Lehigh Line Connection

Coordinates: 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.

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. It has been 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 curves (45 mph instead of 15 mph) and catenary wire that for now serves no purpose.

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.

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 trains 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

  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. 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. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Hunter Flyover". www.nec-commission.com. Retrieved December 21, 2017.


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