also need to be electrified from about Bound brook until the connection with NEC. But if both were electrified it could be a competitive alternative to the NEC.

[danny700]

Then the sooner that can get the West Trenton Line done, the better. An alternative to the NEC is sorely needed and this would be the line as an excellent alternative.

[amtrakhogger]

Way back when, the Reading had contemplated extending the
electrification up the New York Branch to Port Reading Jct/Manville area to link with the CNJ who also envisioned electrifying it's suburban routes.

[danny700]

I was in Bound Brook the other day on business and on the way back to Dunellen, I was thinking to myself, Can you imagine if the West Trenton Line comes back in service? Like I said earlier, this line is sorely needed. Hopefully, the powers that be, comes to their senses and get this line up and running.

[Irish Chieftain]

That would take pacifying CSX, especially over the dedicated passenger track and "flyover" over the Lehigh Line.

[ryanov]

Not much of an alternative to the NEC with the level of service they have planned on it, I think. I guess that could change in an emergency, but I didn't get the idea that they really had big plans for this line.

[Irish Chieftain]

NJT currently has but one big plan, which is way smaller in scale than it ought to be for the funds they're seeking for it.

[danny700]

The following quote is from Jack McDougal at NJ-ARP in the Annual Report from 2005-2006 and its not good for those like me that want to see the West Trenton Line come back:

There has been no change and no progress on the reactivation of this rail line. We believe NJT has told the federal government not to push the issue, which is presently being held up on the environmental report. There is no money in the 2007 NJT budget for West Trenton.

This is just another example of NJT's incompetence and not having the foresight to get this done.

[Irish Chieftain]

How would this be incompetence on NJT's part? They don't create their own money.

And I'd like to know just how NJT can induce the feds to "push it" with a mere friendly word? Projects have to compete per funding, per TEA-21, that I recall.

[railfan1987]

Maybe they should try going to Pennslyvania to get the extra cash. I'm sure SEPTA would like the idea of an extra Philly-NYC service. BTW, is it feasible to run a RiverLine style train on this route? All they would have to do is purchase extra trains and build the platforms.