Lehigh Line Connection

The Lehigh Line Connection connects Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC) with the Conrail Lehigh Line 2 miles (3.2 km) south of downtown Newark, New Jersey. It leaves the NEC at Hunter Interlocking, and the line is sometimes called the Hunter Connection. Used by New Jersey Transit (NJT) Raritan Valley Line trains since 1997 when it replaced an older connection, it splits from the NEC just north of the former connector, with wider radius curves with a maximum speed of 45 mph, compared to the 15 mph of the original alignment. The old connection had a single track with older overhead wire and Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) signaling. Until 1961 Lehigh Valley Railroad (LV) passenger trains bound to/from New York Penn Station, such as the Black Diamond, used the connection to reach their own railroad from the PRR main line. At the top of the hill at NK interlocking, LV diesels exchanged the train(s) with PRR electric locomotives. Despite the lack of electrification on the line past the connection, the new trackage is also equipped with catenary wire. Amtrak and NJT have proposed constructing the Hunter Flyover, which would carry Newark-bound Raritan Valley Line trains up and over the six-track NEC main line. Currently, Raritan Valley trains heading toward Newark have to cross three or four tracks at grade to access the eastbound tracks at Newark. This flyover would remove many directional conflicts between trains and reduce delays on the NEC. The project would cost $250 million and is currently undergoing environmental analysis.

Railroad junction in New Jersey, between the Raritan Valley Line and Northeast Corridor

For other uses, see Lehigh Line.

40°42′47″N 74°11′12″W / 40.7130°N 74.1866°W / 40.7130; -74.1866 (Hunter Connection (NJT))

v t e Newark/Hoboken Division approaches
Legend
Northeast Corridor to Boston & LIRR Main Line to Greenport Sunnyside Yard East River Tunnels under East River New York Penn Station North River Tunnels under Hudson River NY NJ Hoboken Terminal Hoboken Yard Bergen Tunnels under Bergen Hill Secaucus Junction│ MAIN BCL PVL Boonton Line to Hackettstown Portal North Bridge│Lower Hack Lift over Hackensack River Kearny Connection │   Sawtooth Kearny Connection │ Bridges Sawtooth │ Waterfront Connection Newark Drawbridge│Dock Bridge over Passaic River Newark Broad Street Newark Penn GLAD MOBO M&E Hunter Connection CNJ to Communipaw Terminal Elizabeth (NJT) Elizabeth (CNJ) RVL to High Bridge│Aldene Connection Elizabeth River Rahway River Bridge UNION interlocking│NJCL to Bay Head Northeast Corridor & NEC to Trenton
Newark Division Hoboken Division (12 kV 25 Hz AC) (25 kV 60 Hz AC)

The Lehigh Line Connection connects Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC) with the Conrail Lehigh Line 2 miles (3.2 km) south of downtown Newark, New Jersey. It leaves the NEC at Hunter Interlocking, and the line is sometimes called the Hunter Connection. Used by New Jersey Transit (NJT) Raritan Valley Line trains since 1997 when it replaced an older connection,^[1] it splits from the NEC just north of the former connector, with wider radius curves with a maximum speed of 45 mph, compared to the 15 mph of the original alignment.

The old connection had a single track with older overhead wire and Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) signaling. Until 1961 Lehigh Valley Railroad (LV) passenger trains bound to/from New York Penn Station, such as the Black Diamond, used the connection to reach their own railroad from the PRR main line. At the top of the hill at NK interlocking, LV diesels exchanged the train(s) with PRR electric locomotives.^{[citation needed]} Despite the lack of electrification on the line past the connection, the new trackage is also equipped with catenary wire.

Amtrak and NJT have proposed constructing the Hunter Flyover, which would carry Newark-bound Raritan Valley Line trains up and over the six-track NEC main line. Currently, Raritan Valley trains heading toward Newark have to cross three or four tracks at grade to access the eastbound tracks at Newark. This flyover would remove many directional conflicts between trains and reduce delays on the NEC. The project would cost $250 million and is currently undergoing environmental analysis.^[2][3][4]

References

[edit]

1. ^ Newman, Andy (June 9, 1997). "Farewell to a Railroad Tower". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
2. ^ "NEC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS OF RELEVANCE TO NEW JERSEY" (PDF). ARP. January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
3. ^ "Importance of the Renewal of Transportation Trust Fund to RVRC - Raritan Valley Rail Coalition". Raritan Valley Rail Coalition. July 30, 2016. Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
4. ^ "Hunter Flyover". Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.

External links

[edit]

• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. NJ-103, "Pennsylvania Railroad, Hunter Interlocking Tower"

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