Ampere station

Ampere Station

Company type	Former commuter rail station
Industry	Transportation
Founded	1890
Headquarters	East Orange , United States
Products	Commuter rail service

Ampere, previously known as The Crescent, was a station on New Jersey Transit's Montclair Branch located in East Orange, New Jersey. Established in 1890, the station initially served the Crocker Wheeler manufacturing facility. Bearing the name of physicist André-Marie Ampère, it underwent reconstruction in 1908, adopting a Renaissance Revival architectural style. Ampere functioned as the second westbound stop from Newark Broad Street Station until the closure of the nearby Roseville Avenue station in 1984. That same year, Ampere, along with 42 other stations, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Due to structural decline, New Jersey Transit removed the westbound shelter in 1986. Train operations ceased on April 7, 1991, and by 1995, the station was completely dismantled.

Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (1868–1960)

The Montclair Branch began as the Newark and Bloomfield Railroad, chartered in 1852 and commencing service in 1856 between Newark, Bloomfield, and West Bloomfield (present-day Montclair). Initially unprofitable, the line was taken over by the Morris & Essex Railroad on April 1, 1868, which renamed it as the Montclair Branch. Shortly thereafter, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W) secured trackage rights and initiated infrastructure upgrades aimed at removing street-level crossings by the early 1900s.

The establishment of Ampere station in 1890 came at the behest of Crocker Wheeler, an electrical machinery company based in East Orange. Named in honor of André-Marie Ampère, it rapidly became a significant stop amid expanding residential and commercial growth. Between 1907 and 1908, DL&W allocated $44,000 to construct a new brick station featuring Renaissance Revival design elements, including a terra cotta roof and a pedestrian tunnel; its opening ceremony attracted dignitaries such as the French ambassador.

By 1912, more than sixty daily train stops at Ampere were scheduled en route to Hoboken Terminal. East Orange flourished as a commercial center with upscale apartments and major retail establishments. Although local opposition arose against track elevation projects—citing concerns over noise and visual impact—legal disputes concluded in favor of DL&W by 1921. Following this decision, tracks were elevated by twelve feet; simultaneously, the station was enlarged with an added second floor and platform canopy. Electric train operations began in 1930 through collaboration with Thomas Edison’s overhead catenary system. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, the Montclair Branch remained among the nation’s busiest commuter rail lines.

After World War II, industrial decline adversely affected East Orange’s tax revenues. The original Crocker Wheeler plant closed and was subsequently acquired by Carrier Corporation for manufacturing refrigerators and air conditioners.

Erie Lackawanna Railroad and Conrail (1960–1980)

In 1960, facing financial difficulties, the Erie Railroad merged with Lackawanna to form the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. Despite this consolidation, financial struggles persisted; the company eventually filed for bankruptcy and sought to terminate passenger services. The Erie-Lackawanna remained under bankruptcy protection until its dissolution in April 1976 when it was absorbed into the federally operated Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail).

NJDOT and New Jersey Transit Era (1980–1995)

Following a brief period of commuter rail management by Conrail, control was transferred to the New Jersey Department of Transportation in 1980. At that point, the DOT and the newly established New Jersey Transit shut the interior waiting area of the aging station. On June 22, 1984, Ampere station gained recognition by being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Despite this designation, the station's interior continued to deteriorate. The westbound shelter, constructed in 1921, was torn down in 1986. In 1987, New Jersey Transit requested authorization to demolish the station but was instead instructed to stabilize the structure and explore options for sale or lease; however, little advancement was made.

By 1990, Ampere station recorded only 51 boardings daily across twenty-eight trains. Service at both Ampere and the nearby Grove Street station was halted on April 7, 1991, pending an increase in ridership. The station endured a significant fire in 1992. With no feasible plans for reuse identified, New Jersey Transit ultimately demolished the station in 1995.

Plans for Ampere Station Reconstruction

In 2005, the city of East Orange initiated efforts to reconstruct and reopen a new Ampere station. Presently, the location still features asphalt platforms and an eastbound driveway; stairs have been removed, and catenary wires span one entrance landing. A feasibility study proposed attracting commuters who currently bypass Brick Church station, East Orange’s principal transit hub, and recommended applying for transit village funding through the Department of Transportation. Because the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, any construction requires approval from the United States Secretary of the Interior. The proposed facility would meet Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 standards by including high-level platforms (both high and long), new canopies, ramps, and stairways. The estimated dwell time per train stop is thirty seconds, which would add approximately one minute and twenty seconds to overall commute times. Given expected ridership levels, only a modest three-sided brick shelter—comparable to those at Montclair Heights or Lake Hopatcong stations—would be necessary.

See also

• Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, New Jersey