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All But One NJ TRANSIT Rail Lines Fully or Partially Restored Starting Monday, November 19

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Customers Encouraged to Visit njtransit.com For Latest Scheduling Information

Trenton, NJ –The Christie Administration announced today that all but one NJ TRANSIT rail lines will be running full or modified service effective Monday, November 19. This includes the restoration of service along the North Jersey Coast Line, which suffered the brunt of the damage wrought by Hurricane Sandy.

 

Additionally, with the completion of repairs to a key Amtrak-owned electrical substation in Kearny that will generate additional power to the Northeast Corridor, NJ TRANSIT will be operating approximately 90 percent of its normal peak period service into New York Penn Station starting Monday morning. Main, Bergen County, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis Line trains will resume stopping at Secaucus Junction as a result of the additional rail capacity opened along the Northeast Corridor.

 

 

 

Updated schedules will be posted on njtransit.com by 3 p.m. Sunday, November 18.

 

 

 

“This is a major milestone in our continuing, post-Sandy recovery. The devastation wrought on the North Jersey Coast Line was the worst sustained throughout our system,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman James Simpson. “While we are not out of the woods and the recovery process continues, the restoration of this critical rail service is a major step forward for the Garden State.”

 

 

 

The restoration of service on the North Jersey Coast Line completes the full or partial restoration of all NJ TRANSIT rail lines. More than 30 miles of North Jersey Coast Line track sustained severe damage during the storm, including extensive rail washouts (no ballast under the tracks) between South Amboy and Bay Head. The River Drawbridge over Raritan Bay was severely damaged following a collision between two tugboats in addition to a record storm surge. The Morgan Drawbridge in South Amboy also sustained severe damage following a record storm surge and the impact from recreational boats and a cargo container.

 

 

 

“The restoration of NJ TRANSIT’s rail lines within 18 days of Sandy is a tremendous credit to the commitment, professionalism and the dedication of our employees,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein. “In this time of Thanksgiving, I would like to specifically offer our thanks to our employees for their service, as well as to customers for their patience and understanding during this difficult time.”

 

 

 

Effective Monday, November 19, NJ TRANSIT rail service will operate as follows:

 

 

 

Restored Service

 

 

 

  • Northeast Corridor: Service between Trenton and New York has been fully restored and will operate on a regular schedule.
  • North Jersey Coast Line: Service between Long Branch and New York will operate on a regular schedule, except for selected trains that will be cancelled. Trip times will be approximately five minutes longer due to signal system limitations. Service between Bay Head and Long Branch will operate on a regular schedule, except for 2300-series trains to/from Hoboken that will be cancelled.
  • Raritan Valley Line: Service between Raritan and Newark will continue to operate on a special schedule, with limited peak-period service between High Bridge and Newark.
  • Atlantic City Line: Service has been fully restored and is operating on a regular schedule.
  • Morris & Essex Lines: Midtown Direct service between Dover and New York will operate on a regular schedule. Shuttle trains between Summit and Hoboken will provide approximately hourly service to stations not served by Midtown Direct. Gladstone Branch service remains suspended until further notice. Customers may use free emergency shuttle bus/ferry service or shuttle bus to rail service from selected Gladstone Branch stations.

 

 

· Montclair-Boonton Lines: Midtown Direct service between Montclair State

 

University and New York will operate on a regular schedule. Limited shuttle

 

service between Hackettstown and Hoboken will operate on a special schedule.

 

  • Pascack Valley Line: Service between Spring Valley and Hoboken will continue to operate on a special schedule. Trains will resume stopping at Secaucus Junction.
  • Main/Bergen County Line: Service between Suffern and Hoboken will continue to operate on a special schedule. Trains will resume stopping at Secaucus Junction.
  • Port Jervis Line: Service between Port Jervis and Hoboken will continue to operate on a special schedule. Trains will resume stopping at Secaucus Junction.

 

 

 

Also effective Monday, November 19, NJ TRANSIT will adjust and refine its emergency trans-Hudson transportation plan to most efficiently match the available bus, rail and ferry resources with the needs of state citizens.

 

 

 

 

 

Starting Monday, new bus shuttle-to-ferry service and bus shuttle-to-train service will operate from selected stations along the Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Lines to provide an alternate travel option for customers impacted by the ongoing suspension of Gladstone Branch train service.

 

 

 

In addition, bus shuttle/ferry services from several locations will no longer operate due to the restoration of NJ TRANSIT rail service near those locations.

 

 

 

New Gladstone Branch Bus Shuttle/Ferry Option (to Lower Manhattan)

 

 

 

  • Starting Monday, November 19, free shuttle bus service will operate weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. between Bernardsville, Basking Ridge, Lyons, Berkeley Heights and New Providence stations and Liberty State Park (LSP), where free ferry service is available between LSP and Battery Park (Lower Manhattan).
  • Statue Cruise Lines ferry service to Battery Park will be offered free of charge.
  • Free shuttle bus service will board customers from the following locations on the Gladstone Branch:
    • Bernardsville – in the parking lot at the station
    • Basking Ridge – on North Finely Avenue at Ridge Street
    • Lyons – on South Finely Avenue at Cross Road
    • Berkley Heights – at the station building on Sherman Avenue
    • New Providence – on Springfield Avenue at Old Springfield Avenue

    [*]Standard parking rules and fees are in effect at all rail station parking lots.

     

 

 

 

 

New Gladstone Branch Bus Shuttle to Train Option (to Midtown Manhattan)

 


  • Starting Monday, November 19, free shuttle bus service will operate to meet trains departing from Summit on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. and returning to Summit for trains departing Penn Station New York from 4 p.m. to 8:02 p.m. between Gladstone, Peapack, Far Hills, Millington, Gillette, Murray Hill and Summit stations, where customers will be able to connect with Morris & Essex Lines train service to/from Summit. (More detailed schedule information will be available on njtransit.com later today.)
  • Free shuttle bus service will board customers from the following locations on the Gladstone Branch:
    • Gladstone – in the parking lot at the station
    • Peapack – on Main Street at Holland Avenue
    • Far Hills – at the station building in the parking lot
    • Millington – on Division Avenue at River Road
    • Gillette – on Mountain Avenue at the station parking lot entrance
    • Murray Hill – on Floral Avenue at the station parking lot exit
    • Summit – on the eastbound side of the station on Railroad Avenue at Elm Street

    [*]Standard parking rules and fees are in effect at all rail station parking lots.

     

 

 

 

 

NJ TRANSIT rail monthly passes will be honored for travel on special ferry service from Hoboken Terminal to Pier 79 on West 39th Street in Midtown Manhattan, operated by BillyBey Ferry under the NY Waterway umbrella.

 

 

 

Discontinued bus shuttle/ferry services effective Monday, November 19

 

 

 

Effective Monday, November 19, the following bus shuttle/ferry options WILL NOT operate due to reduced customer demand:

 

 

 

Morris & Essex Lines

 

  • Discontinued: Free express shuttle bus service between Morristown Station and Weehawken Ferry Terminal.
  • Discontinued: Free shuttle bus service between Maplewood Station and LSP.

 

 

Montclair-Boonton Line

 

  • Discontinued: Free shuttle bus service between Bay Street, Glen Ridge and Bloomfield stations and Weehawken Ferry Terminal.

 

 

North Jersey Coast Line

 

  • Discontinued: Free shuttle bus service between Aberdeen-Matawan Station and LSP.

 

 

Northeast Corridor

 

  • Discontinued: Free shuttle bus service between Metropark Station and LSP.

 

 

 

 

Meadowlands, MetLife Stadium, Lot P (1 MetLife Stadium):

 

  • Discontinued: Free shuttle bus service from Meadowlands MetLife Stadium to Weehawken/Port Imperial.
  • Discontinued: Free shuttle bus service from Weehawken/Port Imperial to the Meadowlands MetLife Stadium.

 

 

 

 

Available bus shuttle/ferry service options as of Monday, November 19

 

 

 

The bus shuttle/ferry services will operate weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. (inbound) and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (outbound) except the Liberty State Park shuttle - please see below for specific time. Bus shuttles will operate on a load-and-go basis every 10 minutes.

 

 

 

Hoboken Terminal to Midtown Manhattan

 

· NJ TRANSIT has teamed up with BillyBey Ferry which operates ferry service from Hoboken under the NY Waterway umbrella, to offer new, discounted, round trip service from Hoboken Terminal to Pier 79 on West 39th Street in Midtown Manhattan.

 

· Customers using this service can also access free NY Waterway shuttle buses for further travel within Manhattan. Stops are offered along 57th Street, 49th Street, 42nd Street, and 34th Street, as well as through a special Downtown loop. Visit nywaterway.com for details.

 

· This ferry service does not normally operate between Hoboken Terminal and 39th Street in Manhattan. Customers wishing to access this new ferry service can purchase round-trip fare for $10. A special ticket booth at Hoboken Terminal has been established for customers starting on Monday.

 

 

 

Morris & Essex Lines

 

  • Free shuttle bus service between Convent, Madison and Chatham stations and Liberty State Park (LSP). Free ferry service between LSP and Battery Park (Lower Manhattan).
  • New Gladstone Branch services (see above).

 

 

  • Standard parking rules and fees are in effect at all rail station parking lots.

 

 

Ramsey (Ramsey/Rt. 17 Station)

 

  • Free shuttle bus service from Ramsey/Rt. 17 Station to Weehawken/Port Imperial for free ferry service to Pier 79 at 39th Street in Midtown Manhattan ONLY from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. for light rail/ferry connections.
  • Free shuttle bus service from Weehawken/Port Imperial to Ramsey/Rt. 17 Station from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

 

 

Holmdel, Garden State Parkway Exit 116 (PNC Arts Center)

 

  • Academy Bus operating from the PNC Arts Center from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. to:
    • Port Authority Bus Terminal - Follow Signs to Parking
    • Lower Manhattan - Follow Signs to Parking
    • Newark Penn Station - Follow Signs to Parking

    [*]Academy Bus operating between 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. from:

     

    • Lower Manhattan
    • Port Authority Bus Terminal – Lower level from Gates 51-56.
    • Newark Penn Station – Greyhound Bus Stop

    [*]Emergency bus service to Lower Manhattan has been coordinated following the approval of, and collaboration with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey as well as the New York City Department of Transportation. Pick-up and drop-off locations will take place at the following, designated Suburban Transportation bus stops:

     

    • Greenwich Street between Battery Place & Morris Street
    • Trinity Place between Rector & Thames Streets
    • Church St. between Warren & Chambers Streets
    • Church St. between Reade & Duane Streets

     

     

 

 

Jersey City (HBLR's Liberty State Park Station)

 

· Free shuttle bus service between Hudson Bergen Light Rail's Liberty State Park Station and Statue Cruise Lines Ferry Service to Battery Park from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Ferry service from this location will be offered free of charge.

 

· Hudson Waterfront customers can use the free bus shuttles from the Liberty State Park ferry site to the Liberty State Park Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) Station to continue to Jersey City, Hoboken and Weehawken on the HBLR. (NJ TRANSIT Rail and Bus November monthly passes will be cross-honored on the HBLR.)

 

http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2816

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What I want to know now is: if MMC was going to be underwater based on hurricane forecast models, why did NJT leave equipment there and Hoboken? The diesel trains should have been stacked on the Raritan Line west of the Aldene Connection, and the electric equipment on the Morristown Line; as it is, over a quarter of NJT's equipment remains out of service, and there is a dispute as to whether all of it can be saved.

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What I want to know now is: if MMC was going to be underwater based on hurricane forecast models, why did NJT leave equipment there and Hoboken? The diesel trains should have been stacked on the Raritan Line west of the Aldene Connection, and the electric equipment on the Morristown Line; as it is, over a quarter of NJT's equipment remains out of service, and there is a dispute as to whether all of it can be saved.

 

 

Does it really shock you at the management of NJT? I feel bad for the commuters of NJ look who they have for Governer!

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Quote from Jtgshu (NJT engineer) at RR.net:

You can bet your bottom dollar an investigation is on going, probably both internally at NJT as well as at the state level. No im not going to get into it here, but there are already some effects being felt by certain people, and I think there are some that are "walking dead" if you will. Once things get more back to normal, as all bodies are still needed now, and everyone catches a breath, their employment time might be limited.

 

However, its not fair to just say that they should have moved everything out of the MMC because they "knew it was going to flood" - Hoboken is a different story, but even if every piece of equipmnet was moved out of the MMC, they still would have been f-ed, as the shops still flooded, as the power was/is still screwed up and they lost all the power to dispatch.

 

I think the bigger question to me is would the MMC yard flooded (west of the shops) as severely as they did if there wasn't that major washout on the MandE. The yard is actually on a pretty good grade and it might not look it, but it is relatively high ground there. The one article says that there is like a 20 foot difference in grade throughout the whole complex. The lowest point is across the tracks in the employee parking lot. The highest point is the west end by Meadows and Cape. It often does flood all around the MMC, and the MMC is often an island, as Fish House Road, Route 7 and Route 508 and Newark Turnpike do flood, and quite deeply. But the MMC yard and shops don't. As far as I know, it wasn't even close to flooding last year with Irene. Its not like it has gotten close before but never came up, as far as I know, its never even been considered or seen by anyone at NJT in recent memory. And remember, there are still folks at NJT who worked for PC when it was still Meadows Yard. There are plenty of things that could have been done differently, and will be in the future, but I don't consider it on the same level as Septa last year leaving stuff in Trenton. Now, the stuff left in Hoboken....well, thats kinda the same..........

 

But at the same time, this storm was so unique, that people EVERYWHERE were caught with their pants down. There are places by my house that had more and deeper flooding inland from creeks and streams that were affected by the surge than on the Coast. And it might not have been ignoring predictions from weatherman, in some cases, infrastructure both natural and man made were breached. Dunes, Dikes, Levees, elevated roads (which all act like dikes, but might not look like it), even houses and debris can keep water back. Also, and i know blockline4180 knows what i mean, but a storm surge isn't going to necessarily be the same height everywhere. 12 feet could have been predicted, but in reality, it was just about 14 feet at my house, judging by the amount of water I got. And at my place, there was also wave action. You can say that "oh its only 2 feet, thats not that much difference! It was still really bad!!" Well you are 110 percent correct. However, that 2 foot difference is the difference inbetween me getting water on my first floor and not getting water in my house. I REALLY wish it was 12 feet at my house. And anyone from the Bayshore knows "the Dike" inbetween Port Monmouth and North Middletown. To put in perspective how high the water got, the dike was almost overtopped all the way at Route 36. The further inland you would go into the Bays and Rivers, the higher it would get. Think about how high River Draw is above the water. for the entire Span to be covered in water (as reported), that sure looks like more than 12 feet to me.

 

 

BTW, Block, im not knocking you or any of your predictions, im just saying how the lay of the land and where you are affects what that number in reality actually is. And anyway, when was the last time weatherman were actually right? :P hahaha kidding - I gotta say, you guys nailed this storm, and WAY out they were predicting it was gonna be bad, and unlike anything we have ever seen. I am THRILLED however, that you guys were wrong with its speed and how it picked up speed. It might have cut down on prep time, however, if that thing lingered around like was predicted and if we got the rain that was predicted....oh man.....the devastation that we would have had here, would have been unimaginable. Not that what we got is anything to dismiss, but another 24 hours and 2 more lunar tide cycles? Sends chills down my spine to think about that.......You honestly wouldn't be able to describe it other than what happened in Union Beach or Seaside Park and Mantaloken times about 20...

http://www.railroad....=115017&start=0

And also, http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/NJ_Transit_tallies_rolling_stock_losses_due_to_Sandy.html?page=all states that:

In all, 261 of NJ Transit’s passenger railcars and 63 of its locomotives sustained damage and are in line for repairs, said spokesman John Durso Jr. An estimate of the cost to repair the damage is not yet available, Durso said. The agency has 203 locomotives and 1,162 cars.
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Because of PATH service disrupted (no trains to/from Hoboken) Bus Route 126 has been and will continue to board from Area X outside of PABT between 3-10pm

 

http://www.njtransit...justmentId=9512

 

Wow.

 

I've been away taking care of personal things and I see that Area X is being used for the 126 on Neo's? Amazing. Over/Under after things get back to normal, NJT might consider using articulated buses on the 126?

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Wow.

 

I've been away taking care of personal things and I see that Area X is being used for the 126 on Neo's? Amazing. Over/Under after things get back to normal, NJT might consider using articulated buses on the 126?

 

 

Well you should check at Hoboken Terminal its like an invasion is going to happen buses lined up from DARTs to MCI to NABI'S to Neo's Hell not even the regular routes had to navigate the huge battlion fleet. I got off at Hudson place on the 23 because the driver need to get to JSQ to get her route done and not go into the terminal which was understandable but weird. My thinking is do they really need more of this if there is not all of people going to nyc today but then again it is thanksgiving so hey send in reinforcements

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For those who hadnt rode the North Jersey Coast Line, just want to let you know there is speed restriction between Aberdeen Matawan to Perth Amboy. The schedule is accurate with 5 to 10 minute delay if heavy boarding or detraining or cronstruction crew in the way.

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does anyone know if this is normal or it Sandy fault. I was on either Main or Bergen and the train was heading to Kinglands. After leaving Secaucus, the ride was so rough that i was scared of riding it. it felt like the train car was about to jump off the track. i mean it was three time harder then any vibration you feel on normal ride. i was in the last car at the time, Once it past Kinglands, it was normal. do you think it was normal ride in that section?

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CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES FULL RARITAN VALLEY LINE SERVICE TO RESUME MONDAY, DECEMBER 17: NJ TRANSIT announced today that full service on the Raritan Valley Line (RVL) will resume Monday, December 17, marking another milestone for customers in the transit system's return to normalcy after Hurricane Sandy. The Raritan Valley Line has been operating on a modified schedule since the storm, due to continued infrastructure-related repairs and restorations. With NJ TRANSIT already operating more than 99 percent of its pre-Sandy rail service into New York Penn Station, the full service restoration of the RVL will bring NJ TRANSIT's rail service back to 90 percent of its pre-Sandy schedule. Also today, NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enhancing the transit system's resiliency to future superstorms, even as the agency continues to recover from Sandy's unprecedented damage. “It is vital that we rebuild for the future, not merely settle for returning the system to its pre-storm state,” Weinstein said. “We have made tremendous progress restoring service to customers. Now, we have to plan wisely for the future simultaneously as we continue to repair bridges, electrical substations and other facilities.” Although the transit system has returned to near normal for more than 95 percent of NJ TRANSIT’s daily customers, repairs will go on for a number of months. For example, two of the electrical substations that were submerged and destroyed by Sandy’s flood waters will take months to replace, as new substations have to be designed and built from scratch, a process that will take six to nine months. (NJ Transit - posted 12/12)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Good news as of today!!


 

CHRISTIE ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES RESTORATION OF NJ TRANSIT RAIL SERVICE INTO NEW YORK TO 100 PERCENT OF PRE-SANDY LEVEL

NEWARK, NJ — The Christie Administration today announced that new NJ TRANSIT rail schedules take effect on Monday, January 14, 2013, which include additional trains on the North Jersey Coast Line that will restore service levels into New York to 100 percent, reflecting the agency’s ongoing Hurricane Sandy recovery and repair.  

 

“The full restoration of our New York Penn Station rail service marks another important milestone for NJ TRANSIT and our customers, the majority of whom commute to and from midtown Manhattan,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein.  “Equally important is the progress we’ve made on the North Jersey Coast Line, which was among the hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy.  Again, I cannot emphasize enough the tireless efforts made by our rail employees to restore service for our customers.”

 

Starting January 14, the North Jersey Coast Line will operate nine additional trains, restoring the line’s service level to 96 percent of its pre-Sandy schedule.  Today, NJ TRANSIT is operating 101 of the 114 pre-Sandy scheduled trains along the North Jersey Coast Line.  As of Monday, NJ TRANSIT will be operating 110 of those 114 trains.

 

Two of the added North Jersey Coast Line trains will operate between Long Branch and New York Penn Station, bringing NJ TRANSIT back to 100 percent of its pre-Sandy service level to and from New York.  The remaining seven trains will either originate or terminate in Bay Head, with four of those trains resuming direct service between Bay Head and Hoboken Terminal.   

 

Systemwide, NJ TRANSIT’s rail division will reach 94 percent of its pre-Sandy service level with the January 14 schedule change, operating 658 of the 700 weekday trains scheduled prior to the storm, compared to the 630 weekday trains operating today.  Weekend service was restored to near pre-storm levels as of December 3rd.

 

Effective January 14, trains will be added as follows:

 

  • Nine additional trains on the North Jersey Coast Line
  • Eight additional trains on the Morris & Essex Lines restoring one-seat service between the Morristown Line and Hoboken Terminal
  • Six additional trains on the Montclair-Boonton Line
  • Three additional trains on the Pascack Valley Line
  • Two additional trains on the Port Jervis Line

 

Customers are encouraged to review new timetables online at njtransit.com.

 

Flooding from Hurricane Sandy and the resulting exposure to saltwater destroyed NJ TRANSIT’s Mason Substation in Hoboken—a critical component of NJ TRANSIT’s infrastructure that provides electric power for trains to operate into and out of Hoboken Terminal each day. 

 

With no electric power available, diesel-powered trains have been substituted for electric-powered trains into and out of Hoboken, particularly along the Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Lines.  Approximately 24 electric-powered trains that operated along the Gladstone Branch pre-Sandy have been replaced by diesel-powered trains. 

 

NJ TRANSIT tentatively anticipates electric power to be restored to Hoboken Terminal by March, at which time electric trains will be restored to the affected lines. 

 

“We are continuing to work closely with our partners in Washington and Trenton to secure the funds needed to raise this critical substation and make it more resilient for the future,” said Executive Director Weinstein.

http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2832

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  • 11 months later...
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Wow I barely noticed any reduction in service interesting.

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