Morristown Line

Morristown Line
New Jersey Transit trains in Summit, NJ.
Overview
Type	Commuter rail line
System	New Jersey Transit
Locale	Northern New Jersey
Termini	NY Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal (eastern end) Dover (western end full-time) or Hackettstown (weekdays only)
Stations	26
Daily ridership	50,000[1] (13.5 million annually)[1]
Operation
Opened	November 19, 1836 (Newark-Orange) January 1, 1838 (Orange-Morristown) July 31, 1838 (Morristown-Dover) January 1854 (Dover-Hackettstown) June 10, 1996 (New York-Newark via Kearny Connection/Midtown Direct)
Owner	Amtrak (New York Penn Station to Kearny Connection) New Jersey Transit (all other trackage)
Operator(s)	New Jersey Transit
Rolling stock	Midtown Direct: ALP-44/ALP-46 locomotives, Comet II-V Multi-level Via Lake Hopatcong: GP40PH-2/F40PH-2CAT/PL42AC locomotives, Comet I-V Hoboken-Dover: Same as Lake Hopatcong service, plus Arrow III MUs
Technical
Track length	92.3 kilometres (57.4 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 millimetres (4 ft 8.5 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25kV 60 Hz AC
Route map Legend Norfolk Southern to Phillipsburg Hackettstown US 46 Musconetcong River Mount Olive Interstate 80 Netcong Port Morris Yard Lackawanna Cutoff Lake Hopatcong Interstate 80 Mount Arlington M&E's Chester Branch & High Bridge Branch M&E's Dover & Rockaway Branch end of electrification US 46 Dover Dover Yard original alignment Rockaway Montclair-Boonton Line diverges Denville to Montclair Mount Tabor NJ 10 US 202 Morris Plains Morristown & Erie Railway Morristown Interstate 287 Convent Station Madison Chatham Passaic River Gladstone Branch joins Summit NJ 24 Rahway Valley Railroad Short Hills Rahway River Millburn Maplewood South Orange Mountain Station Highland Avenue Interstate 280 Orange Brick Church East Orange Garden State Parkway Grove Street Montclair-Boonton Line rejoins Roseville Avenue Interstate 280 Newark Broad Street Passaic River Northeast Corridor Kearny Connection Hackensack River Meadows Maintenance Complex Secaucus Junction (Main Line) Hoboken Yard Hoboken Terminal North River Tunnels Hudson R., N.J./N.Y. border Penn Station New York East River East River Tunnels Sunnyside Yard Northeast Corridor/LIRR This route map: view · talk · edit

The Morristown Line is one of New Jersey Transit's commuter lines and is one of two branches that run along the Morris and Essex Lines.^[2] Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbound trains (about 45%) use the Kearny Connection (opened June 10, 1996) to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn Station; the rest go to Hoboken Terminal. Passengers can transfer at Newark Broad Street or Summit to reach the other destination.

There is frequent service weekdays, with hourly service to/from New York (none going beyond Dover) on weekends. Until August 13, 2006, there was also hourly service to Hoboken. On that date, service between Hoboken and Summit was cut back to once every two hours on weekends. On May 11, 2008, Off-Peak Weekday Hoboken-Dover Trains (600 Series) were cut. In addition, weekend Gladstone trains were cut back to Summit, and a shuttle trains is operated every two hours between Newark Broad Street And Hoboken Terminal.

Recently the line between Millburn and Summit underwent extensive rehabilitation. This included the replacement of the creosote crossties on both tracks with concrete crossties, the replacement of all crossties on the double trestle over Short Hills Avenue, and the replacement of several sections of rail. More recently work has been progressing briskly on rehabilitating both tracks between Summit and Dover with concrete crossties and new welded rail, and rehabilitation of select road overpasses.

Route guide

The Morristown Line begins at the Hoboken Terminal or at New York Penn Station. Morristown line trains departing for points west of Dover, NJ require diesel locomotives. Immediately after leaving Hoboken, the route passes the coach and diesel yards before entering the 1908 Bergen Tunnel under the New Jersey Palisades just past the East End interlocking. At the west portal of the Bergen Tunnel is West End interlocking, where the Main Line, Bergen County Line and Pascack Valley Line branch off to the north. The Morristown Line then crosses over Lower Hack Lift, a vertical lift bridge built in 1927 over the Hackensack River. The line crosses under Route 7 and then passes NJ Transit's Meadows Maintenance Complex (MMC).

Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and the New Jersey Turnpike cross overhead. The Midtown Direct trains join the Morristown line from New York at Kearny Jct. just past this overpass. The Morristown Line parallels the Amtrak Northeast Corridor and PATH lines and Interstate 280 for a short distance here. The Waterfront Connection is just prior to the overpass at Meadows interlocking. It allows selected North Jersey Coast Line and Raritan Valley Line trains to reach Hoboken from the Northeast Corridor Line.

Passaic River bridge. The swing bridge is to the right of the I-280 lift bridge in background.

After following Interstate 280, the line crosses a 2 track swing bridge over the Passaic River into the newly renovated Newark Broad Street station with two high platforms serving all three tracks. After Newark Broad Street Station, within the city limits the line runs in a cut and crosses under many streets, Interstate 280 and the Newark City Subway, and at the abandoned Roseville Avenue station, now the location of Roseville interlocking, the Montclair-Boonton Line splits off to the right.

After passing an abandoned station at Grove Street (now the location of Green interlocking) and over the Garden State Parkway, East Orange is the next stop, on a viaduct. Brick Church and Orange follow, also elevated stations. The line curves south over Interstate 280 past Highland Avenue and Mountain Station. South Orange is next, an elevated station with two platforms and three tracks. Seton Hall University is located here. Maplewood follows, with a side platform and a center platform serving all westbound and some eastbound trains. After Maplewood the line narrows to two tracks at Millburn interlocking. Millburn and Short Hills have two side platforms, with two tracks.

Summit, a major station is next with two high platforms and the station building above the tracks. A glass crossover passes above the platforms. Some weekday locals terminate and originate here. Many of the area's private schools are located in Summit and commuting high school students are a major source of traffic for this station. Schedules are timed for most Morristown trains to have a convenient transfer to a Gladstone branch train across the platform.

Just west of Summit the Gladstone Branch separates and the line crosses over the Passaic River (the second time) into Chatham. Chatham station is on an embankment with two side platforms. Madison on a viaduct is similar, with a recently refurbished 1916 station house on the eastbound side.

The line passes its first grade crossing at Convent Station at the College of Saint Elizabeth. This station has two side platforms with the station building on the eastbound side and a brick waiting house on the westbound track. An old freight station is on the eastbound side. After this station there are two more grade crossings.

Crossing Interstate 287 the line enters Morristown. The Morristown station has two low side platforms and a large station building open 7 days, and is the focal point of a new transit village development. Mini-high level platform ramps for ADA access at both ends. An abandoned freight station is at the west end. West of the station, the Morristown & Erie Railway's main office are located. The Morristown & Erie's main line diverges at this point.

The next station on the line is Morris Plains, with a 1915 brick station. A local model railroad club is located in the freight house just north of the station. After Morris Plains the line curves through wooded areas, under Route 10, and past several crossings before stopping at Mount Tabor, a small stop in Parsippany located at a grade crossing. This stop is served by selected weekday and limited weekend trains and lacks an eastbound platform.

Denville station is a short distance from Mount Tabor. The Morristown Line rejoins the Montclair-Boonton Line just past this station.

The line passes over Estling Lake and alongside the Rockaway River into Dover. Dover, the final stop in electric territory, is next. The 1905 station was recently renovated in the mid-1990s and has a single high platform. No electric Midtown Direct trains and most Hoboken service continues on past here towards Hackettstown. The Morristown Line catenary wires ends about a half-mile west of the station near the US Route 46 overpass. However there are plans (currently unfunded)^{[citation needed]} to extend the electric service to Lake Hopatcong as the Dover Yard is at capacity, and the substation at Wharton to supply this extension has been in service since 1984.

Two tracks continue west over the Rockaway River and past D&R Junction in Wharton where the Morristown & Erie Railway's Dover-Rockaway Branch splits off. Chester (Lake) Junction is on the left and provides the connection to the Morristown & Erie Railway's Chester and High Bridge Branch. Mount Arlington park/ride station is next, with two high platforms and 285 parking spaces near Exit 30 on Interstate 80.

After passing under Interstate 80, Lake Hopatcong station is next. The connection to the Lackawanna Cutoff is on the right as the train approaches Port Morris Yard, where the Montclair-Boonton and Morristown line's diesel fleet is based. Netcong station has a brick house on the low platform. Until late 1994, this was the endpoint of the line. Crossing under Interstate 80, the line enters the Mount Olive International Trade Center, where a station is located at Waterloo Valley Road.

The route passes through Allamuchy Mountain State Park and along the Musconetcong River to Hackettstown. A spur to the M&M/Mars plant is on the right, before the line crosses US Route 46 in downtown. The Hackettstown station is shortly ahead, with one low platform and a mini-high ADA ramp. Trackage south of Hackettstown is owned and operated by Norfolk Southern as part of the Lackawanna Washington Secondary to Phillipsburg.

Electrification

The Morristown Line east of Dover Station is electrified, using 25 kV, 60 Hz AC overhead catenary wire. The line was electrifed in 1930 at 3kV DC, but was re-electrified around 1984 at the contemporary standard of 25 kV, 60 Hz. The connecting Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton Line were also re-electrified at this time.

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Morristown Line Electrification

Name	Coordinates	Comments
Hoboken	40°44′09″N 74°02′36″W / 40.7358°N 74.0433°W / 40.7358; -74.0433 (Hoboken (NJT))
West End Junction	40°44′30″N 74°04′02″W / 40.7416°N 74.0673°W / 40.7416; -74.0673 (West End Junction (NJT))
Meadowlands Substation	40°44′44″N 74°06′09″W / 40.7455°N 74.1026°W / 40.7455; -74.1026 (Meadowlands Substation (NJT))	Supplied by dual 230 kV lines (P-2216 and C-2281) from Kearny and Athenia substations.
Newark Broad	40°44′53″N 74°10′30″W / 40.7480°N 74.1749°W / 40.7480; -74.1749 (Newark Broad (NJT))
Orange	40°46′17″N 74°14′07″W / 40.7713°N 74.2354°W / 40.7713; -74.2354 (Orange (NJT))
South Orange (Disused)	40°44′32″N 74°15′46″W / 40.7421°N 74.2628°W / 40.7421; -74.2628 (South Orange; Disused (NJT))
South Orange / Maplewood	40°44′17″N 74°16′02″W / 40.7381°N 74.2673°W / 40.7381; -74.2673 (South Orange / Maplewood (NJT))
Milburn	40°43′33″N 74°18′24″W / 40.7257°N 74.3068°W / 40.7257; -74.3068 (Milburn (NJT))
Summit Substation	40°43′29″N 74°23′18″W / 40.7248°N 74.3883°W / 40.7248; -74.3883 (Summit Substation (NJT))
Convent Tie Station	40°46′49″N 74°26′45″W / 40.7804°N 74.4457°W / 40.7804; -74.4457 (Convent (NJT))
Morristown (Lake Pocahontas)	40°48′27″N 74°28′43″W / 40.8076°N 74.4787°W / 40.8076; -74.4787 (Morristown/Lake Pocahontas (NJT))
Denville	40°53′02″N 74°29′02″W / 40.8840°N 74.4840°W / 40.8840; -74.4840 (Denville (NJT))
Dover	40°52′59″N 74°33′00″W / 40.8831°N 74.5500°W / 40.8831; -74.5500 (Dover (NJT))
West Wharton Substation	40°54′22″N 74°35′52″W / 40.9062°N 74.5979°W / 40.9062; -74.5979 (West Wharton Substation (NJT))	Beyond end of catenary; 25 kV feed runs on wooden pole line

Rolling stock

Weekday local service between Hoboken and Dover now is mainly diesel, but was formerly Arrow III electric MU cars. All Midtown Direct service is push-pull, utilizing electric ALP-44/ALP-46 locomotives and Comet cars on most trains, and Mulitlevel vehicles on select trains. Through service west of Dover from Hoboken uses GP40PH-2, F40PH-2CAT or PL42AC diesels with Comet cars.

Station listing

Morristown Line stations
Zone	Miles from east terminal	Municipality	Station	Services	Public transportation	Notes
–	0.0	New York City	Penn Station	ADA-accessible, TVM	Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, NJ Transit: North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, Gladstone Branch, Montclair-Boonton Line NYC Subway: 1 2 3 A C E trains NYC Transit buses: M4, M7, M20, M34 / M34A Select Bus Service, Q32	Second eastern terminus of the line
	0.0	Hoboken	Hoboken	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 22, 22X, 23, 54, 68, 85, 87, 89, 126 New York Waterway	Eastern terminus of the line; Transfer here for PATH trains and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
	5.0	Secaucus	Secaucus Junction	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 2, 78, 129, 329	Transfer here for other New Jersey Transit lines (except the Raritan Valley and Gladstone Branch lines)
2	7.8	Newark	Newark-Broad Street	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 11, 13, 27, 28, 29, 39, 41, 43, 72, 76, 78, 108, go28	7.8 miles from Hoboken, 10.4 miles from New York Penn Line merges/diverges with the Montclair-Boonton Line.
4	10.0	East Orange	East Orange	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 21, 71, 73, 79, 94
	10.6		Brick Church	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 21, 71, 73, 79, 94, 97
	11.5	Orange	Orange	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 21, 41 71, 73, 79, 92
5	12.2		Highland Avenue	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 92
	13.1	South Orange	Mountain Station	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 92
	13.9		South Orange	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 92, 107
6	15.2	Maplewood	Maplewood	TVM	–
7	16.8	Millburn	Millburn	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 70
	17.8		Short Hills	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 92, 107
9	20.1	Summit	Summit	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 70, 986 Wheels	Morristown Line and Gladstone Branch lines merge/diverge here
10	23.5	Chatham	Chatham	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 873
11	25.5	Madison	Madison	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 873
12	27.7	Morris Township	Convent	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 873, 878, 879
14	29.8	Morristown	Morristown	ADA-acessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 871, 872, 873, 874, 880
16	32.0	Morris Plains	Morris Plains	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 872, 880
	35.7	Denville	Mount Tabor	TVM	NJ Transit buses: 880
	36.7		Denville	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 880	Line merges/diverges with the Montclair-Boonton Line for westward service
17	40.5	Dover	Dover	ADA-accessible, TVM	NJ Transit buses: 872, 875, 880	Most trains terminate/originate at Dover
19		Mount Arlington	Mount Arlington	ADA-accessible, TVM[3]	Lakeland Bus: Route 80	Built 2008
	45.9	Lake Hopatcong	Lake Hopatcong	TVM	–	Future split for the Lackawanna Cut-Off line near Port Morris Junction
	48.4	Netcong	Netcong	TVM	–	Begin/end of New Jersey Transit track ownership; Former line western terminus
	50.1	Mount Olive	Mount Olive	ADA-accessible, TVM	Lakeland Bus: Route 46, Route 80	Waterloo Village, International Trade Center
	57.4	Hackettstown	Hackettstown	ADA-acessible, TVM		Western terminus of the Montclair-Boonton and Morristown Lines
Morristown Line abandoned stations
2		Harrison	Harrison	–	–	7.13 miles from end of track at Hoboken; Closed September 16, 1984[4]
		Newark	Roseville Avenue	–	–	9.02 miles from Hoboken; Closed September 16, 1984[4]
4		East Orange	Grove Street	–	–	9.56 miles from Hoboken; Closed April 7, 1991[5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} NJ Transit celebrates 10-year anniversary of MidTOWN Direct service New Jersey Transit Retrieved 2007-09-08
2. ^ The other is the Gladstone Branch.
3. ^ "Mount Arlington Station: New Ticket Vending Machine available - Purchase Tickets Before Boarding to Avoid $5 Surcharge". New Jersey Transit. 2011. http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=ConstructionAdvisoryTo&AdvisoryId=2792. Retrieved June 17, 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Morris & Essex Lines Timetable (September 16, 1984 ed.). Newark, New Jersey: New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. 1984. 
5. ^ Morris & Essex Lines Timetable (April 7, 1991 ed.). Newark, New Jersey: New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. 1991.