My fantasy for statewide rail service expansion

First things first, this is admittedly a total fantasy based on solving one very real problem: Both the PABT and the XBL/Lincoln Tunnel are beyond maxed out. I can provide a dozen analogies to describe how bad the situation is, but nothing will get the point across until you experience it on a daily basis. So, the idea is that NJ, with its plethora of rail ROWs, really can do more to relieve this problem and let the bus network be used more efficiently for areas that do not have rail access. The plan hinges on one major accomplishment: Lower Manhattan. Really, yes, it hinges on any new tunnel under the Hudson to expand capacity, but my feeling is that if you're going to drop billions on a new tunnel, might as well send it somewhere new. So that's why Lower Manhttan (also, other fantasy plans are to connect to Atlantic Av in Brooklyn, but....yeah....). So, without further delay:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... ViwovP3VNI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As you can see, I added in a couple of other things such as light rail from Newark to Paterson and commuter service from Philadelphia to Toms River. I'd also like to add to the map eventually PATCO to Glassboro (if not all the way to Vineland) and perhaps a connection from RVL to the NEC so trains from Allentown can operate via Metropark instead of Cranford.

Thoughts?

You'll need a genie and make sure you don't ask for a million bucks.

You'll need a whole lot more cash than that.

Isn't it amazing that what had more a more reasoned transportation policy been in place, say when the well established state rail cooridors began to drop from policy planning maps, the "fantasy" map would have represented what came to be in place.

Take the same square miles and population denisty and drop it anywhere in Europe and it would be the subject of truly bright planners adding the former PRR Sea Girt (stiil largely intact) and the Union Transportation line from Dix to Heights town, (also still largely in place) and all those connection options. The prejudice against Phildelphia's connection to Ocean and not just Atlantic County continues today, with the insult of Route 70, a dangerous single lane corridor that encourages head-on collisions. The seniors who die regularly on it, would benefit from an escape to the City of Brotherly Love from the transportation deserts that decades of PPP left them in.

Yes any plan such as that is now out of reach of any gas tax and most certainly the neanderthals and puddin heads whom we allow to make our decisions for us these days.

There seems to be too much going on in the Hudson County area. No way would you see NJ Transit Heavy Rail ever go to lower Manhattan.

Also, what happened to the Port Jervis Line? The Erie Main is a dead railroad between Harriman and Howells never to return...

I took a stab at something like this years ago, so I'll take advantage on the post and drop it here: http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs14/f/2007/ ... an1985.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A one seat ride from Delawanna to lower Manhattan? I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

You can't rebuild and restart any of these rail improvements without multi-million dollar "studies".

Unless common sense prevails (Okay, I'll wait until you stop laughing)

Sit near the GSP entrance any morning at Toms River and watch the traffic (or a summer Friday evening). Think renewing rail service from, say, a park-and-ride on former Ciby Geigy property might relieve the congestion?

Instead of adding 27 new lanes to the Parkway, rebuild an existing single-track freight line, run maybe two or three north/eastbounds in the morning and three returning in the evening via Red Bank or Jamesburg.

If they really wanted to do this, they'd tell the Jamesburg NIMBYs to sit down and shut up, we're bringing trains back to town. If the DOT wanted part of the town to add to some highway, they wouldn't resist quite so much.

There's your "study". Look how I saved million$ to the taxpayer!

PS - To the Jamesburg people concerning safety issues: if you can teach your kids to stay out of the way of dump trucks on the highway, you can certainly teach your kids to stay out of the way of a train.

To those who complain about having commuter trains run through the Monmouth Battlefield, build a stop there so people could take the train to the historic site.

Sure, it's a dream to see NJT go to lower Manhattan, but new tunnels and a new terminal need to be built as it is (NYP is overcrowded both in the passenger concourses and in the tunnels), and anything coming down the NYSW will never be able to access the NEC into midtown, so downtown works. Plus it opens up yet another destination served directly and takes pressure off NYCT and PATH. Use the Bergen Arches and dive into the tunnel just east of there. Never say never. Rail service under the Hudson right into midtown was at one point just an idea. The economies of NJ and NYC will be slowed if no massive improvement is made to access between the two. As far as what lines to reactivate and where, it depends pretty much on whether or not the train could at least match the travel time of the bus. There's no point spending billions for a service that's slower, hence why I didn't bother with destinations like the Lackawana Cutoff W of Stroudsburg or NYSW W of Butler

The MOM route needs to run from Monmouth Junction to Lakehurst via Englishtown, Freehold and Farmingdale. That’s where the population is, and that runs through the route 9 corridor which is what MOM is supposed to help.


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Tom V wrote: ↑Sun Oct 17, 2021 10:02 pm The MOM route needs to run from Monmouth Junction to Lakehurst via Englishtown, Freehold and Farmingdale. That’s where the population is, and that runs through the route 9 corridor which is what MOM is supposed to help.


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MOM should have 2 routes. The Monmouth junction route and faster Red Bank shuttle with change train in Red Bank.