Montclair Connection

The new track built, viewed from Bay Street Station.

New track alignment to Hoboken curves to the right; old alignment (now single-tracked) veers to the left.

The Montclair Connection is a short section of double-track New Jersey Transit rail in New Jersey, USA, connecting the former end of the Montclair Branch at Bay Street Station to the old Boonton Line southeast of Walnut Street Station.

The connection opened on Monday, September 30, 2002, at a cost of $63 million. 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 DB and WR Drawbridges have been condemned (DB abandoned in the open position). Stations that no longer see service because of the connection are:

• Benson Street Station
• Rowe Street Station
• Arlington Station

The Montclair 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, but was abandoned due to the economic difficulties associated with the Great Depression.

Map

Montclair Connection
Boonton Line to Hackettstown Walnut Street Boonton Line Montclair Connection Bay Street Lackawanna Terminal (Montclair) Montclair Branch Glen Ridge│Benson Street Bloomfield Watsessing Avenue│Rowe Street Arlington Hoboken Terminal

Problems with the connection

Several problems accompanied the opening of the connection. One concern is that the three closed Boonton Line stations no longer have rail service; the stations and trackage have since fallen into disrepair as the alignment has been reclaimed by nature.

Another issue is that the line is not entirely electrified; catenary currently ends at Montclair State University. 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.