NJ Transit's Branchline In Disguise 

NJ Transit is planning to extend the Raritan Valley line from High Bridge to Phillipsburg or even Allentown, PA

0:47 it's actually the opposite. Midday trains are extended to Penn Station because there's excess capacity there at that time, but all rush hour trains end at Newark because NY Penn can't handle more trains at peak. The ALP45DP's that make through service to New York possible were ordered when the first Penn Station expansion plan (ARC) was still in motion, figuring there would be more capacity by the time they arrived. Then those tunnels and the station expansion got Christie'd so the extra capacity hasn't materialized yet. Maybe when Gateway is done...

Nice video! As a life-long RVL traveler, I'm glad to see it get some attention. The original CNJ line past High Bridge to Easton was indeed abandoned in 1983 with low ridership cited as the reason, and then the line was severed just east of Phillipsburg by the construction of I-78, it being cheaper than building an overpass over the out-of-service trackage. Proposals to bring service back would either have to reconstruct this section, or make use of the parallel Lehigh Valley Line used by Norfolk Southern. Speaking of the Lehigh Line, the only part of the RVL that shares traffic with regular freights is the small section of Conrail Shared Assets between Aldene and Hunter. This is where the former CNJ main uses the former LV main to reach the former PRR Northeast Corridor just outside Newark (the CNJ originally terminated in Jersey City at the historic Communipaw Terminal, which still exists and serves as the NJ terminus for ferries to Ellis and Liberty Islands). The two stations on this stretch, Roselle Park and Union, both feature gantlet tracks to keep the freights away from the platforms. NS's Lehigh Line does have connections with the RVL at Bound Brook, which is where you'll find all the filmers. Say what you will about the low ridership past Raritan; those stations are probably some of the only ones on NJT's system where you don't have to pay for parking.

The reason the number of outbound trains do not always equal the inbound trains is because a) some are not needed and b) the trains can be repurposed onto a different branch on a given trip. Remember that the primary purpose of a commuter railroad is not to serve rail buffs taking pictures or videos; it's to move people where they want to go.

As someone who lives along this part of the Raritan Valley Line, its great to see it get some attention. If haven't already filmed the trip report, I'd love to do a collab if you're into that sort of thing. Quick note: there used to be more stations between Hampton and Phillipsburg, though they closed before NJT took over service. the part between honestly does feel like a serpate branch sometimes, what with the crew changes every time the train goes past Raritan yard. As a transit activitist, one of my goals is to improve the service on the line West of Raritan. We need weekend service along the line NOW, if only every 2-3 hours it is today, and eventually we need to put in the second track and add high level platforms at each of the station. Was really surprised to hear max speed was 50mph, especially considering the train is still really competitive travel time wise. Long term, electrification would also be great, though this admittedly unlikely to happen on the Lehigh line. In my mind, the long term solution is to reopen the old CNJ line from Cranford to Elizabeth and built the connector onto the Northeast Corridor there instead of New Brunswick. It would allow RVL passengers a 1 seat ride to the AIRTrain, and would allow people to get to the NJCL and places on the Northeast Corridor faster, along with freeing up capacity at Newark.

Amtrak's 2035 plan includes reopening the line beyond High Bridge for Allentown - NYP service. I believe they have a stop in Somerville planned.

DISTASTORILY-low ridership, he said... 🤣

I've heard about the Raritan Valley Line, but I learned a lot more about the High Bridge section here! Thanks for the information!

In the late 70s, I took the RVL from Philipsburg to Newark. At that time, there was no station house; it was just an empty lot. The passenger cars seemed to be from the 1920s, with small crystal chandelier light fixtures. I recall asking a conductor who the commuters were. He responded that he believed they were business owners who checked in a couple of times a week. I only took the train once. It was much easier to catch the TNJ bus from Easton, where I attended college.

Thank you for these incredibly informative videos! I always come away having learned so much!

I grew up living in North Plainfield when I was a kid and teenager, 30 minutes walking from the Plainfield station on the Raritan Valley Line.

great video explaining the line ! i really enjoyed it and i have subscribed!! i just love niche little branch lines like this, they are so funny.

I would like to propose a future video based on this same idea. I believe that the Morris & Essex Line (my local line that I railfan almost every weekday) has a hidden branch line between Dover and Hackettstown. A couple quirks of that area of the M&E is that it isn't served on weekends (like the actual branch line, the Gladstone Branch) as well as there are trains that stop (and subsequently go back towards Hoboken) at Mount Olive but dont go to the next and final stop on the line at Hackettstown.

Great video, glad to see someone taking interest in the line. I live in Raritan, of all the trains only go to high bridge on most weekday runs. Trains only don’t go past Raritan only late in the evening and on weekends. We only have trains run into New York penn on off peak hours. The problem with the RVL is that the trains don’t go into NYC aside from a few during off peak hours. The traffic on 78 from PA is crazy. If the line extended into PA and went directly into the city especially during rush hour there would be more riders. Hopefully one day, when I go into the city I choose to drive and then take the ferry to avoid the hassle of changing trains.

praising a line for running diesel over electric is crazy

Such blasphemy against electric locomotives! I love the ALP-46. My favorite NJ Transit locomotive is the ARROW III.

This is very complex and good video. It is especially concerning because NJT is always looking at ridership. There has to be another reason for why this line is still operating even with low ridership. I'm interested in seeing more of your videos.

I would imagine the uneven eastbound/westbound schedule is because the morning rush hour is much more condensed - most people have to be in their office by 8 or 9, but people might stay in the city late for dinners, happy hours, etc - meaning some people leave right at 4 or 5pm but stay until 9pm, 10pm, etc But yes, service here needs to be improved ASAP

Thank you for this very interesting video.

Hey man great video. I agree on mostly everything, except double tracking to Phillipsburg. There's no need to double track all the way to P burg. Good dispaching and planning should do. Just have more frequency, Platform lengthening. Track, bridge and signaling improvements and longer sidings.

I used to work for NJT and worked at Raritan yard

Really excellent video speaking of Annandale look closely at the license plates they might be Pennsylvania drivers because it's just literally straight down Interstate 78 a bit further Exit 45 Gladstone Branch Summit. Exit 29 Gladstone Peapack station. Weekend service is needed for that portion because you have Pennsylvania/NJ drivers from the Allentown area drive to I-78 East Exit 16 Route 31 North Washington Annandale station.

I live in the Lehigh Valley of PA, & only rode this once. As a transit & RR fan, I must say it was embarrassingly slow, & I see trains are infrequent. There's a proposal to run Amtrak over this line as far as Allentown PA, but the proposed schedules are ALSO embarrassingly slow, it's planned to take 2.5 hours Allentown to NYC, while a driver on parallel I-78 can make the trip in a full hour less.

Awesome video

From the valley myself. I actually use this branch to get to new york since we have no train services to any of the major cities.(most people dont know this but i take advantage of certain trans-bridge coach bus fares that go to clinton park & ride, where i walk the rest of the way to annandale station.) I pretty much do the same thing going to doylestown towards philly but on greyhound. Mannn it sucks not owning a car here.

As a frequent rider of the Wassaic branch line this is like learning about a long lost cousin

Good video! Personally I don't find ALP46s boring. Instead I think seeing too many PL42ACs is boring. But maybe that's just because I'm near a diesel line.

RVL should be extended to Philadrelphia by heading south at Bound Brook on the old Reading/B&O line, then change train onto the already extant SEPTA service at West Trenton.

Njtransit, lots of delays, cancellations, and fare hikes up the you know where. One of the worst rail line in New Jersey and one that wastes a lot of money going know where. It needs a total overhaul to get it running where people will use it.

I ride the RVL to visit friends but have never been to this section. Maybe someday when I have extra time I will go to the end of the line and come back to their stop.

unrelated but my nj transit app broke i swear 😭 i cant see the departurevision anymore i have to get the schedule for the day or look on the ticket buying machine 😭

Hopefully this will get extended to the Lehigh Valley and it can act like a real line again

Kinda like the Metro North Harlem line where the line north of Southeast station acts as a branch (although that somehow has better service than this…which is saying a lot)

Why not just call us "rail fans"?

5:08 not sure how *not* being electrified is a good thing? 😅 Diesel costs more (in the long-term) for operations and is terrible for the environment as well. Otherwise a very interesting and informative video!

how is this a branch line when it’s just AN EXTENSION? it’s not running shuttle trains like the Princeton Dinky or the LIRR’s Babylon and West Babylon lines?

How does north Jersey have this and many other lines but in Central Jersey we can't get the MOM and only have the overcrowded Route 9 to drive ?