The Lehigh Line Connection connects Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC) with the ConrailLehigh 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]
Referencesedit
^Newman, Andy (June 9, 1997). "Farewell to a Railroad Tower". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
^(PDF). ARP. January 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
^. Raritan Valley Rail Coalition. July 30, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
lehigh, line, connection, other, uses, lehigh, line, 7130, 1866, 7130, 1866, hunter, connection, 1997, connection, bottom, left, photo, looking, east, connection, built, just, north, vtenewark, hoboken, division, approacheslegendnortheast, corridorto, boston, . 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 The pre 1997 connection is at bottom left of photo looking east the new connection was built just to the north vteNewark Hoboken Division approachesLegendNortheast Corridorto Boston amp LIRR Main Lineto GreenportSunnyside YardEast River Tunnels under East RiverNew YorkNorth River Tunnels under Hudson River NYNJHoboken TerminalHoboken YardBergen Tunnels under Bergen HillSecaucus Junction MAIN BCL PVLBoonton Line to HackettstownPortal Bridge Lower Hack Liftover Hackensack RiverKearnyConnection SawtoothKearnyConnection BridgesSawtooth WaterfrontConnectionNewark Drawbridge Dock Bridgeover Passaic RiverNewark Broad StreetNewark Penn StationGLAD MOBO M amp EHunter ConnectionCNJ to Communipaw TerminalElizabeth NJT Elizabeth CNJ RVL to High Bridge Aldene ConnectionElizabeth RiverRahway River BridgeUNION interlocking NJCL to Bay HeadNortheast Corridor amp NECto TrentonNewark 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 Newman Andy June 9 1997 Farewell to a Railroad Tower The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved December 21 2017 NEC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS OF RELEVANCE TO NEW JERSEY PDF ARP January 2013 Retrieved January 19 2016 Importance of the Renewal of Transportation Trust Fund to RVRC Raritan Valley Rail Coalition Raritan Valley Rail Coalition July 30 2016 Retrieved December 21 2017 Hunter Flyover Retrieved December 21 2017 External links editHistoric American Engineering Record HAER No NJ 103 Pennsylvania Railroad Hunter Interlocking Tower nbsp This United States rail related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This article about transportation in New Jersey is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lehigh Line Connection amp oldid 1183484045, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
