The Montclair Connection

Hi.

Can Anyone explain the Montclair connection to me? Where is it, which lines will be connected? I have a NJT rail map, but i never seen NJT in action, so i can´t imagine anything.

Thanks, Michael

This is it in a nutshell. The Montclair Connection was a section of track built to connect the Montclair Branch and the Boonton Line. The connection extended the Montclair Branch out to a point just west of Walnut Street Station on the Boonton Line. As a result of the connection, the lines were combined to form the new Montclair-Boonton Line. With the connection, the stations of Benson Street, Rowe Street, and Arlington were abandoned along with the Boonton Line between West End Interlocking (near Hoboken) and the connection point in favor of the new routing over the former Montclair Branch. Since the Montclair Branch was electrified, electrification was extended past Bay Street out to Great Notch Yard (on the Boonton Line) with service to New York Penn Station now available from points as far east as Montclair State University.

This photo illustrates the Boonton Line through Montclair two weeks prior to the connection:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/242 ... 1183GxWOfc

The track from Bay Street station, former terminus of the Montclair Branch, comes in from the right.

Bay Street Station:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/242 ... 0942gqydup

The next photo shows a train using the old Boonton line:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/242 ... 1617vBVEzf

O.k. so if i understand you guys right, the old montclair branch between hoboken and bay street was extended to walnut street and the old boonten line was closed between hoboken and walnut street? They connected two lines to one between hoboken and walnut street.

MIcha

Yes, but the main intention is that the Montclair Branch runs through Newark Broad Street and can connect to the MidTown Direct Line, giving some riders a direct trip into NYPenn. A transfer platform was built at the end of the electrified trerritory for riders from points west to transfer from Hoboken bound diesels.

And what is the Midtown Line? That one to Penn Station?

Acela82 wrote:And what is the Midtown Line? That one to Penn Station?

MidTown Direct is the name of the service that runs to NY from Dover. The line name is the Morris and Essex Line.

Acela -

Just a couple minor corrections and comments....

" The connection extended the Montclair Branch out to a point just west of Walnut Street Station on the Boonton Line. "

The 1800 foot dual-rail connection point is actually about 6 tenths of a mile EAST of Walnut Street station at Pine Street in Montclair.

Wanut St. was an active station on the Boonton Line pre-connection. It continues so today post-connection.

Electrification was extended from Bay Street Station ( the previous terminus of the Montclair Branch ) over and thru the connection trackage and west on the Boonton Line for a distance of 6 miles to Great Notch where a new train storage yard has been built. The Boonton Line continues west of here ( single track ) with diesel service to Denville where it junctions with the electrified Morris & Essex main line.

In a nutshell they basically "Lackawannafied" the ex-Erie portion of the NJT Boonton Line by electrifying it from Great Notch eastward to Walnut Street and then bending the roadbed over to a very sharp right turn and "S" twist into the Bay Street staion (and ex-Lackawanna Montclair Branch).

The tight "S" curve is a low speed "screamer" which is equipped with lubricators.

The 1800 foot dual-rail connection point is actually about 6 tenths of a mile EAST of Walnut Street station at Pine Street in Montclair.

My mistake. I meant east when typing the response.