North Jersey Coast Line Thread

[MaRoFu]

I personally think Newark Airport should have all or most NJT trains stop at the station until the PATH extension is completed. It looks like quite a lot of NJT trains skip the station during peak hours, which is bad considering EWR is becoming more of an important transportation hub for travelers. This problem will be worsened when the PATH extension opens up the station to the surrounding area and brings more commuters arriving from the towns west. Why did they even consider building this station in the first place instead of building the AirTrain to Penn if they will have almost every express on the NEC/NJCL skip it? I don't know how the NJCL summer expresses work but they should at least stop at EWR if they don't, since some tourists use the airport to get to the shore.

[R&DB]

MaRoFu » Tue Jul 17, 2018 7:52 pm

since some tourists use the airport to get to the shore.

I have lived in Monmouth County for over 60 years and have NEVER heard of anyone flying into EWR and taking the NJCL train to visit the shore.
The Newark Airport station on the NEC was built for the passengers from the 'burbs who don't want to drive and park at the airport. The PATH extension to the airport would be for (mostly business) patrons from NYC, Jersey City , Harrison and Newark.
The Newark Airport station is not luggage friendly and therefore does not attract many vacation-type patrons.

[NY&LB]

The Newark Airport station on the NEC was built for the passengers from the 'burbs who don't want to drive and park at the airport. The PATH extension to the airport would be for (mostly business) patrons from NYC, Jersey City , Harrison and Newark.

and airport workers (who currently use the 62 bus)

[Yankees1]

Right now, all weekend trains (even the NEC express) stop at the airport. I guess it would make sense to have this hypothetical beach express go from South Amboy express to the airport.

[ThirdRail7]

I personally think Newark Airport should have all or most NJT trains stop at the station until the PATH extension is completed. It looks like quite a lot of NJT trains skip the station during peak hours, which is bad considering EWR is becoming more of an important transportation hub for travelers. This problem will be worsened when the PATH extension opens up the station to the surrounding area and brings more commuters arriving from the towns west. Why did they even consider building this station in the first place instead of building the AirTrain to Penn if they will have almost every express on the NEC/NJCL skip it? I don't know how the NJCL summer expresses work but they should at least stop at EWR if they don't, since some tourists use the airport to get to the shore.

The train wouldn't be an express if it made stations like EWR and SEC. They call those "semi expresses." Additionally, your post leaves out of the most important things and that is operational limitations. There may be six tracks through EWR but there are only 4 on either side of it. Stopping more trains there would cause a great deal of additional congestion in an area that is already severely congested. Take a look at the actual NWK times to see the congestion that would mount if you stopped the overtakes that occur between EWR and NWK.

[NJT4149]

I saw 4029 working the shuttles tonight; it’s the first PL42 in quite some time

[NJT4149]

MM-90 was spotted by RIVER heading west around 8 AM; power is 4632 and 1002. Additionally, the MM-08 ran last night with 4217 as the power. The Bay Head train sets all have ALP-45s once again; the 4029 was running on the shuttles for two weeks earlier this month.

[GSC]

I see one of the shuttles dropped a car and is running with 5 coaches.

[NJT4149]

I stand corrected from this morning. 4529 and 4027 are working the shuttles, while 4504, 4516, and 4517 are working the NYC trains. Interestingly enough, 4516 is the only PTC equipped ALP-45 at this time. The TGIV just went west to Bay Head and should begin working its way back east a bit later.

[NJT4149]

An ALP-45 has broken down on the Bay Head shuttle for the second day in a row. Today, 4303 will be to the rescue; look for it on 4351, 4372, 4367, 4384, 4383, 4398, and 4397.

[GSC]

An ALP-45 has broken down on the Bay Head shuttle for the second day in a row. Today, 4303 will be to the rescue; look for it on 4351, 4372, 4367, 4384, 4383, 4398, and 4397.

Saw it Tuesday Aug 28 with 4300 as the power, tied to the nose of the ALP. Love that rumble of a GP40.

[NJT4149]

We have another Geep on the line, and this time it’s not a rescue! 4213 is leading 4384 tonight.

[GSC]

Last few days saw Geep 4213 on the shuttle. Something about that GP40 rumble, you know it's coming.

Curious as to why that shuttle has the power on the west end for a few hours, and then you see the Geep on the east end for a few runs. Must be a reason the train is looped, just don't know why. Refueling, maybe? Is that still done in Bay Head?

[njtmnrrbuff]

The loop in Bay Head is still used daily.

[snavely]

SOP is Westbound trains enter the loop at Bay Head to become eastbounds. Thus, loco stays at same end for both east & west runs until train returns to BH, loops and reverses loco position relative to train direction. Fueling discontinued at BH several years ago and tank cars that had been there for decades removed. Fueling now done at MMC.