Pascack Valley Line

Pascack Valley Line
Pascack Valley Line
	A Hoboken Terminal-bound train at River Edge.
Overview
Owner	New Jersey Transit
Locale	Northern New Jersey and Hudson Valley, New York, United States
Termini	South: Hoboken Terminal in Hudson County, New Jersey; North: Spring Valley in Rockland County, New York
Stations	18
Service
Type	Commuter rail
System	New Jersey Transit Rail Operations; Metro-North Railroad
Operator(s)	New Jersey Transit
Rolling stock	F40PH-3C/GP40PH-2/GP40FH-2/PL42AC/ALP-45DP locomotives; Comet V
Daily ridership	7,200 (weekday average, FY 2012)
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
show Route map
	Legend
	31.2 mi
	50.2 km
	30.6 mi
	49.2 km
	27.9 mi
	44.9 km
	25.4 mi
	40.9 km
	NY
	NJ
	24.2 mi
	38.9 km
	23.6 mi
	38 km
	22.7 mi
	36.5 km
	21.4 mi
	34.4 km
	20.5 mi
	33 km
	19.3 mi
	31.1 km
	17.8 mi
	28.6 km
	16.4 mi
	26.4 km
	14.7 mi
	23.7 km
	13.5 mi
	21.7 km
	12.4 mi
	20 km
	11.2 mi
	18 km
	9.6 mi
	15.4 km
	7.6 mi
	12.2 km
	5.6 mi
	9 km
	0.0 mi
	0 km
	This diagram: view; talk; ;

The Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit, in the United States. The line runs north from Hoboken Terminal, through Hudson County and Bergen County in New Jersey, and into Rockland County in New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York State is operated under contract with Metro-North Railroad. The line is named for the Pascack Valley region that it passes through in northern Bergen County. The line parallels the Pascack Brook for some distance. The line is colored purple on system maps, and its symbol is a pine tree.

Description[]

The Pascack Valley Line runs between Spring Valley, New York, and Hoboken Terminal. The line is 31 miles (50 km) long, of which the northernmost 6 miles (9.7 km) are in New York State. The entire line is owned by NJ Transit, but the Pearl River, Nanuet and Spring Valley stations are leased to Metro-North Railroad. The line is single tracked, but sidings at points along the line, including the Meadowlands, Hackensack and Nanuet, permit bi-directional off-peak service. A siding in Oradell was also planned for increased service and reliability, but the project was halted due to local opposition.^[2]^[3] Service on this line operates seven days a week.^[4]

History[]

1893 map of the New Jersey and New York Railroad

The line was originally chartered as the Hackensack and New York Railroad in 1856. It later became the New Jersey and New York Railroad, which was bought by the Erie Railroad in 1896. The New Jersey and New York Railroad continued to exist as an Erie subsidiary until October 17, 1960 merger that created the Erie Lackawanna Railroad.^[5]^{[citation needed]}

Passenger Timetable for the New York & New Jersey Railroad and Piermont Branch, effective 1931-09-27

On April 1, 1976 the Erie Lackawanna was merged with several other railroads to create Conrail.^[6]^[7] In 1983, after several years under operation by Conrail, operations of the Pascack Valley Line were transferred to NJ Transit Rail Operations.

The line used to continue north of Spring Valley to Haverstraw, New York. This portion of the line has been abandoned and most of the right-of-way has been sold off. Part of the line (between Spring Valley and Nanuet) was once part of the main Erie Railroad line from Piermont, New York to Buffalo, New York.^{[citation needed]} Into the 1930s there had been Erie passenger service from Spring Valley at the end of the Pascack line to Suffern station on the newer Erie Main Line.^[8] By 1941, this was reduced to a single weekday trip in each direction.^[9]

In August 2020, amidst the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said that it would shut down service on the line in Rockland County if federal bailout money were not available.^[10]

September 2016 crash[]

On September 29, 2016, Pascack Valley Line Train 1614 crashed into Hoboken Terminal injuring 108 and killing one.^[11]

Rolling stock[]

All service on this line is diesel, using either GP40PH-2, F40PH, PL42AC, or ALP-45DP locomotives. Most trains on the line use Comet series passenger cars, although Bombardier MultiLevel coaches are sometimes used on this line.

Some train sets use equipment owned by Metro-North, which are so marked.

Stations[]

State	Zone^[12]	Location	Station^[12]	Milepost (km)	Date opened	Date closed	Connections^[12]
NJ	1	Hoboken	Hoboken Terminal	0.0 (0.0)	1903		NJ Transit Rail: Bergen County, Gladstone, Main, Meadowlands, Montclair-Boonton, Morristown, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley lines Metro-North Railroad: Port Jervis Line Hudson-Bergen Light Rail: 8th Street-Hoboken, Hoboken-Tonnelle lines PATH: HOB-WTC, HOB-33, JSQ-33 (via HOB) NJ Transit Bus: 22, 23, 63, 64, 68, 85, 87, 89, 126 New York Waterway to Battery Park City
	1	Secaucus	Secaucus Junction	3.5 (5.6)	December 15, 2003^[13]		NJ Transit Rail (upper level): Gladstone, Montclair-Boonton, Morristown, Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, and Raritan Valley lines NJ Transit Rail (lower level): Bergen County, Main, and Meadowlands lines Metro-North Railroad: Port Jervis Line NJ Transit Bus: 2, 78, 129, 329, 353
	3	Carlstadt			1861	1967^[14]
		Wood-Ridge	Wood-Ridge	9.6 (15.4)	1861
		Hasbrouck Heights			1861	1967^[14]
	4	Hasbrouck Heights	Teterboro	11.2 (18.0)	May 29, 1904^[15]		Formerly Williams Avenue
	5	Hackensack	Essex Street	12.4 (20.0)	1861		NJ Transit Bus: 76, 712, 780
					1870	1953
						September 9, 1869^[16]
			Anderson Street	13.5 (21.7)	September 9, 1869^[16]		NJ Transit Bus: 175, 770
			Fairmount Avenue		March 4, 1870^[14]	1983^[17]
	6	River Edge	New Bridge Landing	14.7 (23.7)	March 4, 1870^[14]		NJ Transit Bus: 175, 762 Rockland Coaches: 11
			River Edge	16.4 (29.4)	1900		NJ Transit Bus: 175, 762 Rockland Coaches: 11
					March 4, 1870
	7	Oradell	Oradell	17.8 (28.6)	March 4, 1870^[18]		NJ Transit Bus: 175, 762 Rockland Coaches: 11
	8	Emerson	Emerson	19.3 (31.1)	March 4, 1870		NJ Transit Bus: 165 Rockland Coaches: 11
	9	Westwood	Westwood	20.5 (33.0)	March 4, 1870^[19]		NJ Transit Bus: 165 Rockland Coaches: 11, 14, 46, 84
		Hillsdale	Hillsdale	21.4 (34.4)	March 4, 1870^[19]		Rockland Coaches: 11
		Hillsdale
	10	Woodcliff Lake	Woodcliff Lake	22.7 (36.5)
		Park Ridge	Park Ridge	23.6 (38.0)	1872
		Montvale	Montvale	24.2 (38.9)	1871^[20]		Rockland Coaches: 11
NY	MNR	Orangetown	Pearl River	25.6 (41.2)	1870^[21]		Transport of Rockland: 92
		Clarkstown	Nanuet	27.9 (44.9)	June 30, 1841^[22]^[23]		Transport of Rockland: 92 Rockland Coaches: 11
		Spring Valley	Spring Valley	30.6 (49.2)	June 30, 1841^[22]^[23]		Transport of Rockland: 59, 91, 92, 94, Monsey Loop 3, Tappan ZEExpress Rockland Coaches: 11, 45

Bibliography[]

Mott, Edward Harold (1899). Between the Ocean and the Lakes: The Story of Erie. New York, New York: John S. Collins. Retrieved July 31, 2020.

References[]

^ "NJ TRANSIT QUARTERLY RIDERSHIP TRENDS ANALYSIS November 2012" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 19, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
^ Pascack Valley Line Right-of-Way Improvement Project. New Jersey Transit, January 2006.
^ NJ TRANSIT RAMPS UP PROJECT TO PROVIDE BI-DIRECTIONAL, OFF-PEAK SERVICE ON PASCACK VALLEY LINE: Project also makes way for rail service to the Meadowlands, press release dated May 11, 2005
^ PASCACK VALLEY LINE CUSTOMERS TO GET IMPROVED SERVICE THIS FALL, New Jersey Transit Press Release August 16, 2007 Accessed September 13, 2007
^ "Conrail merger family tree | Trains Magazine". Retrieved September 30, 2016.
^ "Erie Lackawanna Historical Society". www.erielackhs.org. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
^ Grant, H. Roger (October 1, 1996). Erie Lackawanna: The Death of an American Railroad, 1938-1992. Stanford University Press. p. 208. ISBN 9780804727983. erie lackawanna conrail 1976.
^ 'Official Guide of the Railways,' August 1936, Erie Railroad section, Table 47
^ 'Official Guide of the Railways,' June 1941, Erie Railroad section, Table 38
^ Zambito, Thomas C. (August 26, 2020). "MTA could eliminate Pascack Valley, Port Jervis lines if federal bailout doesn't come through". Rockland/Westchester Journal News. Gannett. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
^ A New Jersey Train Crash Has Left at Least 100 People Injured Esquire By Associated Press; September 29, 2016
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Pascack Valley Line Timetables - November 19, 2014 edition" (PDF). New York, New York: New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
^ Frassinelli, Mike (June 5, 2013). "U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg gets one last ride at the Secaucus station that bears his name". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Jones, Wilson E. (1996). The Pascack Valley Line - A History of the New Jersey and New York Railroad. East Hanover, New Jersey: Railroadians of America. p. 44. ISBN 0-941652-14-9.
^ "Miscellaneous Locals". The Evening Record and Bergen County Herald. Hackensack, New Jersey. May 28, 1904. p. 3. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Hackensack and New-York Railroad" (PDF). The New York Times. New York, New York: Time Warner. September 9, 1869. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
^ Pascack Valley Line Timetables. Newark, New Jersey: New Jersey Transit. 1982.
^ "50th Anniversary Greetings". The Bergen Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. June 2, 1944. p. 14. Retrieved February 15, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Backus, Kathleen S. (March 21, 1957). "Removal of Historic Buildings Excites Interest in Borough". The Bergen Evening Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. p. 5. Retrieved December 25, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Cheslow, Jerry (April 1, 1990). "If You're Thinking of Living in: Montvale". The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
^ Cassetta, James Vincent (2014). Images of America: Pearl River. Arcadia Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 9781467121552.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Mott 1899, p. 331.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Seymour, HC (October 28, 1841). "Eastern Division of the New York and Erie Railroad". The Evening Post. New York, New York. p. 1. Retrieved July 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[]

[njt_boardings-1] "NJ TRANSIT QUARTERLY RIDERSHIP TRENDS ANALYSIS November 2012" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 19, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2016.

[2] Pascack Valley Line Right-of-Way Improvement Project. New Jersey Transit, January 2006.

[3] NJ TRANSIT RAMPS UP PROJECT TO PROVIDE BI-DIRECTIONAL, OFF-PEAK SERVICE ON PASCACK VALLEY LINE: Project also makes way for rail service to the Meadowlands, press release dated May 11, 2005

[4] PASCACK VALLEY LINE CUSTOMERS TO GET IMPROVED SERVICE THIS FALL, New Jersey Transit Press Release August 16, 2007 Accessed September 13, 2007

[5] "Conrail merger family tree | Trains Magazine". Retrieved September 30, 2016.

[6] "Erie Lackawanna Historical Society". www.erielackhs.org. Retrieved September 30, 2016.

[7] Grant, H. Roger (October 1, 1996). Erie Lackawanna: The Death of an American Railroad, 1938-1992. Stanford University Press. p. 208. ISBN 9780804727983. erie lackawanna conrail 1976.

[8] 'Official Guide of the Railways,' August 1936, Erie Railroad section, Table 47

[9] 'Official Guide of the Railways,' June 1941, Erie Railroad section, Table 38

[10] Zambito, Thomas C. (August 26, 2020). "MTA could eliminate Pascack Valley, Port Jervis lines if federal bailout doesn't come through". Rockland/Westchester Journal News. Gannett. Retrieved April 25, 2021.

[11] A New Jersey Train Crash Has Left at Least 100 People Injured Esquire By Associated Press; September 29, 2016

[schedule-12] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Pascack Valley Line Timetables - November 19, 2014 edition" (PDF). New York, New York: New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.

[secaucus-open-13] Frassinelli, Mike (June 5, 2013). "U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg gets one last ride at the Secaucus station that bears his name". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved June 5, 2013.

[jones-14] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d Jones, Wilson E. (1996). The Pascack Valley Line - A History of the New Jersey and New York Railroad. East Hanover, New Jersey: Railroadians of America. p. 44. ISBN 0-941652-14-9.

[15] "Miscellaneous Locals". The Evening Record and Bergen County Herald. Hackensack, New Jersey. May 28, 1904. p. 3. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.

[anderson-16] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Hackensack and New-York Railroad" (PDF). The New York Times. New York, New York: Time Warner. September 9, 1869. Retrieved January 9, 2010.

[fairmount_close-17] Pascack Valley Line Timetables. Newark, New Jersey: New Jersey Transit. 1982.

[oradell-open-18] "50th Anniversary Greetings". The Bergen Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. June 2, 1944. p. 14. Retrieved February 15, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.

[westwood-open-19] Jump up to: ^a ^b Backus, Kathleen S. (March 21, 1957). "Removal of Historic Buildings Excites Interest in Borough". The Bergen Evening Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. p. 5. Retrieved December 25, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.

[20] Cheslow, Jerry (April 1, 1990). "If You're Thinking of Living in: Montvale". The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2017.

[pearlriver-open-21] Cassetta, James Vincent (2014). Images of America: Pearl River. Arcadia Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 9781467121552.

[FOOTNOTEMott1899331-22] Jump up to: ^a ^b Mott 1899, p. 331.

[1841opening-23] Jump up to: ^a ^b Seymour, HC (October 28, 1841). "Eastern Division of the New York and Erie Railroad". The Evening Post. New York, New York. p. 1. Retrieved July 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

show v t NJ Transit Rail Operations
Hoboken Division	Bergen County Line Main Line Meadowlands Rail Line Montclair-Boonton Line Morris & Essex Lines ( Morristown Line and Gladstone Branch) Pascack Valley Line Port Jervis Line
Newark Division	Atlantic City Line North Jersey Coast Line Northeast Corridor Line Princeton Branch Raritan Valley Line
Connections	Aldene Connection Harold Interlocking Lehigh Line Connection Kearny Connection Montclair Connection Port Morris Junction Secaucus Junction Waterfront Connection
Current rolling stock	EMD GP40PH-2 ALP-46 ALP-45DP PL42AC Comet coaches Comet V MultiLevel coaches Arrow multiple units
Bridges and tunnels	Beach Bridge Bergen Tunnels Brielle Draw Connecting Railway Bridge DB Draw Delair Bridge Dock Bridge East River Tunnels HX Draw Lower Hack Lift Lyndhurst Draw Morgan Draw Morrisville–Trenton Railroad Bridge Newark Drawbridge North River Tunnels Oceanport Draw Portal Bridge Rahway River Bridge Raritan Bay Drawbridge Raritan River Bridge Roseville Tunnel Shark River Draw Upper Hack Lift WR Draw
Stations and yards	List of stations Historic stations County Yard Morrisville Yard Sunnyside Yard
Proposed lines	Lackawanna Cut-Off Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line West Trenton Line
Other topics	Access to the Region's Core Atlantic City Express Service Glassboro–Camden Line Gateway Project Mid-Line Loop Northern Branch Passaic–Bergen–Hudson Transit Sawtooth Bridges Train to the Game

show v t Metro-North Railroad
East of Hudson	Harlem Line Hudson Line New Haven Line Danbury Branch New Canaan Branch Waterbury Branch
West of Hudson (operated by NJ Transit)	Pascack Valley Line Port Jervis Line
Non-revenue and Predecessor lines	Beacon Line Putnam Line
Other	Stations (accessibility) Rolling stock Highbridge Facility Hudson Rail Link Park Avenue main line Penn Station Access MTA Arts & Design