Newark-Trenton Fast Line
Encyclopedia
The Newark–Trenton Fast Line was an interurban
line from Newark, New Jersey
to Trenton, New Jersey
via Elizabeth
and New Brunswick
. It was owned and operated by the Public Service Railroad, a subsidiary of the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey.
Before the Public Service Railroad, the line was owned by several other companies:
In Trenton, the line used trackage owned by the Trenton Terminal Railroad, a subsidiary of the Camden and Trenton Railway, a terminal railroad
. This trackage began at Warren Street and State Street, and then used Warren Street, Bridge Street, Union Street, Federal Street, Lamberton Street, Cass Street, a one-way pair
on Grand Street and Adeline Street, and Liberty Street onto a private right-of-way
east of Olden Avenue.
The line between Main Street in Milltown (south of New Brunswick) and Main Street south of Metuchen
was graded by the NJ Short Line but was never completed. When the line was finished by Public Service, existing trackage through New Brunswick was used along Main Street, Milltown Road, Georges Road, private right-of-way
between Mile Run Brook and the Raritan River Railroad
, Commercial Avenue, Sandford Street, Throop Avenue, George Street, Albany Street, Raritan Avenue, Woodbridge Avenue, and Main Street.
Existing trackage was also used from Elizabeth to Newark, on Bayway, Broad Street, Newark Avenue, Frelinghuysen Avenue, a one-way pair
on Miller Street and Vanderpool Street, and Broad Street.
Two branches on the line north of New Brunswick were built, one to Carteret
and one towards Perth Amboy
, both merging towards the north. The Carteret branch used shuttle operations, with a transfer at the junction with the mainline, but Perth Amboy trains ran all the way to Newark. On the Perth Amboy end, they used existing trackage from the end of private right-of-way along Woodbridge Avenue, East Avenue, Broad Street, private right-of-way
south, west across West Avenue, and south along the east side of the CNJ
line to the Woodbridge Creek bridge, then south on West Avenue and State Street, ending at Smith Street.
The Newark Public Service Terminal
opened on May 1, 1916, and the line was rerouted to use it via a one-way pair
on Green Street and Lafayette Street, and Mulberry Street to the upper level. The line was split at New Brunswick in January 1924, with a transfer required to stay on the route. When Public Service numbered their routes, it was #15-New Brunswick-Trenton and #47-New Brunswick-Newark, with #7-Carteret and #45-Perth Amboy on the branches. The line was taken out of the Public Service Terminal on June 11, 1933.
By 1927, experiments began with a rail-bus that had tires and train wheels; this was used by 1934. On January 16, 1936, trains stopped running south of New Brunswick; the line north of New Brunswick hung on until May 11, 1937. The right-of-way
is now used for high-voltage power line
s.
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
line from Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
to Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
via Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
and New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. It was owned and operated by the Public Service Railroad, a subsidiary of the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey.
Before the Public Service Railroad, the line was owned by several other companies:
- Trenton and New Brunswick Railroad (Trenton to MilltownMilltown, New JerseyMilltown is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,893.Milltown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of North Brunswick Township, based on the...
) - incorporated in 1902, opened on May 13, 1904 - New Jersey Short Line Railroad (Milltown to ElizabethElizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
), not opened until 1913 - New York – Philadelphia Company - 1904 consolidation of the above two companies with the Camden and Trenton Railway, went bankrupt in 1908
- Elizabeth and Trenton Railroad - took over operations north of Trenton in 1910
- Public Service Railroad - created as a subsidiary of the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey, leased the Elizabeth and Trenton Railroad in 1913, opened on July 1, 1913
In Trenton, the line used trackage owned by the Trenton Terminal Railroad, a subsidiary of the Camden and Trenton Railway, a terminal railroad
Terminal Railroad
Terminal Railroad or Terminal Railway may refer to:*Terminal railroad, a railroad that operates a terminal facility*Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks*Terminal Railway of Buffalo, predecessor of the New York Central Railroad...
. This trackage began at Warren Street and State Street, and then used Warren Street, Bridge Street, Union Street, Federal Street, Lamberton Street, Cass Street, a one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
on Grand Street and Adeline Street, and Liberty Street onto a private right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
east of Olden Avenue.
The line between Main Street in Milltown (south of New Brunswick) and Main Street south of Metuchen
Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
was graded by the NJ Short Line but was never completed. When the line was finished by Public Service, existing trackage through New Brunswick was used along Main Street, Milltown Road, Georges Road, private right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
between Mile Run Brook and the Raritan River Railroad
Raritan River Railroad
The Raritan River Rail Road was a twelve-mile shortline railroad founded in 1888 and based in South Amboy, New Jersey, U.S., which ran as far as New Brunswick, New Jersey. It served both passengers and freight in its heyday and operated profitably throughout much of its existence...
, Commercial Avenue, Sandford Street, Throop Avenue, George Street, Albany Street, Raritan Avenue, Woodbridge Avenue, and Main Street.
Existing trackage was also used from Elizabeth to Newark, on Bayway, Broad Street, Newark Avenue, Frelinghuysen Avenue, a one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
on Miller Street and Vanderpool Street, and Broad Street.
Two branches on the line north of New Brunswick were built, one to Carteret
Carteret, New Jersey
Carteret is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 22,844.Carteret was created as the borough of Roosevelt on 11 April 1906, incorporating Woodbridge Township, and was a result of a referendum on 22 May 1906...
and one towards Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
, both merging towards the north. The Carteret branch used shuttle operations, with a transfer at the junction with the mainline, but Perth Amboy trains ran all the way to Newark. On the Perth Amboy end, they used existing trackage from the end of private right-of-way along Woodbridge Avenue, East Avenue, Broad Street, private right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
south, west across West Avenue, and south along the east side of the CNJ
Central Railroad of New Jersey
The Central Railroad of New Jersey , commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the Northeastern United States...
line to the Woodbridge Creek bridge, then south on West Avenue and State Street, ending at Smith Street.
The Newark Public Service Terminal
Newark Public Service Terminal
The Public Service Terminal was a two-level streetcar station in Newark, New Jersey, owned and operated by the Public Service Corporation. It served as the terminus for streetcar lines from as far as Trenton, New Jersey, and the six office stories above became company headquarters...
opened on May 1, 1916, and the line was rerouted to use it via a one-way pair
One-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
on Green Street and Lafayette Street, and Mulberry Street to the upper level. The line was split at New Brunswick in January 1924, with a transfer required to stay on the route. When Public Service numbered their routes, it was #15-New Brunswick-Trenton and #47-New Brunswick-Newark, with #7-Carteret and #45-Perth Amboy on the branches. The line was taken out of the Public Service Terminal on June 11, 1933.
By 1927, experiments began with a rail-bus that had tires and train wheels; this was used by 1934. On January 16, 1936, trains stopped running south of New Brunswick; the line north of New Brunswick hung on until May 11, 1937. The right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
is now used for high-voltage power line
Electric power transmission
Electric-power transmission is the bulk transfer of electrical energy, from generating power plants to Electrical substations located near demand centers...
s.