RAILforum: NJT plans for Bergen/Paterson Main

This is topic NJT plans for Bergen/Paterson Main in forum Commuter Trains at RAILforum.

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Posted by CarterB (Member # 1439) on :

Anyone have update on what NJT plans to do for the ROW North of Waldwick? I had heard they planned to 3 track it to Suffern?
Also, what is status of the proposed new regional Park & Ride at Spring St. Ramsey?

Posted by Derek Fenton (Member # 1483) on :

I recall seeing something on NJT's procurement web page about this, but haven't heard anything since.

I guess one advantage to a new track would be to let westbound locals run ahead of westbound express trains, allowing people from intermediate points to catch trains to points west of Suffern. This is a real pain to do on weekday afternoons.

Derek

Posted by irishchieftain (Member # 1473) on :

You ask me, they ought to re-quadruple the track up to Suffern; this would allow extra slots for any extension of service to Binghamton, as well as redundancy to permit more freedom of freight movements...

IMO, though, re-aligning the track in Secaucus on the Bergen County line to make it parallel with the Main Line is wasteful, in terms of funding and also in terms of speed of trip times; another disadvantage will be the resulting closure of Harmon Cove station, which has parking (Secaucus Transfer will have no parking). The re-alignment of the tracks in Secaucus will also place the new tracks within the flood plain of the Hackensack River, putting them at risk of being washed-out. To add insult to injury, the ghost of Robert Moses has reared its ugly head with the threat of turning the current Bergen County alignment in Secaucus into a connecting roadway to the Holland Tunnel...

Posted by Derek Fenton (Member # 1483) on :

Maybe you are right on some points, but isn't it advantageous to have all the trains from the Hoboken Division get on and off at the same location? I mean it is kind of a long walk from the Bergen COunty Line to the Main Line. Most people can do it, but there are quite a few old/overweight people that can barely board at a low-level platform, let alon walk 1000 feet.

Derek

Posted by irishchieftain (Member # 1473) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Derek Fenton:
I mean it is kind of a long walk from the Bergen County Line to the Main Line. Most people can do it, but there are quite a few old/overweight people that can barely board at a low-level platform, let alone walk 1000 feet

Well...from what I've seen of the Secaucus Transfer station, it appears to span both lines. Furthermore, I believe that the platforms for the Main/Bergen segment of ST station are going to be high-level, that is, if I'm not mistaken. (Low-level would not be ADA-compliant, and will become unnecessary with the retirement of the Comet I cars, which are the only examples of NJT's heavy-rail equipment that cannot use high platforms...and believe me, all of the Comet Is will indeed be gone way before ST station opens, if I know NJT.)

Indeed, if the road/highway project was not in the pipeline, then the money would not be spent on re-aligning the railroad.

I do regard it utterly wasteful, though, if no park/ride is provided at Secaucus Transfer; out of any station close to the Hudson River, this one would need it the most, and would be able to take full advantage of being able to attract drivers that normally use the Lincoln Tunnel, even ones with EZ-Pass. There's also the consideration of leaving the current users of Harmon Cove P/R stranded...although it's not a very large lot, it still wouldn't be very pleasant for either Lyndhurst or Rutherford if the Harmon Cove exiles had to slog all the way there...

Posted by CarterB (Member # 1439) on :

When is the realignment of the Bergen Main scheduled? What is planned opening date of Secaucus Transfer?

Posted by Derek Fenton (Member # 1483) on :

Maybe the Harmon Cove people will take the bus to PABT instead of the train?

Posted by irishchieftain (Member # 1473) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Derek Fenton:
Maybe the Harmon Cove people will take the bus to PABT instead of the train?

Well, since the 129 (formerly the 6) has been running for ages, they could be discouraged to the degree of doing just that...but I suspect that if the 2 is re-routed to serve the new Transfer station, it may be a detriment to the 129 bus instead. Put parking at the new station, and it'll only get busier...

Posted by Derek Fenton (Member # 1483) on :

Parking would have been nice. I bet the town of Seacaucus put the stops to that - didn't the mayor cause all sorts of trouble for the project? THe more I think about him the more I suspect that NJT wanted to put some parking in there but it would have meant too much trouble.

Posted by irishchieftain (Member # 1473) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Derek Fenton:
Parking would have been nice. I bet the town of Seacaucus put the stops to that?

Last I heard, it was Allied Corporation that was against parking, although parking would have been provided for employees and upper management. For now, it doesn't even look like Allied Corp buildings are even going up on the ST station site...

As for Secaucus town itself, there's been a (meager) parking lot at Harmon Cove station for ages...so it really wouldn't make sense to evict the riders that have been accustomed to using it (although at the ST location, the availability of trains to/from Manhattan has the potential of attracting far more parkers than Harmon Cove, where you could only get a train ending in Hoboken)...

Posted by Derek Fenton (Member # 1483) on :

FWIW, the building foundations are being installed on an ongoing basis along the Main Line. Check out those huge cranes on the scene.

Posted by BigBlue11 (Member # 1478) on :

I see some of you have migrated over to this new website. Reminds me of the book "Who Moved My Cheese".

Have any of you read that book ?

Posted by CarterB (Member # 1439) on :

Welcome, Big Blue, good to seeya here.
In the interim, while railroad.net sorts things out, at least we can continue our discussions here.

Posted by JLo (Member # 1481) on :

Imagine the number of NJTP drivers that would line up to take a 5 minute train ride into the city, rather than waiting on the turnpike and in the tunnel for 45 minutes. I doubt they could build a big enough garage to handle it.

Posted by Derek Fenton (Member # 1483) on :

Speaking of "future plans," the Main Line is shut down this weekend between Kingsland and Hoboken, with substitute bussing going on.

I guess this is for track work by Allied Junction?

Posted by JLo (Member # 1481) on :

I just drove by on the NJTP and there is a crane on the bridge itself. Looks more like track work near the bridge.