Pictures and text copyright 2000 T. Sheil & A. Sheil All Rights Reserved
New Jersey Transit and the NY&LB
The New York and Long Branch Railroad was a shared asset of the Pennsylvania Railroad and Central Railroad of New Jersey until 1976. Starting at Matawan, it shot toward the shore through Middletown and closely followed the coastline from Red Bank to Bayhead. The Conrail merger placed it in the hands of one entity, but this changed when NJ transit took over commuter operations. The name of the line was changed to North Jersey Coast Line. Many stations were improved. Collected here are photographic surveys of the stations of the NJCL / NYLB. More will be added until we have covered every station from Matawan to Bayhead.
Coming soon: Long Branch and Bradley Beach
CNJ and NJ Transit
The Jersey Shore was originally known as the New York and Long Branch, served by The Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Pennsylvania Railroad. The old route proceeded through South Amboy followed the coast to the Atlantic Highlands before proceeding south. Today, it cuts to Middletown from South Amboy and then reaches the shore at Long Branch. NJ Transit operates the route, which terminates at Bayhead.
Originally, Pennsylvania Railroad trains to the Shore started at Penn Station, NY and made their way south via Penn Station, Newark, NJ. CNJ trains originated at Jersey City, passing through Bayonne and then across Newark Bay. The Aldene Plan of the 70s brought both railroads' trains through Newark. Today, NJ Transit's shorebound trains originate in New York' Penn Station or Hoboken. The Hoboken Lackawanna Terminal began hosting special shore trains in the 1980s.
The NYLB line is electrified as far south as Long Branch. There, passengers change to a diesel-powered train. Like the Port Jervis trains, the last car has a control cab, so that the engine does not need to be reversed. Previously, the line was electrified as far south as South Amboy. Pennsy's trains, powered by GG1s, would switch engines, giving passengers just enough time to run off the train to a nearby liquor store. The store had the most popular items already packaged, so it was a matter of having exact change for the hooch and then returning to the train for the last leg of the trip. This is how we traveled in the 70s. It was safer to take the train than drive, since partying was a crucial element in our Shore journeys.*
CNJ used old heavyweights right up to the end. Several of these have been restored and are used at Steamtown. They look better than they did 25+ years ago. (Today the seats are upholstered in "naugahide." In the old days, they were rattan.)
The line is double-tracked, and serves both commuter and freight trains.
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