Reviving passenger service between West Trenton & Bound Brook

The EA build alternative does not include a flyover the NS Lehigh Line because the projected traffic levels (a paltry 7 trains in each direction) did not warrant it. The 7 per day was in turn based on constraints on the CSA Lehigh Line. If the CSA LL gets triple tracked, however, that bottleneck will be partially relieved which will allow a more reasonable number of trains per day. Will that then necessitate a flyover at port reading junction. I wonder how this is going to play out.

jimzim66 wrote:

NJTArrow2 wrote:West Trenton super exspress
Train 5600
Lv Newark:3:00
Cranford:3:20
Bound Brook:3:45
Belle Mead:4:00
Hopwell:4:15
Ar West Trenton:4:35

Alright! I love super exspresses!!!

Lolz!!! icanhazsuperexspresses

jimzim66 wrote: More like a super local.

This must be an infrequent service if a xx00 train is leaving so late (when it really should be a odd-numbered train number). I assume he means PM since theres no use for super exspresses that early in the AM. I like how stops like Plainfield and Westfield are missed but a stop is made in Bound Brook.

And Cranford too! Can't have an exspresse that doesn't stop at Cranford!

I live within walking distance of the Jenkintown Station and would LOVE this line to re-open.
Even if this took 2 hours each way, it would still be my best transportation option to NYC.
The only other cost-effective way for rail service to NYC from Montgomery Co. PA is to go all the way into Center City, take the Trenton Local, and then switch to a NJT local to Penn. That's like going to Freehold via Trenton from Tom's River.
Does this really have any possibility of happening?
I believe, with proper advertising, that these trains would be a huge hit with MontCo. PA residents, commuter, business folks, theater goers, students, class trips, underage teens trying to get served in NYC, etc. ...
In fact, this line would probably put a noticeable dent in Amtrak's overall NE Corridor leisure traffic.
This last bit I don't know about - would competition with Amtrak be a good thing or a bad thing?
It's not like we're talking about real competion with real companies like the old days...

Here's something i don't get. We had the thread to give Trenton-Mercer Airport a station on the WT Line, but what reason does NJ Transit have it not giving Manville and Pennington a station? I mean West Trenton, Hopewell Twp, Hopewell Boro, Belle Mead, Hillsborough and Bridgewater (per se) get stations (and having 2 Hopewell stations are a bit questionable). Manville and Pennington are pretty big communities, and the WT Trenton would pass through downtown Manville, where it would attract probably more riders than Finderne provided. Also, Pennington would serve good ridership to the Airport, Lambertville and Pennington itself.

Also, if the Flemington Branch and the West Trenton were built simultaneously, would using a Pennington station be a good merge/diverge point for the Flemington Branch between the WT and RV Lines?

Just my thought opinions.

Ok, so if I remember correctly, the DEIS called for a possible part-time station in Manville (possibly at the location of the old Weston-Manville station). I believe Pennington was left out due to opposition of the service? Don't quote me on that as I don't have all my facts straight. Also, having a station for I-95/Merrill-Lynch would defeat the purpose of a Pennington station. Notice there's no Skillman either?

As for a divergence point for the old South Branch: how in the name of god would you connect Pennington with Flemington with no existing ROW? The only ways to get to Flemington by rail is either the former LVRR Flemington Branch, the former CNJ South Branch, or the former PRR Flemington Branch (through Ringoes).

Plus Pennington is rather close to Hamilton, which will no matter what recieve much better service.

firthorfifth06 wrote:Ok, so if I remember correctly, the DEIS called for a possible part-time station in Manville (possibly at the location of the old Weston-Manville station). I believe Pennington was left out due to opposition of the service? Don't quote me on that as I don't have all my facts straight. Also, having a station for I-95/Merrill-Lynch would defeat the purpose of a Pennington station. Notice there's no Skillman either?

As for a divergence point for the old South Branch: how in the name of god would you connect Pennington with Flemington with no existing ROW? The only ways to get to Flemington by rail is either the former LVRR Flemington Branch, the former CNJ South Branch, or the former PRR Flemington Branch (through Ringoes).

Skillman would be a better southern station for Montgomery Twp. anyway (like Belle Mead would be northern)

Also, there is a ROW that the state owns and preserved, but its original use wasn't for railroad. The NJDOT proposed their NJ State Route 69 Freeway along the east of Route 31 for 10 miles north of Ewing and Pennington, but it never came to surface. The ROW still exists, and I am sure that the NJDOT, if they wanted to, could hand over the ROW for the unbuilt freeway to NJ Transit for connections to the Flemington-South Branch.

What is the current status of this project. I know there were some open house sessions a few years ago, whatever came of them?

If I had to guess, it's probably higher in priority than MOM, but lower in priority than ARC

I have a friend in Jenkintown and would like it also. However, I recently took the train home from there and the trip wasn't actually all that bad. Would make for a lousy commute though.

ryanov wrote:I have a friend in Jenkintown and would like it also.

I have a friend in New Milford. Is there anything NJT can do to help me get to his house?

Sure, they can take you within walking distance (River Edge on the PVL).

ryanov wrote:Sure, they can take you within walking distance (River Edge on the PVL).

Or if they kept the Erie station - within the town itself

I am surprised this hasnt been consider the new Acela path, its make sense to totally bypass all the NEC traffic and head to 30th st. Plus there it could be all brand new track.