Newark Light Rail
Encyclopedia
The Newark Light Rail is a light rail
system under New Jersey Transit Bus Operations
serving Newark
, New Jersey
. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway, and the extension to Broad Street station
. The combined service was officially inaugurated on July 17, 2006.
The Newark City Subway service is the longer and older of the two segments. The line is a "subway-surface" light rail
line which runs underground downtown and above-ground in outlying areas. Before becoming a part of the Newark Light Rail service, it was also known as the #7-City Subway line, an NJT Bus Operations route number that still applies internally (during system closures, buses would also bear the number "7 City Subway").
The segment is 5.3 mi (8.5 km) long and runs between Newark Penn Station
and Grove Street in Bloomfield
.
right-of-way, from Broad Street (now known as Military Park) to Heller Parkway. WPA
artists decorated the underground stations with art-deco scenes from life on the defunct Morris Canal. The southernmost part, south of Warren Street, was capped with a new road, known as Raymond Boulevard
. Only one grade crossing was present on the original subway; the line crosses Orange Street at grade so it can pass over the below-grade Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
(now NJT Morristown Line
) immediately to the north.
Operation of the complete subway to the planned terminal at Penn Station was delayed until the new Pennsylvania Railroad
station above was completed in 1937. The terminal has five tracks, two incoming and three outgoing, connected by two loop tracks. This part of the subway included a grade-separated junction with a connection to the lower level of the Newark Public Service Terminal
that was used for only a few months (June to September).
An extension to a wooden station at North 6th Street or Franklin Avenue was opened in 1940, located north of the present Branch Brook Park station. In 1953 the line was cut back about one block to accommodate construction of a turning loop, and a new station, still called Franklin Avenue, was opened adjacent to Anthony Street. The station was enlarged in 2002 and renamed Branch Brook Park.
The subway was originally operated by the Public Service Coordinated Transport as its #7 line. Other streetcar routes used parts of the subway, reaching street trackage at the locations shown below, ending as each route was closed and replaced by bus service:
Until June 5, 1952, the Roseville
Car House, on the south side of Main Street (on the #21 line) near the east border of East Orange
, was used for the #7 line. From that time until 2002, Newark Penn Station was used for storage and maintenance. A new shops and yard complex opened at the end of the extension to Grove Street.
Starting in January 1954, 30 PCC streetcar
s bought from Twin City Rapid Transit
provided all service on the route. They were single-ended, requiring construction of a new turning loop at the Franklin Avenue terminal. The cars had been built 1946–1949 by the St. Louis Car Company
and were sold by TCRT when that system went through a conversion to bus
es. Four cars were scrapped over the years, and two were sold off to Shaker Heights Rapid Transit in 1978.
In 2001, new light rail
cars built by Kinki Sharyo
in Japan
in 1999 replaced the PCCs.
New Jersey Transit
took over operations in 1980.
Some of the PCCs are currently stored in the Newark City Subway shop; current speculation is that they will likely end up in museums. Eleven have been sold to the San Francisco Municipal Railway
for use on its F Market heritage streetcar line
. One of the Shaker Heights cars has been restored by the Minnesota Transportation Museum
, which operates it on a short stretch of track in western Minneapolis
. Some people in Minneapolis hope the remaining cars may also return to that city to run on the 2010-approved Minneapolis Streetcar System
.
In 2005, eight PCCs were given to the City of Bayonne
to be rehabilitated and operated along a proposed 2.5 miles (4 km) loop to serve the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor, formerly Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne
(MOTBY). The proposed line will be connected to the 34th Street
station of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
.
Broad Street Station was renamed Military Park Station on September 4, 2004, to avoid confusion with the terminal of the new route to Newark Broad Street Station
.
and Bloomfield
along what had been the former Erie Railroad
Orange Branch, now under Norfolk Southern ownership. New stations were opened at Silver Lake and Grove Street, and the Heller Parkway and Franklin Avenue stations were combined into a new Branch Brook Park station. The loop at Franklin Avenue was removed, since the new vehicles are bidirectional, unlike the old PCCs—a new loop, however, is in place at the Grove Street facility. All the street crossings on the extension are at-grade.
The Broad Street Extension, is the second segment of the Newark Light Rail. Originally planned as the first phase of the Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link
, the line is one mile (1.6 km) long and connects Newark Penn Station to Broad Street Station. It branches off the older City Subway using the existing junction that had led to the Public Service terminal
. A new tunnel leads from the junction to a portal about two blocks north. The remaining section runs above-ground. For a few blocks the two tracks run in different streets a block apart. One stop serves the New Jersey Performing Arts Center
and another serves the Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.
The extension opened on July 17, 2006, with the first revenue service train departing Newark Penn Station at 1 p.m. EDT.
Construction began in 2002 with an estimated cost of $207.7 million, or about $40,000 per foot of track; it was completed within budget. Projections were for 4,000 average weekday boardings after one year, growing to about 7,000 in 2010. Actual weekday boardings in 2010 for both Newark Light Rail lines combined were reported at 9,000.
The art work at the new stations has a common theme, titled "Riding with Sarah and Wayne." It is intended as a tribute to Newark's native daughter Sarah Vaughan
and includes the lyrics to her signature song, "Send in the Clowns
," and colored bricks representing the music notes.
or Coach USA ONE Bus bus routes or monthly passes also constitute proof of payment). Transit police will enter trains at certain times to make sure all passengers have validated tickets. The fine for not having a ticket is $74. On the PCC streetcar
s, cash fares were paid on board (except for a brief period prior to the introduction of LRVs, when proof-of-payment
fare collection was instituted).
of Japan
. This vehicle, the same one used by the HBLR
system, is a double-articulated vehicle with three segments. Each of the two end segments has an operator's cab at the far end, thus eliminating the need for the vehicle to turn itself around physically in order to reverse direction. Each end segment also has seating for 16 passengers on an upper level, and seating for 13 passengers on the lower level, including one special fold-down seat next to an empty space that a passenger using a wheelchair may use. With these two segments, and a middle segment that seats ten passengers (five on each side), the vehicle can comfortably accommodate 68 seated passengers and two wheelchairs. An additional 122 passengers could stand in the vehicle, if necessary. Vehicles can be coupled into two unit sets.
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system under New Jersey Transit Bus Operations
New Jersey Transit Bus Operations
New Jersey Transit Bus Operations is the bus division of New Jersey Transit, providing bus service throughout New Jersey along with service along one light rail line, with many routes going to New York City and Philadelphia.-History:...
serving Newark
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...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The service consists of two segments, the original Newark City Subway, and the extension to Broad Street station
Broad Street Station (Newark)
Newark Broad Street is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail station at 25 University Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. Built in 1901-03 on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad main line from Hoboken to Denville, Scranton and Buffalo, the station's historic architecture includes an elegant clock...
. The combined service was officially inaugurated on July 17, 2006.
Newark City Subway
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line which runs underground downtown and above-ground in outlying areas. Before becoming a part of the Newark Light Rail service, it was also known as the #7-City Subway line, an NJT Bus Operations route number that still applies internally (during system closures, buses would also bear the number "7 City Subway").
The segment is 5.3 mi (8.5 km) long and runs between Newark Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (Newark)
Pennsylvania Station is a major transportation hub in Newark, New Jersey. Located at Raymond Plaza, between Market Street and Raymond Boulevard, Newark Penn Station is served by the Newark Light Rail, New Jersey Transit commuter rail, Amtrak long distance trains, the PATH rapid transit system, and...
and Grove Street in Bloomfield
Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
.
History
The line opened in 1935 along the old Morris CanalMorris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
right-of-way, from Broad Street (now known as Military Park) to Heller Parkway. WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
artists decorated the underground stations with art-deco scenes from life on the defunct Morris Canal. The southernmost part, south of Warren Street, was capped with a new road, known as Raymond Boulevard
Raymond Boulevard
Raymond Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in Newark, New Jersey. The eastern portion of the road acts as the westbound member of a one-way pair; eastbound traffic uses Market Street and Ferry Street...
. Only one grade crossing was present on the original subway; the line crosses Orange Street at grade so it can pass over the below-grade Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
(now NJT Morristown Line
Morristown Line
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. Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbound trains use the Kearny Connection to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn...
) immediately to the north.
Operation of the complete subway to the planned terminal at Penn Station was delayed until the new Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
station above was completed in 1937. The terminal has five tracks, two incoming and three outgoing, connected by two loop tracks. This part of the subway included a grade-separated junction with a connection to the lower level of 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...
that was used for only a few months (June to September).
An extension to a wooden station at North 6th Street or Franklin Avenue was opened in 1940, located north of the present Branch Brook Park station. In 1953 the line was cut back about one block to accommodate construction of a turning loop, and a new station, still called Franklin Avenue, was opened adjacent to Anthony Street. The station was enlarged in 2002 and renamed Branch Brook Park.
The subway was originally operated by the Public Service Coordinated Transport as its #7 line. Other streetcar routes used parts of the subway, reaching street trackage at the locations shown below, ending as each route was closed and replaced by bus service:
- Public Service Terminal connection (and Cedar Street SubwayCedar Street SubwayThe Cedar Street Subway was built by the Public Service Corporation as an entrance to the lower level of the Newark Public Service Terminal. Starting at street level at Washington Street, it runs down a ramp into a short tunnel extending one block under Cedar Street and across Broad Street.The...
), 1937 only: #13 Broad, #17 Paterson, #27 Mount Prospect, #43 Jersey City - Warren Street ramp, 1935-1951: #21 Orange—West Orange via Market Street
- Central Avenue ramp, 1935-1947: #23 Central
- Orange Street crossing, 1935-1952: #21 Orange—West Orange via Orange Street
- Bloomfield Avenue ramp, 1935-1952: #29 Bloomfield
Until June 5, 1952, the Roseville
Roseville, Newark, New Jersey
Roseville is a neighborhood in northwestern Newark, New Jersey, bordering Bloomfield and East Orange. To the neighborhood's immediate east is the Newark City Subway and Branch Brook Park...
Car House, on the south side of Main Street (on the #21 line) near the east border of East Orange
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
, was used for the #7 line. From that time until 2002, Newark Penn Station was used for storage and maintenance. A new shops and yard complex opened at the end of the extension to Grove Street.
Starting in January 1954, 30 PCC streetcar
PCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
s bought from Twin City Rapid Transit
Twin City Rapid Transit
The Twin City Rapid Transit Company , also known as Twin City Lines , was a transportation company that operated streetcars, and buses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota...
provided all service on the route. They were single-ended, requiring construction of a new turning loop at the Franklin Avenue terminal. The cars had been built 1946–1949 by the St. Louis Car Company
St. Louis Car Company
The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
and were sold by TCRT when that system went through a conversion to bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es. Four cars were scrapped over the years, and two were sold off to Shaker Heights Rapid Transit in 1978.
In 2001, new light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
cars built by Kinki Sharyo
Kinki Sharyo
is an Osaka, Japan-based manufacturer of railroad vehicles. It is an affiliate company of Kintetsu Corporation.In business since 1920 and renamed The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd in 1945...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1999 replaced the PCCs.
New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
took over operations in 1980.
Some of the PCCs are currently stored in the Newark City Subway shop; current speculation is that they will likely end up in museums. Eleven have been sold to the San Francisco Municipal Railway
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
for use on its F Market heritage streetcar line
F Market
The F Market & Wharves line is one of several light rail lines in San Francisco, California. Unlike the other lines, the F line is operated as a heritage streetcar service, using exclusively historic equipment both from San Francisco's retired fleet as well as from cities around the world...
. One of the Shaker Heights cars has been restored by the Minnesota Transportation Museum
Minnesota Transportation Museum
The Minnesota Transportation Museum is a transport museum in Saint Paul, Minnesota.The MTM operates several heritage transportation sites in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin...
, which operates it on a short stretch of track in western Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. Some people in Minneapolis hope the remaining cars may also return to that city to run on the 2010-approved Minneapolis Streetcar System
Minneapolis Streetcar System
The Minneapolis Streetcar System is a proposed streetcar system for the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Extensive studies and plans for the new system were completed in 2007 and presented to the Minneapolis City Council in January 2008; on April 2, 2010, the Council voted to approve the plans and...
.
In 2005, eight PCCs were given to the City of Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
to be rehabilitated and operated along a proposed 2.5 miles (4 km) loop to serve the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor, formerly Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne
Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne
Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne was a U.S. military ocean terminal located in the Port of New York and New Jersey which operated from 1942 to 1999. The site is on Upper New York Bay south of Port Jersey on the eastern side of Bayonne, New Jersey. Since its closure it has undergone maritime,...
(MOTBY). The proposed line will be connected to the 34th Street
34th Street (HBLR station)
34th Street is a station on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail located at Avenue E and East 34th Street in Bayonne, New Jersey.The station opened on April 22, 2000. Northbound service from the station is available to Hoboken Terminal...
station of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City , and North Bergen.The system began...
.
Broad Street Station was renamed Military Park Station on September 4, 2004, to avoid confusion with the terminal of the new route to Newark Broad Street Station
Broad Street Station (Newark)
Newark Broad Street is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail station at 25 University Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. Built in 1901-03 on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad main line from Hoboken to Denville, Scranton and Buffalo, the station's historic architecture includes an elegant clock...
.
Bloomfield extension
On June 22, 2002, the Newark City Subway was extended to the suburbs of BellevilleBelleville, New Jersey
Belleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:...
and Bloomfield
Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...
along what had been the former Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
Orange Branch, now under Norfolk Southern ownership. New stations were opened at Silver Lake and Grove Street, and the Heller Parkway and Franklin Avenue stations were combined into a new Branch Brook Park station. The loop at Franklin Avenue was removed, since the new vehicles are bidirectional, unlike the old PCCs—a new loop, however, is in place at the Grove Street facility. All the street crossings on the extension are at-grade.
Shared-track operation
The original agreement gave sole operating privileges to Norfolk Southern between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. daily, but a new agreement allows passenger service to operate at all hours, with late-night service commencing on January 8, 2005. In exchange, Norfolk Southern can now operate during all off-peak hours, when passenger trains are infrequent.Broad Street Extension
Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link
The Newark-Elizabeth Rail Link was a proposed -long light rail line in New Jersey, USA, which would have connected the downtown areas of Newark and Elizabeth with the Newark Liberty International Airport and been operated by New Jersey Transit...
, the line is one mile (1.6 km) long and connects Newark Penn Station to Broad Street Station. It branches off the older City Subway using the existing junction that had led to the 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...
. A new tunnel leads from the junction to a portal about two blocks north. The remaining section runs above-ground. For a few blocks the two tracks run in different streets a block apart. One stop serves the New Jersey Performing Arts Center
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center , in downtown Newark, New Jersey, United States, is the sixth largest performing arts center in the United States...
and another serves the Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.
The extension opened on July 17, 2006, with the first revenue service train departing Newark Penn Station at 1 p.m. EDT.
Construction began in 2002 with an estimated cost of $207.7 million, or about $40,000 per foot of track; it was completed within budget. Projections were for 4,000 average weekday boardings after one year, growing to about 7,000 in 2010. Actual weekday boardings in 2010 for both Newark Light Rail lines combined were reported at 9,000.
The art work at the new stations has a common theme, titled "Riding with Sarah and Wayne." It is intended as a tribute to Newark's native daughter Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
and includes the lyrics to her signature song, "Send in the Clowns
Send in the Clowns
"Send in the Clowns" is a song by Stephen Sondheim from the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night. It is a ballad from Act II in which the character Desirée reflects on the ironies and disappointments of her life. Among other things, she...
," and colored bricks representing the music notes.
Fares
The Newark Light Rail is equivalent to a one-zone bus ride, with the one-fare zone at $1.50 as of May 1, 2010, and is valid for one hour on the entire system from the time the ticket is validated. A special $0.70 fare is available for trips that use only the subway between Warren Street and Penn Station and not the surface portion. Through-ticketing is available for connecting bus routes. Passengers must purchase tickets before boarding and validate them before boarding the train (valid transfers from connecting New Jersey TransitNew Jersey Transit Bus Operations
New Jersey Transit Bus Operations is the bus division of New Jersey Transit, providing bus service throughout New Jersey along with service along one light rail line, with many routes going to New York City and Philadelphia.-History:...
or Coach USA ONE Bus bus routes or monthly passes also constitute proof of payment). Transit police will enter trains at certain times to make sure all passengers have validated tickets. The fine for not having a ticket is $74. On the PCC streetcar
PCC streetcar
The PCC streetcar design was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful in its native country, and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world...
s, cash fares were paid on board (except for a brief period prior to the introduction of LRVs, when proof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment or POP is an honor-based fare collection approach used on many public transportation systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a fare control zone, proof-of-payment requires that each passenger carry a ticket or pass proving that they have paid the fare. Ticket...
fare collection was instituted).
Newark City Subway
| Station | Transfers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newark Penn Station | NJ Transit buses: 1, 5, 11, 21, 25, 28, 29, 34, 40, 62, 67, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 78, 79, 108, and 308, 319, 361, 375, 378 ONE Bus: 31, 44 NJ Transit rail: Northeast Corridor Line Northeast Corridor Line The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail operation run by New Jersey Transit along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It is the successor to commuter services provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad along the section between Trenton, New Jersey and New York Penn Station... , North Jersey Coast Line North Jersey Coast Line The North Jersey Coast Line is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail service operating between New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal and Bay Head, New Jersey... , Raritan Valley Line Raritan Valley Line The Raritan Valley Line is a diesel-engine-powered commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit , originating out of Pennsylvania Station, located in Newark, New Jersey, with most trains terminating at the Raritan station, located in Raritan, New Jersey.Some weekday trains continue further... Other: PATH Port Authority Trans-Hudson PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey... trains to New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... , Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... to Philadelphia and points south, and New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... and points north. |
|
| Military Park | NJ Transit buses: 13, 27, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 59, 62, 65/66, 67, 70, 72, 73, 76, 78 and 108 ONE Bus: 24, 44 |
formerly Broad Street; served 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... |
| Washington Street | NJ Transit buses: 11, 28, 29, 70, 72, 76, and 78; ONE Bus: 44 (inbound only) | |
| Warren Street/NJIT | NJ Transit buses: 71, 73, and 79
|
The station was renamed in 2011 to Warren Street/NJIT from Warren Street. |
| Norfolk Street | NJ Transit buses: 99 ONE Bus: 24, 44 |
|
| Orange Street | NJ Transit buses: 71, 73, 75
|
|
| Park Avenue | NJ Transit buses: 41 | |
| Bloomfield Avenue | NJ Transit buses: 11, 28, 29, 72 | |
| Davenport Avenue | none | |
| Heller Parkway | none | Closed June 21, 2002; Replaced by Branch Brook Park station. |
| Branch Brook Park | NJ Transit buses: 27, 74, 90, 92, 93 | |
| Franklin Avenue (formerly North 6th Street) |
none | Closed; Replaced by Branch Brook Park station after the Bloomfield extension. |
| Silver Lake (Belleville Belleville, New Jersey Belleville is a Township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 35,926.-History:... ) |
NJ Transit buses: 27, 90 | |
| Grove Street (Bloomfield) | NJ Transit buses: 11, 28, 29, 72, 90
|
Broad Street Extension
| Station | Transfers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newark Penn Station | NJ Transit buses: 1, 5, 11, 21, 25, 28, 29, 34, 40, 62, 67, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 78, 79, 108, and 308, 319, 361, 375, 378 ONE Bus: 31, 44 NJ Transit rail: Northeast Corridor Line Northeast Corridor Line The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail operation run by New Jersey Transit along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It is the successor to commuter services provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad along the section between Trenton, New Jersey and New York Penn Station... , North Jersey Coast Line North Jersey Coast Line The North Jersey Coast Line is a New Jersey Transit commuter rail service operating between New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal and Bay Head, New Jersey... , Raritan Valley Line Raritan Valley Line The Raritan Valley Line is a diesel-engine-powered commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit , originating out of Pennsylvania Station, located in Newark, New Jersey, with most trains terminating at the Raritan station, located in Raritan, New Jersey.Some weekday trains continue further... Other: PATH Port Authority Trans-Hudson PATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey... trains to New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... , Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... to Philadelphia and points south, and New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... and points north. |
|
| NJPAC/Center Street NJPAC/Center Street (NLR station) NJPAC/Center Street Station is a light rail station on the Newark Light Rail's Broad Street Extension. Service on this line opened on July 17, 2006, at 1:00 p.m. EDT.... |
None | Line splits here. |
| Washington Park Washington Park (NLR station) Washington Park Station is a light rail station on the Newark Light Rail's Broad Street Extension. Service on this line opened on July 17, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. EDT.... |
NJ Transit buses: : 11, 13, 27, 28, 29, 39, 41, 42, 43, 59, 65, and 66 | Southbound Only |
| Atlantic Street Atlantic Street (NLR station) Atlantic Street Station is a light rail station in Newark, New Jersey on the Newark Light Rail. Service on this line opened on July 17, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. EDT.... |
None | Northbound Only |
| Riverfront Stadium Riverfront Stadium (NLR station) Riverfront Stadium is a light rail station on the Newark Light Rail's Broad Street Extension. Service on this line opened on July 17, 2006 at 1:00 p.m... |
NJ Transit buses: 11, 13, 27, 28, 29, 39, 43, 72, 76, 78 | Northbound Only |
| Newark Broad Street | NJ Transit buses: 11, 13, 27, 28, 29, 39, 41, 43, 72, 76, 78, and 108 NJ Transit rail: Gladstone Branch Gladstone Branch The Gladstone Branch is a branch of New Jersey Transit's Morris and Essex Lines. The Gladstone Branch primarily serves commuter trains; freight service is no longer operated... , Montclair-Boonton Line Montclair-Boonton Line The Montclair-Boonton Line is a commuter rail line of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. It is part of the Hoboken Division. The line is a consolidation of three individual lines: the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad's Montclair Branch, which ran from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Street,... , Morristown Line Morristown Line 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. Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbound trains use the Kearny Connection to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn... |
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Rolling stock
The Newark Light Rail system uses a new-model vehicle built by Kinki SharyoKinki Sharyo
is an Osaka, Japan-based manufacturer of railroad vehicles. It is an affiliate company of Kintetsu Corporation.In business since 1920 and renamed The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd in 1945...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. This vehicle, the same one used by the HBLR
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
The Hudson–Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Owned by New Jersey Transit and operated by the 21st Century Rail Corporation, it connects the communities of Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City , and North Bergen.The system began...
system, is a double-articulated vehicle with three segments. Each of the two end segments has an operator's cab at the far end, thus eliminating the need for the vehicle to turn itself around physically in order to reverse direction. Each end segment also has seating for 16 passengers on an upper level, and seating for 13 passengers on the lower level, including one special fold-down seat next to an empty space that a passenger using a wheelchair may use. With these two segments, and a middle segment that seats ten passengers (five on each side), the vehicle can comfortably accommodate 68 seated passengers and two wheelchairs. An additional 122 passengers could stand in the vehicle, if necessary. Vehicles can be coupled into two unit sets.
Historic Dates
- December 22, 1910: The Public Service Corporation first announces plans to build the subway, initially including a line under Broad Street from Bridge Street to Clinton Avenue.
- May 26, 1935: The subway opens from Broad Street to Heller Parkway. The #21 line is routed onto the subway via the Warren Street Ramp and level junction at the Orange Street grade crossing. The #23 line is routed via the Norfolk Street Ramp. The #29 line starts using the Bloomfield Avenue Ramp.
- June 20, 1937: The extension to Newark Penn Station opens. This is the same day that the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (present-day PATHPort Authority Trans-HudsonPATH, derived from Port Authority Trans-Hudson, is a rapid transit railroad linking Manhattan, New York City with Newark, Harrison, Hoboken and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey...
) withdraws service from its Park Place terminal and first operates into its new alignment at Newark Penn Station. The #13, #27 and #43 lines are rerouted to Penn Station via the Cedar Street SubwayCedar Street SubwayThe Cedar Street Subway was built by the Public Service Corporation as an entrance to the lower level of the Newark Public Service Terminal. Starting at street level at Washington Street, it runs down a ramp into a short tunnel extending one block under Cedar Street and across Broad Street.The...
; the #27 and #43 had used the lower level of the Newark Public Service TerminalNewark Public Service TerminalThe 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...
. - June 21, 1937: The #17 line is rerouted via the Cedar Street SubwayCedar Street SubwayThe Cedar Street Subway was built by the Public Service Corporation as an entrance to the lower level of the Newark Public Service Terminal. Starting at street level at Washington Street, it runs down a ramp into a short tunnel extending one block under Cedar Street and across Broad Street.The...
. - July 18, 1937: The #13 and #17 lines stop using the Cedar Street SubwayCedar Street SubwayThe Cedar Street Subway was built by the Public Service Corporation as an entrance to the lower level of the Newark Public Service Terminal. Starting at street level at Washington Street, it runs down a ramp into a short tunnel extending one block under Cedar Street and across Broad Street.The...
. - December 29, 1937: The #27 line stops using the Cedar Street SubwayCedar Street SubwayThe Cedar Street Subway was built by the Public Service Corporation as an entrance to the lower level of the Newark Public Service Terminal. Starting at street level at Washington Street, it runs down a ramp into a short tunnel extending one block under Cedar Street and across Broad Street.The...
. - May 1, 1938: The #43 line stops using the Cedar Street SubwayCedar Street SubwayThe Cedar Street Subway was built by the Public Service Corporation as an entrance to the lower level of the Newark Public Service Terminal. Starting at street level at Washington Street, it runs down a ramp into a short tunnel extending one block under Cedar Street and across Broad Street.The...
, ending all service on that connection. - November 22, 1940: The extension to North 6th Street (later Franklin Avenue) opens.
- December 14, 1947: The #23 line stops using the Norfolk Street Ramp.
- March 1, 1951: The #21 line stops using the Warren Street Ramp.
- March 29, 1952: The #21 line stops using the level junction at the Orange Street grade crossing.
- March 30, 1952: The #29 line stops using the Bloomfield Avenue ramps.
- January 8, 1954: The first PCC car uses the subway.
- October 1980: NJ Transit takes over operations.
- August 21, 1999: The subway is closed for two weeks for an overhaul.
- September 7, 1999: The subway reopens.
- August 24, 2001: The PCC cars are officially retired from service.
- August 27, 2001: The new light rail vehicles begin operation.
- June 21, 2002: Heller Parkway closes.
- June 22, 2002: Silver Lake and Grove Street open.
- September 4, 2004: Broad Street is renamed Military Park.
- January 8, 2005: Additional late-night service is provided to Grove Street.
- July 17, 2006: The Newark City Subway extension opens, with service between Newark Penn Station and Newark Broad Street. Service is officially rebranded as the Newark Light Rail.
Notable Accidents
Despite being a record safe operation, the Newark City Subway has been subject to a few accidents over the years.- September 22, 1981 - Nine passengers injured when an incoming trolley rammed into the rear of a stationary trolley at Newark Penn Station.
- April 15, 2003 - A light rail vehicle was partially derailed at the grade crossing near Orange Street Station when a box truck rammed the vehicle from the side. The signal was in the light rail vehicle's favor.
- August 23, 2008 - A dump truck making an illegal right turn crashed into a light rail vehicle at the Washington Park StationWashington Park (NLR station)Washington Park Station is a light rail station on the Newark Light Rail's Broad Street Extension. Service on this line opened on July 17, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. EDT....
of the Broad Street segment causing it to partially derail. One passenger was injured.
See also
- List of light rail transit systems
- List of tram and light-rail transit systems