njt/mnrrbuff wrote: ↑Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:56 pm
Hopefully when Gateway is finished, the RVL can run all the way to the Lehigh Valley Region. I would try to get it as far as either Bethlehem or Allentown. I don't know much about Glen Gardner or Hampton to give my view about extending the RVL out there. It's a shame that NJT stopped running to Phillipsburg? Any reason why the ridership was low?
It would be nice for high level platforms to be built at Bay Head Station. Just remember that that platforms are on a curve. However, there should be enough room to build them. Belmar and Spring Lake should have gotten their high level platforms before Elberon did because both Belmar and Spring Lake Stations see more riders than Elberon. Elberon probably has some good ridership given that it's serves the south end of Long Branch and parts of Ocean Twp.
More stations on the RVL should get high level platforms. I agree with the list of RVL stations there. Bound Brook, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Fanwood, and Raritan all have their current platforms on straightaways and see high ridership.
On the Bergen County Line, I agree about Rutherford. Not only is it on a straightaway. It draws in healthy ridership from not only Rutherford but from surrounding towns although the part of Lyndhurst that is closest to Rutherford is where the two Main Line stations are. It would be nice to have both Lyndhurst and Kingsland get high level platforms as well. I know that Lyndhurst Station was mentioned. Clifton and Passaic would be good stations for high level platforms. Those stations are on curves though.
The stations on the M&E in the Oranges, Maplewood, and Millburn should have had their high level platforms constructed a while ago. Several people get off trains there and the dwell times can be very long.
Ridership, money,. NJ Transit had it as a money loser (the re-extension to Phillipsburg began in 1976 under Conrail) and wanted to save the $1.25-$1.5MM a year then it would cost ($3.2-$3.8MM today) to run the service. At the time Glen Gardner had nearly no one, Hampton and Phillipsburg about a dozen. Nowadays I think there would be more at Hampton and Glen Gardner purely because the closer accessibility to Washington borough and NJ 31. High Bridge lacks easy accessibility, meaning the best stop is really Annandale and even then, there's argument for a long drive to Raritan. Phillipsburg will make a good destination someday, but the track is maintained up to Ludlow-Asbury and service to Hampton and Glen Gardner would make a good start. They tried to get Allentown and Bethlehem to invest the money and now with the casinos, Bethlehem would make a lot of sense. However, we have to take it one step at a time. The fact that NJ Transit keeps things through Glen Gardner and Hampton up to date is the path of least resistance/problems.
Elberon was high-leveled at the time because of the 1988 fire that took out the CNJ depot, but they didn't start construction until 1993 and at that point, high-levels were required. Just timing based on tragedy. It's not that they expected Elberon to be quicker, but it would end up being that way. In retrospect, Spring Lake & Belmar would've been ahead of Elberon on a normal schedule. However, changes happen. Bay Head, you have limited room, but it's doable on one side. I do support the idea that all termini are HLP stops (meaning High Bridge, Raritan, Suffern, Waldwick, Bay Head, Hackettstown, Lake Hopatcong would all need upgrades).
Millburn's problem is that they made all those changes in 1987, when there was no ADA of 1990 to be used. For Maplewood, they'll have to go with the Ridgewood approach to figure out how to high-level it, and even that it won't be easy. All the Oranges (or at least the main 4), will be a little tougher.
I didn't get into teaching for the promotions or the pension plans or so I could get to the golf course by 3:45. I did it because I wanted to help you kids. I'd forgotten that, till today. -- Principal Peter Prickly.