The Montclair Connection is a short section of double-track New Jersey Transit rail connecting the former end of the Montclair Branch at Bay Street Station to the old Boonton Line southeast of Walnut Street Station. It opened on Monday, September 30, 2002, at a cost of $60,000,000. At the same time, Bay Street Station was rebuilt and Montclair State University station was built. The Montclair and Boonton lines were combined into the Montclair-Boonton Line, and passenger service was ended on the old Boonton Line east of the connection; the line was used by Norfolk Southern for freight, but parts of it have been reclaimed by nature or have fallen into disrepair, especially east of the Passaic River, where two bridges remain permanently ajar. Stations that no longer see service because of the connection are:
The connection was built to give passengers on the Boonton Line direct access to New York Penn Station; prior to the change, Boonton Line trains could only go to Hoboken Terminal. The idea for the connection was first proposed in 1929.
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To Hackettstown | |||||
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Walnut Street | |||||
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Walnut Street | |||||
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Grove Street | |||||
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Claremont Avenue | |||||
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Pine Street | |||||
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Old route diverges | |||||
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Connecting track | |||||
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Glenridge Avenue, end of new track | |||||
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Bay Street | |||||
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Benson Street | |||||
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Rowe Street | |||||
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Arlington | |||||
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Several problems accompanied the opening of the Connection. One concern is that the three closed Boonton Line stations no longer have rail service.
Another issue is that the line is not entirely electrified; catenary currently ends at Great Notch. Electric service was greatly expanded from Montclair to New York and Hoboken, but diesel service from Montclair westward was decreased. While the majority of trains from Montclair are bound for New York City, most of the trains from places in Morris and Warren counties still go to Hoboken, and there is no direct service to New York past Montclair.
The 28 families living in 30 homes on the path of the connection were displaced, and two streets were removed. It also takes more time to get to Hoboken Terminal than with the old service, as the new alignment is longer, and because many trains on the line no longer go to Hoboken.
The town of Montclair also initially disapproved of weekend service, so passengers relied upon the private DeCamp Bus Lines commuter service until weekend service began on November 8, 2009.
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