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The North Jersey Coast Line is a commuter rail line running from Rahway to Bay Head, New Jersey, traversing through the Jersey Shore region. Operated by New Jersey Transit, the line is electrified as far south as Long Branch. On rail system maps it is colored light blue, and its symbol is a sailboat. The line runs along the former New York & Long Branch Railroad, which was co-owned by the Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Pennsylvania Railroad. [3]
Most trains operate between New York Penn Station and Long Branch, with frequent rush-hour service and hourly local off-peak service. Diesel shuttle trains between Long Branch and Bay Head meet these electric trains, although a limited number of through trains operate during weekday rush hours between Bay Head and Pennsylvania Station, utilizing dual-mode engines. Hourly New York to Long Branch service operates on weekends, with bi-hourly diesel shuttle service (with some extra trains) between Long Branch and Bay Head. Full hourly service operates during the peak summer season. Some electric trains terminate at South Amboy and make all stops from New York Penn Station, providing local service for the Northeast Corridor stops of Rahway, Linden, Elizabeth, and North Elizabeth during rush hours.
The line is double tracked, except for the bridge over the Manasquan River at Brielle. The line has cab signals and wayside block signals; the line from Rahway to Long Branch is signaled for operation in either direction on both tracks (NORAC Rule 261). Twelve interlockings facilitate flexibility in operation between the two tracks; these and other interlockings control movements to or from freight lines such as the Chemical Coast Secondary, the Amboy Secondary, and the Southern Secondary, as well as Long Branch Yard.
Passenger yards are at Long Branch and Bay Head. Long Branch Yard is fully electrified, and mostly interlocked. Bay Head contains a large balloon (circular looping) track where entire trains can reverse direction without backing up or uncoupling the locomotive, and obviating the need for a turntable. It remains in service, even though push-pull operation has eliminated the need for turning of trains. Bay Head Yard has no interlocking; all switches are hand-operated. A yard and sidings formerly existed at South Amboy, dating to when electrification ended there, but have since been removed; trains terminating at South Amboy cannot be bypassed by using the other track, as the new station has a single island platform.
Conrail Shared Assets Operations also operates over the North Jersey Coast Line to interchange with the Delaware and Raritan River Railroad in Red Bank.
The North Jersey Coast Line has five movable bridges of the twelve used by the NJT rail network, the most on any one line.
All these bridges were originally double-track spans, but Brielle Draw has been single-tracked since the mid-1970s. The line also crosses over several other waterways on fixed bridges, the longest of which is over the Navesink River at Red Bank.
The North Jersey Coast Line is electrified north (railroad east) of Long Branch.
Electrified operation between Rahway and South Amboy began about 1936. Electrification was extended to Matawan in 1982 (now called Aberdeen-Matawan), with catenary installed in the early 1980s. This was originally 11 kV, increased to 12 kV in 1978 along with Amtrak's New York-Washington electrification, with insulators capable of supporting 25 kV. Electrification at 12.5 kV 60 Hz was extended to Long Branch in 1988, with catenary installed in 1986–88. As on the 1982 extension, the insulators can handle 25 kV. The catenary is self-adjusting (constant tensioning) with ambient temperature. In 2002, the voltage from Matawan to Long Branch was changed from 12.5 kV to 25 kV. As a result, the Arrow III passenger cars can no longer run between those two points, since those trains can not run on two different voltages on one trip (the transformer voltage taps must be manually changed from alongside the MU).
The line remains electrified at 12 kV 25 Hz AC north of Matawan. Three phase breaks segregate the different power sources, at the Matawan Phase Gap, Laurel Phase Gap (Hazlet/Holmdel), and east of Bergen Place in Red Bank.
With the completion of the Waterfront Connection in 1991, five weekday round trip diesel trains began running from Bay Head to Hoboken Terminal using the Waterfront Connection. On May 18, 2015, NJ Transit expanded service to include three inbound and three outbound weekday trains running from Bay Head directly to and from New York Penn Station.
The line was home to the last remaining private commuter passenger club in the United States. The Jersey Shore Commuters Club was established in 1933 under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Railroad. [4] It used half of a Comet IIM car - car 5459 (built as Comet IIB 5759 in 1988). In 2004, the Comet II Club Car went through a custom overhaul by Alstom and was furnished, with the club's funding, to include reclining lounge chairs, spacious seating, at-seat fold down tables, and private conference tables. The club also hosted various onboard activities to preserve its heritage. Club members enjoyed guaranteed and spacious seating as part of their annual membership fee that the Club remitted to New Jersey Transit as part of its lease agreement. Membership was "open" and on a "first come first served basis" to those willing to pay the membership fee and abide by the club's bylaws. The Club end of the car was furnished similar to Amtrak's Amfleet and Horizon fleet of cars. The Club Car seats were actually former Amfleet Metroliner seats that the club had re-conditioned. The Club Car only ran during peak rush hour periods with one weekday round trip per day and was always run with the club end coupled to the locomotive when used. Due to damage sustained to the Club Car in Hurricane Sandy, the commuter club was disbanded in August 2013. Per posts on the club's Facebook page, the Club Car took its last trip on the line in October 2012, just prior to the hurricane.
In the summers of 1986–1988, NJ Transit experimented with service from selected stops of the Bergen County Line, around the southwest curve of the West End Junction in Jersey City, and switching from the Morris & Essex to the Northeast Corridor via a complicated set of switch maneuvers in the Newark area, then continuing express to the Coast Line, with no intermediate stops between Harmon Cove station and Long Branch station. Tickets were for a specified town and included bus service to the beach and beach admission passes. One round trip was made each Saturday and Sunday during July. Despite high demand (on sunny days), the service was discontinued, ostensibly due to crew and equipment shortages, and the inability to forecast demand.
In June 2014, NJ Transit began running one-seat limited-stop summer shore express trains to and from Bay Head and New York on weekends and holidays. This limited time service only ran through the summer and ended on September 1, 2014. This service was brought back for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 summer seasons. Service consisted of four inbound and outbound trips, with two trips during the morning, and two in the evening in both directions.
As a line paralleling the New Jersey coastline, the North Jersey Coast Line received exceptionally severe damage from Hurricane Sandy on October 29–30, 2012. Track was washed out in several places from Perth Amboy southward, most notably between South Amboy and Aberdeen-Matawan stations, where the line runs closest to the Atlantic Ocean. The Raritan Bay and Morgan Creek drawbridges were struck by boats, storage containers and other floating debris, knocking the bridges' tracks out of alignment. Trees also fell over parts of the line. [5] Service remained suspended for three weeks; a resumption of service only as far as Woodbridge (and skipping Avenel) on November 4 was halted after only one day due to severe overcrowding. [6] The Christie administration announced that most North Jersey Coast Line trains would return to service on Monday, November 19, with slightly longer trip times and omission of trains to Hoboken Terminal. [7]
Because of the complexity of electrification on the Coast Line, the route has among the most diverse fleet in the NJT system.
Between New York and Long Branch service is typically operated with an ALP-46 electric locomotive pulling Comet or MultiLevel coaches. Shuttle trains between Long Branch and Bay Head are typically operated with a PL42AC or GP40PH-2B diesel locomotive pulling 4 to 6 car sets of Comet series or MultiLevel coaches.
During weekday rush hours, NJ Transit operates "One Seat Ride" services between New York and Bay Head. These trains use ALP-45DP dual-power locomotives that can run on either electric power supplied by overhead lines or from an on-board diesel generator. They are paired with an 8-car set of Comet series or MultiLevel coaches.
NJ Transit also operates short turn runs between New York and South Amboy during weekday rush hours. These services can use Arrow III railcars. Because of the voltage change at Matawan, Arrow railcars cannot operate further south, as they are not capable of in motion voltage changes like the ALP-45 and ALP-46 locomotives.
State | Zone [8] | Location | Station [8] | Miles (km) | Date opened | Date closed | Connections / notes [8] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NY | 1 | Manhattan | Pennsylvania Station ![]() | 0.0 (0.0) | 1910 | Amtrak (long distance): Cardinal , Crescent , Lake Shore Limited , Palmetto , Silver Meteor , Silver Star Amtrak (intercity): Acela Express , Adirondack , Carolinian , Empire Service , Ethan Allen Express , Keystone Service , Maple Leaf , Northeast Regional , Pennsylvanian , Vermonter Long Island Rail Road: Babylon, Belmont Park, City Terminal Zone, Far Rockaway, Hempstead, Long Beach, Montauk, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Port Washington, Ronkonkoma, West Hempstead branches NJ Transit: Gladstone, Montclair-Boonton, Morristown, Raritan Valley, Northeast Corridor lines New York City Subway: 1 , 2 , and 3 (at 34th Street – Penn Station (Seventh Avenue)), A , C , and E (at 34th Street – Penn Station (Eighth Avenue)) New York City Bus: M7 , M20 , M34 SBS , M34A , Q32 Academy Bus: SIM23 , SIM24 Flixbus: Eastern Shuttle Vamoose Bus | |
NJ | Secaucus | Secaucus Junction ![]() | 3.5 (5.6) | 2003 | NJ Transit: Bergen County, Gladstone, Main, BetMGM Meadowlands, Montclair-Boonton, Morristown, Pascack Valley, Raritan Valley, and Northeast Corridor lines Metro-North Railroad: Port Jervis Line NJ Transit Bus: 2 , 78 , 129 , 329 , 353 | ||
Newark | Pennsylvania Station ![]() | 10.0 (16.1) | March 24, 1935 [9] [10] | Amtrak (long-distance): Cardinal, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star Amtrak (intercity): Acela Express, Carolinian, Keystone Service, Northeast Regional, Pennsylvanian, Vermonter NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor and Raritan Valley lines PATH: Newark – World Trade Center Newark Light Rail: Grove Street – Newark Penn, Broad Street – Newark Penn NJ Transit Bus: 1 , 5 , 11 , 21 , 25 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 34 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 62 , 67 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 76 , 78 , 79 , 108 , 308 , 319 , 361 , 375 , 378 , go25 , go28 ONE Bus: 31, 44 Greyhound Lines | |||
South Street | |||||||
Newark Liberty International Airport Station ![]() | 12.6 (20.3) | October 21, 2001 [11] | Amtrak: Keystone Service, Northeast Regional NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line AirTrain Newark | ||||
5 | Elizabeth | North Elizabeth ![]() | 14.4 (23.2) | NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line NJ Transit Bus: 112 | |||
Elizabeth ![]() | 15.4 (24.8) | December 21, 1835 [12] | NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line NJ Transit Bus: 26 , 48 , 52 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 62 , 112 ONE Bus: 24 | ||||
South Elizabeth | |||||||
7 | Linden | Linden ![]() | 18.6 (29.9) | NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line NJ Transit Bus: 56 , 57 , 94 | |||
8 | Rahway | ||||||
North Rahway | 20.1 (32.3) | January 31, 1993 [13] | Closed due to maintenance issues | ||||
Rahway ![]() | 20.7 (33.3) | January 1, 1836 [14] | NJ Transit: Northeast Corridor Line NJ Transit Bus: 48 Rahway Community Shuttle | ||||
9 | Woodbridge | Avenel [15] ![]() | |||||
Edgar | July 21, 1975 [16] | ||||||
10 | Woodbridge ![]() | October 11, 1864 [17] | NJ Transit Bus: 48 , 116 , 803 | ||||
Genasco | |||||||
12 | Perth Amboy | Perth Amboy | June 28, 1875 [18] | NJ Transit Bus: 48 , 116 , 813 , 815 , 817 | |||
13 | South Amboy | South Amboy ![]() | 1938 | NJ Transit Bus: 815 , 817 | |||
Old Bridge | Laurence Harbor | Formerly proposed station in 1985, 2001, and 2008 | |||||
15 | Matawan | Aberdeen–Matawan ![]() | July 1, 1875 [19] | NJ Transit Bus: 135 | |||
16 | Hazlet | Hazlet ![]() | July 1, 1875 [19] | Academy Bus: PNC Bank Arts Center Shuttle | |||
17 | Middletown Township | Middletown ![]() | July 1, 1875 [19] | ||||
18 | Red Bank | Red Bank ![]() | July 1, 1875 [19] | NJ Transit Bus: 831 , 832 , 834 , 838 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | |||
19 | Little Silver | Little Silver | 1875 | Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | |||
Oceanport | Monmouth Park (limited service) | 1892 | |||||
20 | Long Branch | Long Branch ![]() | July 1, 1875 [19] | NJ Transit Bus: 831, 837 Academy Bus: 36 Terminus of electrification | |||
Elberon | Elberon ![]() | August 25, 1875 [20] [21] | |||||
21 | Allenhurst | Allenhurst | May 17, 1897 [22] [23] | NJ Transit Bus: 837 | |||
Interlaken | Interlaken | July 30, 1904 [24] [25] | |||||
Asbury Park | |||||||
North Asbury Park | July 21, 1975 [16] | ||||||
Asbury Park ![]() | August 25, 1875 [20] [21] | NJ Transit Bus: 317 , 830 , 832 , 836 , 837 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | |||||
Bradley Beach | Bradley Beach | June 24, 1893 [26] | NJ Transit Bus: 317 , 830 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | ||||
22 | |||||||
Avon-by-the-Sea | Avon | July 21, 1975 [27] | |||||
Belmar | Belmar | September 14, 1875 [28] | NJ Transit Bus: 317, 830 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | ||||
Lake Como | Como | June 1934 [29] | Demolished by New York & Long Branch Railroad in November 1934. [30] | ||||
Spring Lake | Spring Lake | October 11, 1875 [31] [32] | NJ Transit Bus: 317 , 830 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | ||||
23 | |||||||
Sea Girt | Sea Girt | October 11, 1875 [31] [32] | July 21, 1975 [16] | ||||
Manasquan | Manasquan | NJ Transit Bus: 317 , 830 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | |||||
Point Pleasant Beach | Point Pleasant Beach ![]() | July 29, 1880 [33] | NJ Transit Bus: 317 , 830 Academy Bus: Shore Points Line | ||||
Bay Head | Bay Head | August 1, 1882 [34] |
Route 35 is a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey, primarily traveling through the easternmost parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. It runs 58.11 mi (93.52 km) from the entrance to Island Beach State Park in Berkeley Township, Ocean County to an intersection with Route 27 in Rahway, Union County. Between Seaside Park and Mantoloking, Route 35 follows the right-of-way of the former Pennsylvania Railroad along the Jersey Shore. The route heads through Point Pleasant Beach and crosses the Manasquan River on the Brielle Bridge, meeting Route 34 and Route 70 at the former Brielle Circle in Wall Township. From there, Route 35 heads north and intersects Route 138, an extension of Interstate 195, continuing north through Monmouth County before crossing the Victory Bridge over the Raritan River into Perth Amboy, where the route continues north to Rahway.
The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail service operated by NJ Transit between the Trenton Transit Center and New York Penn Station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor in the United States. The service is the successor to Pennsylvania Railroad commuter trains between Trenton and New York, and is NJ Transit's busiest commuter rail service. After arrival at New York Penn Station, some trains load passengers and return to New Jersey, while others continue east to Sunnyside Yard for storage. Most servicing is done at the Morrisville Yard, at the west end of the line. The Northeast Corridor Line is colored red on NJ Transit system maps and its symbol is the State House. The Princeton Branch is a shuttle service connecting to the line. Connecting SEPTA Trenton Line service between Philadelphia and Trenton is listed in the timetable.
NJ Transit Rail Operations is the rail division of NJ Transit. It operates commuter rail service in New Jersey, with most service centered on transportation to and from New York City, Hoboken, and Newark. NJ Transit also operates rail service in Orange and Rockland counties in New York under contract to Metro-North Railroad. The commuter rail lines saw 45,838,200 riders in 2022, making it the third-busiest commuter railroad in North America and the longest commuter rail system in North America by route length.
The Jersey Central Traction Company was a streetcar company in central New Jersey, with its main lines from Red Bank and Highlands to Perth Amboy.
The New York and Long Branch Railroad was a railroad in central New Jersey, running from Bay Head Junction in Bay Head to Perth Amboy, where it connected to the Central Railroad of New Jersey's Perth Amboy and Elizabethport Railroad. The railroad was jointly owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Central Railroad of New Jersey and became property of Conrail in 1976. It is now part of New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line.
Point Pleasant Beach is a train station located in Point Pleasant Beach, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, and is one of the most significant stops on the NJCL portion between Long Branch and Bay Head. This station is located on one of the borough's major arteries, Arnold Avenue, Route 35, several blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, boardwalk, Manasquan Inlet marina, and within the community's downtown business, shopping, dining and entertainment nexus. The current building and platforms are approximately 10 years old, a consequence of the station's redevelopment yielding the modern fixtures and services. The station is handicapped-accessible.
Rahway station is an NJ Transit train station in Rahway, New Jersey that is located 20.7 miles southwest of New York Penn Station, with service on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines.
The Raritan Bayshore is a region in central sections in the state of New Jersey. It is the area around Raritan Bay from The Amboys to Sandy Hook, in Middlesex and Monmouth counties, including the towns of Perth Amboy, South Amboy, Sayreville, Old Bridge, Matawan, Aberdeen, Keyport, Union Beach, Hazlet, Keansburg, Middletown, Atlantic Highlands, and Highlands. It is the northernmost part of the Jersey Shore, located just south of New York City. At Keansburg is a traditional amusement park while at Sandy Hook are found ocean beaches. The Sadowski Parkway beach area in Perth Amboy, which lies at the mouth of the Raritan River, was deemed the "Riviera of New Jersey" by local government. In recent years many of the beaches on the Bayshore area have been rediscovered and upgraded.
Woodbridge is a commuter railroad station in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. Located on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, it is one of three active railroad stations in the eponymous township, including Avenel to the north on the same line and Metropark station on the Northeast Corridor Line. Woodbridge station is located on Pearl Street at the intersection with Brook Street, where stairs to the single island platform that serves trains are located.
The Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad was a short-line railroad in New Jersey. The railroad traversed through the communities of Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Manalapan Township, Englishtown Borough, Monroe Township, and Jamesburg Borough, en route to Monmouth Junction in South Brunswick Township. Its former right-of-way, along with a portion of the Farmingdale and Squan Village Railroad's right-of-way, has become the Edgar Felix Bikeway and the Freehold right-of-way between Route 537 and Big Brook Park in Marlboro Township has become the Henry Hudson Trail. The section of right of way from Route 537 parallel to Jackson Street and behind the former Karagheusian Rug Mill to the former Central Railroad of New Jersey depot on Jackson Street at Mechanic Street in Freehold Borough has not as of yet been improved to be part of the trail. It is not clear whether this part of the right of way is still owned by New Jersey Transit which owns the rest of the line north into Matawan. The latter has been ‘railbanked’ which means it can be reactivated
South Amboy is a commuter railroad train station in the city of South Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Servicing trains of New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, electric trains go between New York Penn Station and Long Branch. There are also diesel trains that go through to Bay Head. The next station to the north, across the Raritan River, is Perth Amboy and the next station to the southeast is Aberdeen–Matawan. The station consists of two tracks and a single high-level island platform that is handicap accessible.
Aberdeen–Matawan is a station on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, located in Aberdeen and Matawan, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. This station, convenient to Route 35 and the PNC Bank Arts Center, is popular with both commuters and concertgoers, and is the busiest station on the line between Bay Head and Rahway.
Middletown is a passenger railway station for New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Located along both sides of Church Street in Middletown, the station is the only active station within the township.
Long Branch is a NJ Transit commuter rail station on the North Jersey Coast Line, located in Long Branch, New Jersey, United States, and serving Long Branch, West Long Branch and Eatontown.
Elberon is a railway station in the Elberon section of Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The station is served by New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Located at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Truax Road, It is the first station south of the electrified section of the line. The station has two side level high-level platforms and 229 parking spaces for commuter use.
Allenhurst is an active commuter railroad station in Allenhurst, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Served by New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, Allenhurst station operates on the diesel-only segment between Bay Head and Long Branch stations. However, trains also operate to both New York Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal. The next station to the north is Elberon in Long Branch while the next station to the south is Asbury Park. Allenhurst station consists of two low-level side platforms that are not handicapped accessible.
The New Jersey Southern Railroad was a railroad that started in 1854. It would continue under this name until the 1870s as a separate company and the lines that it had constructed or run continued to be run in the New Jersey Southern name until the early 2000s.
The Perth Amboy and Woodbridge Railroad was a railroad company in the state of New Jersey. It was incorporated in 1855, and completed its line between Rahway and Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in 1864. The company became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system and was merged into the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company in 1958. Its line is part of the New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line.
Jan. 1, 1836 New Jersey Railroad & Transportation Company begins revenue service to Rahway with 5 round trips with locomotive west of Newark; service east of Newark is still by horse car; schedule is run Jan. 1 & 2 as introduction.